Radi Returns to Rudi’s With Goals of Rebuilding
After seven years away, seasoned CPG executive Doug Radi is heading back to Rudi’s Organic Bakery, this time as the bakery brand’s CEO, where he’ll be tasked with rebuilding “significant momentum” for the brand.
“When the team at Rudi’s reached out to share the opportunity with me, I knew this was an excellent opportunity to leverage the brand’s heritage and rebuild the brand to its previous greatness,” Radi said in an email to NOSH. “The organic and gluten-free categories continue to be large growing categories, offering plenty of room for growth.”
The move represents a homecoming for Radi, who held various leadership roles at the 46-year old bakery brand, including VP of Marketing, SVP of Marketing and Conventional Channel Sales and interim general manager, during his initial stint at the company from 2007 to 2014. He most recently served as CEO of alt-milk brand Good Karma, where he oversaw a majority investment by Dean Foods and then the subsequent sale of the company to new owners following Dean’s bankruptcy.
Rudi’s has struggled since it was acquired by Hain for $61.3 million in 2014, as it lost retailers and was unable to compete with the wave of other organic and gluten-free brands that also entered the market. The brand was eventually sold to Mayfair Equity Partners in 2020, which then folded it into its Promise Gluten Free bakery business.
The departure of CEO Brian McGuire for reasons unknown in 2021, just over a year following his appointment, slowed Rudi’s progress. For the past few months former Rudi’s CEO Jane Miller, who is also on the company’s board of directors, has been acting as interim CEO. Reflecting back on the past several years, she acknowledged there was room for growth under Mayfair and Radi’’s new leadership.
“In 2014, we were the number one organic Bread and number two gluten-free bread in the country! Rudi’s was just not a priority for Hain,” Miller said. “We were at almost 100% ACV in 2014 and are now at 30% ACV. “
She added that the company has also brought back its former master baker and plans to devote more marketing efforts towards building a strong digital presence.
Despite its challenging past, Radi said that he was excited to “to leverage the brand’s heritage and rebuild [it] to its previous greatness” by focusing, in part, on consistent execution. Progress has already been made, he said, with Rudi’s claiming the number three organic bread loaf brand in the natural channel for the 12 weeks ending December 26. During that time, Rudi’s organic loaf grew 13% and its top six SKUs together were up 20%.
Meanwhile, Radi told NOSH, Good Karma CFO Matt Riegner has been elevated to the role of CEO. Riegner has worked at the alt-milk brand for the last seven years and will be working with Radi as he transitions away from the business.
“[Matt is] a seasoned natural foods industry veteran that embodies the Good Karma mission. Along with the existing leadership team, Matt will provide great continuity and continue to drive growth for the company,” a spokesperson for Good Karma told NOSH. “We have a highly supportive board and investor group that will continue to fund the team and the brand’s growth plans.”
