Joe Ens Leaves Highkey To Lead Fontaine Santé Foods
After a four-year run leading keto snack brand Highkey, Joe Ens is trying his hand at the refrigerated dips and plant-based food space as the new CEO of Fontaine Santé Foods.
Fontaine Santé has been owned by middle market private equity firm Arbor Investments since 2021. The Canadian company makes a range of dips, hummus, pesto, tofu, salads and salsa under the Fontaine Santé, Garden Fresh Gourmet – acquired from Campbells in 2019 as a bridge into the U.S. market – and Lantana brands.
“The company has always made incredible products, and the Fontaine Santé brand is a favorite in Canada,” said Ens in a press release. “Now it’s time to get consumers across North America reaching for all of our brands. We know there’s a desire to eat healthier, but who wants to give up on taste? By focusing on brand building, we can introduce more people to delicious foods made from plants and set the company up for its next phase of growth.”
Ens brings a significant track record in expanding businesses both regionally and internationally. During his two decades at General Mills, he worked his way up through the ranks from marketing and sales roles, to regional CEO of the company’s “Australasia” business. He later departed and became co-founding partner of North 44, an Australian natural food business aiming to expand operations to North America.
“Joe is an accomplished executive with a passion for building high-performance teams that can align and deliver on a strategic plan,” said Carl Allegretti, president of Arbor Investments and chairman of the board for Fontaine Santé, in a release. “His understanding of CPG, the dynamics of U.S. and Canadian markets, and experience with challenger brands will be pivotal to driving continued growth at the Company.”
According to Fontaine Santé, its branded hummus is the category leader in Canada, with nearly 60% market share. The company owns two production facilities, located in Québec and Michigan, and claims it is “one of the largest manufacturers” of refrigerated dips in North America.
During his four year tenure as Highkey’s CEO, Ens worked to build the business through a “digital incubation” model with the stated goal of launching dozens of categories online each year, and then use consumer responses to determine which lines would be rolled out into retail. What began as a direct-to-consumer keto cookie company has evolved into a broader-reaching snack platform with product lines encompassing cookies, crackers, candy bars, chocolates and mini cake-type treats.
According to his LinkedIn profile, Ens departed Highkey at the end of August. The snack company has not yet announced a replacement. The company did not respond to a request for comment.
