People Moves: Holly Long Departs Whole Foods Market, Heads to SFA

Holly Long Joins SFA as Director of Community Engagement

After nearly 22 years at Whole Foods Market, where she most recently served as Principal Forager for the Local and Emerging Brands Team, Holly Long is entering a new chapter as Director of Community Engagement at the Specialty Food Association (SFA).

Over the course of her career at Whole Foods, Long helped open 22 new stores, attended “countless” food shows and mentored hundreds of emerging brands to get their products onto the retail chain’s shelves, according to a LinkedIn post.

“I’ve learned so much both personally and professionally working alongside some of the most amazing teams in my tenure [at Whole Foods] and I’m ready to apply those learnings in a new way with my team at the SFA,” Long told Nosh in an email, adding that she’s been attending Fancy Food Shows since she was in college and has always been a supporter of the association.

One of the biggest lessons learned from her time at Whole Foods that she will carry with her is to be authentic and meet brands where they are, as “entrepreneurs are not cookie-cutter and all have different needs.” Therefore, it’s important to ask questions up front to effectively provide what brands need to help them succeed, according to Long.

In her new role, she plans to identify community needs and design programs that will foster connection.

“The Director of Community Engagement role is a role that will allow me to continue to build connections in the food industry while championing the people and products that make it so successful,” said Long. “I’ll have the opportunity to share my over two decades of experience in food retail, brand development and community-centered initiatives to help founders and brands on their journeys and help provide a supportive community around them.”

Former Tyson Foods Exec Named President of SF-360

FiveStar Gourmet Foods, the parent company of Simply Fresh, has appointed former Tyson Foods executive Johnny Hughes as president of SF-360, its omnichannel platform focused on delivering fresh food solutions across retail, foodservice, transportation and QSR channels. Hughes will also serve on FiveStar’s board of directors.

He comes to FiveStar with over 30 years of experience at Tyson, where he most recently held the role of SVP. In this new position at FiveStar, Hughes will oversee the company’s growing vertical, including branded fresh kiosks, smart vending, foodservice distribution, institutional partnerships and Simply Fresh Kitchen – a new concept for health-focused QSRs.

“FiveStar and Simply Fresh have earned their reputation by putting quality and convenience first. What’s next is reimagining how and where people access fresh food, whether through technology, partnerships or entirely new formats. SF-360 is uniquely positioned to lead that shift,” said Hughes in a statement.

His appointment coincides with the recent opening of FiveStar’s state-of-the-art facility in Southern California. The flagship location is a new hub for innovation, production and nationwide distribution of SF-360’s fresh food solutions, according to the announcement.

Just Date CEO Departs for OpenAI

After four years at the helm, Just Date CEO Samantha Ambramson is departing the company.

As CEO, Abramson helped grow Just Date’s revenue fivefold, secure distribution for its Milk and Dark Date Sweetened Chocolate Chips in Whole Foods and Sprouts, launch Organic Date Syrup in 2,200 Kroger banner doors nationwide and “exponentially” expand foodservice and ingredient partnerships.

“Running a CPG company as a solo operator through the chaos of the chocolate commodity market, tariffs and a tough fundraising market was one of the hardest and most rewarding chapters of my life,” said Abramson in a LinkedIn post.

She continued, “I also want to express deep appreciation for all of the people who have been along for the ride on this journey. From co-manufacturers to logistics to sales teams to banking partners and retail partners, your collaboration powered our growth.”

Abramson is starting a new chapter on the marketing team at OpenAI, though she said she remains “incredibly energized” by the future of food and CPG.

Acme Smoked Fish Shares CEO Succession Plan

Premium smoked fish and cured seafood producer Acme Smoked Fish Corp. unveiled its management succession plan, in which current CEO Eduardo Carbajosa will retire, effective January 1, with Rob Snyder taking over the top executive role.

Carbajosa joined Acme in 2007 as CFO before being promoted to president in 2020 and later to CEO in 2024. Throughout his tenure, he played an “instrumental role” in strengthening the company’s financial resilience and expanding its footprint both domestically and internationally, according to an official announcement of the leadership shakeup.

“[Eduardo] has helped guide Acme through meaningful growth and positioned the company for a strong future,” said David Caslow, chairman and member of the founding family, in a press release. “As we look ahead, we’re thrilled to welcome Rob as our next CEO. His values, industry knowledge and people-first leadership style make him the ideal person to lead us into this next chapter.”

Laura S. Chamberlain Joins Nature’s Path Organic Foods

Nature’s Path Organic Foods, which touts itself as North America’s largest independent organic breakfast and snack food company, has named Laura S. Chamberlain chief customer officer. The creation of this role “reflects the company’s continued commitment to U.S. growth, deepening customer partnerships and capitalizing on new market opportunities,” per the announcement.

Most recently, Chamberlain served as chief customer officer at vitamin and supplement company Nature’s Way. Her career has also included roles at globally recognized food companies like Danone, Bumble Bee and Hershey.

“As Nature’s Path continues its robust expansion in the U.S., we’re proud to welcome Laura to our executive leadership team,” said Arjan Stephens, president of Nature’s Path, in a statement. “Her deep industry experience, customer-first mindset and passion for building high-performing teams will be instrumental as we continue spreading our mission.”

Better Sour Names Chief Growth Officer

Better-for-you candy brand Better Sour, which is raising a seven-figure round to support new product launches and expanded distribution, has appointed CPG veteran Shawn Gardner as chief growth officer, according to a LinkedIn post. Gardner previously held roles at food brands such as Perfect Bar, That’s it. and PROBAR.

More people moves from across the industry:

• Hispanic dairy product producer Tropical Cheese announced the appointment of Vic Mehren as CEO, effective September 2. Mehren brings more than two decades of leadership in CPG, most recently serving as CEO of Second Nature Brands.
• Joey Bergstein has joined 1440 Foods, the parent company of Pure Protein and FitCrunch, as CEO, effective August 1. Bergstein previously served as CEO of Blue Triton Brands.