SPRINGFIELD, MA - Not one, but two new executive appointments have been made by Big Y Foods. The retailer recently named John P. Fraro as its new Vice President of Fresh Foods, while Steve Nordstrom will step up as Vice President of Center Store. Both report to Michael R. Cormier, Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing.

In his new role, Fraro will be responsible for all aspects of Big Y’s fresh departments, including produce and floral, meat, seafood, bakery, deli, and kitchen. Fraro started his career at Big Y in 2005 as an Assistant Food Service/Kitchen Manager after having held positions in meat, bakery, and deli for two other retailers previously. In 2006, he was appointed sous chef at Big Y’s Fresh Acres Market and later in 2008 as its Meal Solutions Manager. From 2014–2017, he was a Deli Produce Manager and then a Produce Sales Manager until his 2017 appointment as Director of Deli, Bakery, and Kitchen.

In 2017, Fraro was recognized as one of the 40 Under 40 Food Industry Rising Leaders by The Griffin Report of the Northeast. He completed the National Grocers Association Executive Development Program, and last year he received the 2023 Emerging Leader Award from the Massachusetts Food Association, a press release stated.

As VP of Center Store, Nordstrom will be responsible for center store sales, marketing, and merchandising programs for grocery, health and beauty care, general merchandise, frozen, dairy, as well as space management. He joined Big Y in 1996 as an Assistant Grocery Manager.

Nordstrom's grocery career spans 30 years. He holds a BA from Assumption College.

Michael P. D’Amour, President and Chief Executive Officer, commented on the appointments.

“Our people are and always will be the heart of our company,” said D’Amour. “They foster and grow our culture of caring, continuous learning, and service to each other and our communities. I am excited to have John and Steve join our Vice President leadership team as they will help us to challenge how we think, innovate, and grow. The most important thing we do as a leadership group is to help educate and empower all our employees to have a voice and to be a part of a team that is committed to Big Y remaining a great place to work and shop for generations to come.”

Congratulations to the new leaders!

VINELAND, NJ - A newly formed business development team is taking shape at Sunnyside Fresh. The value-added fresh food manufacturer has named three tenured executives to their latest roles in sales, marketing, brand building, and product development.

Dave Guldner, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, has been in his current role with Sunnyside Fresh since 2019, bringing over 20 years of experience in sales, marketing, and product development. With a strong background in both the produce sector and the candy and snacks industry, Guldner has developed a keen understanding of diverse market dynamics and consumer behavior, a press release stated.

Throughout his career, Guldner has been instrumental in working with customer partners to create innovative program solutions driven by consumer demand and evolving culinary trends.

Robert Backer, the newly named Vice President of Retail Sales, joined the team in August 2024 and is an industry veteran of over 32 years. His background includes being the Fruit Category Manager for The GIANT Company, resulting in a wealth of knowledge focusing on category management and merchandising.

Amy Erianne, Business Development, rejoined the team in May 2024 and has over 27 years of experience in the food industry focused on business development, customer service, and problem-solving strategies. She is a high-achieving passionate senior executive bringing expertise in business planning, product development, and forward-thinking.

The business development team is joined by three functions: product development, sales, and marketing.

Frank and Sam Tedesco, the Owners of Sunnyside Fresh, are thrilled to bring these executives together to work on the company’s core mission: to provide high-quality food all day every day.

“Our newly formed team will focus on bringing new product solutions to the market centered around answering the daily question ‘What am I going to eat today?’ We are very excited for all that this team can bring to the market to make life easier for the consumer,” Frank Tedesco said.

Sunnyside Fresh will be communicating more about its new product innovations during the fourth quarter of 2024, so stick around.

CORAL GABLES, FL - Fresh Del Monte Produce is flexing its strength as a produce provider with a strong brand reputation and even stronger company values. The fresh produce producer, marketer, and distributor was recently recognized by Newsweek, earning the eighth spot on the 2024 World’s Most Trustworthy Companies list in the Food & Beverage category.

"To be named one of the World’s Most Trustworthy Companies by Newsweek is both an honor and a responsibility we carry with great pride," said Mohammad Abu-Ghazaleh, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Fresh Del Monte. "It reflects our tireless pursuit of excellence, transparency, and trust, qualities that are woven into every aspect of our business. I am profoundly grateful to our incredible global team for their relentless commitment and passion—this recognition is a testament to their efforts. Together, we aim to continue to inspire confidence and drive meaningful change in the lives of those we serve."

Presented in collaboration with Statista, the World’s Most Trustworthy Companies 2024 were identified in an independent survey based on a vast sample of more than 70,000 participants in 23 industries spanning 20 countries, a release explained. Participants rated companies across three critical touchpoints of trust: Investor Trust, Customer Trust, and Employee Trust.

As the release went on to note, each company that received enough evaluations underwent a social listening analysis, which involved a sentiment analysis of the companies on several media segments of the internet and evaluating their mentions as either positive, neutral, or negative.

This marks an exciting winning streak for Fresh Del Monte Produce, as the supplier has been listed as one of America’s Most Trusted Companies for the past three consecutive years.

Read more about the produce powerhouse’s latest recognition here, and keep clicking on AndNowUKnow as we bring you the latest updates and insights.

LA CAÑADA FLINTRIDGE, CA - The Allen Lund Company can start planning an office party, as the company announced it has received another award—its second in two months. The transportation broker was named one of the Best Places to Work in Southern California by the Best Companies Group.

“We are excited to be recognized once again as one of the best places to work in Southern California,” said Matt Barnes, Senior Director of Human Resources. “Our culture, growth opportunities, benefits, and especially our people, are all top flight. It is a well-earned acknowledgment that we will be proud to advertise.”

Identifying the top workplaces in Southern California crucially involved factors such as corporate culture, training and development opportunities, salary and benefits, and overall employee satisfaction. The selection process for applicants relied significantly on detailed employee surveys, confirmed a press release.

The company is experiencing great momentum this season, including recently earning the title of 2024 Customer Service Carrier of the Year from Coca-Cola.

A big congrats from ANUK on this latest honor!