Lancaster Colony, the US group behind brand including Marzetti salad dressings and Flatout flatbread, has appointed former Kraft Foods Group executive Dave Ciesinski to the new role of president and COO.

Ciesinksi will also replace Bruce Rosa as president of Lancaster Colony’s T. Marzetti “speciality foods” division, a unit that makes dressings, dips and frozen baked goods.

Discover B2B Marketing That Performs

Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.

Find out more

Rosa had informed Lancaster Colony he wanted to retire by the end of June after 41 years with the business, including 13 years leading the T. Marzetti unit. 

Ciesinski, 50, was previously president of Kraft’s meals and desserts from 2014 to 2015. From October 2013 to March 2014, he was chief commercial officer for digital storage business forever.com.

From July 2003 to June 2013, Ciesinski worked for the then HJ Heinz. His career at Heinz included three years as vice president of its US ketchup business and over a year as chief marketing officer for the group’s US consumer products business. From September 2012 to June 2013, Ciesinski held the position of vice president, global M&A and special projects at Heinz.

“Dave has extensive knowledge and proven leadership in the packaged foods business,” Lancaster Colony chairman and CEO John Gerlach Jr. said.

GlobalData Strategic Intelligence

US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?

Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.

By GlobalData

Just Food Excellence Awards - Nominations Closed

Nominations are now closed for the Just Food Excellence Awards. A big thanks to all the organisations that entered – your response has been outstanding, showcasing exceptional innovation, leadership, and impact.

Excellence in Action
Winning five categories in the 2025 Just Food Excellence Awards, Centric Software is setting the pace for digital transformation in food and FMCG. Explore how its integrated PLM and PXM suite delivers faster launches, smarter compliance and data-driven growth for complex, multi-channel product portfolios.

Discover the Impact