Snak King has appointed Michael Axelrod as CEO of the private label and branded snacks manufacturer to succeed Barry Levin.
Levin has headed up the California-based business for more than four decades but is now stepping down as CEO. He will continue to serve on the board of directors of Snak King, which was backed by Falfurrias Management Partners last year.
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Axelrod is joining the maker of tortilla chips, potato crisps, popcorn and nut clusters from Del Real Foods, where he was CEO of the Hispanic food group since 2019.
He began his career at Boston Consulting Group and has held executive roles at Passport Food Group and TreeHouse Foods, another own-label business in the US, according to his LinkedIn profile.
In his early career, Axelrod was also an executive at what was once Kraft Foods and then a position as vice president of innovation at McCain Foods.
“Barry has built an exceptional company with a reputation for quality, customer trust, and innovation,” Axelrod said in a statement.
“It is an honour to follow in his footsteps, and I look forward to working with the Snak King team to build on that foundation as we pursue the next phase of growth and value creation.”
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By GlobalDataThe company said Levin has “grown the business from a one-room, one-machine manufacturer of pork rinds into the international enterprise it is today”.
Levin said: “Building Snak King over the last four decades with so many remarkable team mates has been a great privilege, and I am proud of the business we have grown together.
“I am confident that Mike is the right leader to guide Snak King forward and continue to deliver for our customers, employees and partners.”
Founded in 1978 and based in City of Industry, California, Snak King is also a co-manufacturer. Its portfolio spans private-label products for retailers and in-house brands including El Sabroso, The Whole Earth, Granny Goose and Jensen’s Orchard.
Announcing the undisclosed investment in August 2024, Falfurrias, headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, said the financing was channelled through the Falfurrias Capital Partners IV and V funds.
