Amy’s Kitchen has appointed company president Paul Schiefer as its new CEO, with co-founder Andy Berliner moving to the position of executive chairman.
In the new role, Schiefer, who had been the US group's president since 2023, will take on “day to day” responsibility for the business, the company said in a statement.
Berliner, who set up Amy's Kitchen with his wife Rachel in 1987, was CEO until 2020 before the company similarly moved then president Xavier Unkovic to the role.
Former Mars executive Unkovic had joined Amy's Kitchen in 2017 as president but, after spending a year as CEO, Berliner again became the company's chief executive in May 2021.
Schiefer has worked at Amy’s Kitchen for more than 20 years across a range of roles, starting as a manufacturing intern.
The California-headquartered company said during Schiefer’s tenure as president the company delivered its “strongest gross-margin performance in a decade” and improved profitability by 60%.
Berliner said: “Paul has been instrumental in navigating some of our most important chapters. He understands what makes this company special and how to carry that forward. His leadership, insight and connection to our values made him the clear choice to lead Amy's into the future.”
In a LinkedIn post, Schiefer added: “My job now is to protect what makes Amy's special, while making sure we stay relevant for the next generation that cares just as deeply about what's in their food and how it's made.
“In a time when trust in food is at an all-time low, Amy's 40-year track record as an independent, values-driven B Corp matters more than ever.”
Schiefer’s priorities will include “advancing innovation” and maintaining Amy’s position in food culture, alongside sustainability and “operational excellence”, the company said.
Meanwhile, in his new position as executive chairman, Berliner will focus on “long-term vision, governance and stewardship of the company’s purpose and values”.
Rachel Berliner will remain involved in innovation, marketing and the board, the company added.
The company employs more than 2,600 people and has manufacturing facilities in Santa Rosa, California; Medford, Oregon; and Pocatello, Idaho.
Amy’s Kitchen sells across the US and in more than 10 other countries, with retail sales “approaching” $1bn, the business said yesterday.
