San Juan Bautista-based Earthbound Farm has a new president, its parent company announced.
Kevin C. Yost will take on running the full operations of the company from CEO Charlie Sweat, who will continue to serve the company in an advisory role, parent company WhiteWave said in a statement Monday.
Yost previously worked at Saputo, Inc., a global food and beverage branding company. The rest of management at the company will remain the same, and operations in San Juan are not expected to change with the acquisition.
In December, Earthbound announced it would sell its assets to organic food company WhiteWave Foods Co., based out of Denver. In early January, the deal was finalized between the companies. Earthbound was acquired for $600 million in cash from co-founders Drew and Myra Goodman, who started the company in Carmel Valley in 1984 before moving to San Juan Bautista in 1996.
Earthbound started in the Goodman’s 2.5-acre backyard before it grew to become one of the largest organic food companies in the country. Its salad market in the United States grew to more than $500 million in annual sales under Sweat, who took over the company 15 years ago.
“We are excited to have Kevin grow and lead the Earthbound Farm business and the company’s talent,” said Gregg Engles, the CEO of WhiteWave Foods Co., in a statement.
