Kodiak appoints Valerie Oswalt as new CEO

Valerie Oswalt, new Kodiak CEO

Kodiak, a breakfast and snacking products company, has appointed Valerie Oswalt as its new chief executive officer.

Oswalt will take on the responsibilities of co-founder and incumbent CEO, Joel Clark, and co-founder and president, Cameron Smith, both of whom will transition into roles on Kodiak’s board of directors.

“It is a privilege to lead a fast-growing, purpose-driven food company built on a mission to inspire healthier eating and active living,” said Oswalt.

She continued: “I am inspired by the culture that has been cultivated by Kodiak’s founders and executive team since its inception and look forward to continuing to build upon it”.

Oswalt joins Kodiak from Campbell Soup Company, where she was president of the snacks division and a Campbell executive vice president since 2020. Prior to Campbell, she served as CEO of Century Snacks, a trail mix and nut products company.

“Valerie’s people-first leadership style and deep industry experience uniquely position her to lead Kodiak into its next phase of growth,” said Clark. “I’m thrilled to pass the baton to someone our team unanimously felt was the right person for the job.”

Smith commented: “Building the Kodiak brand alongside Joel for over a decade has been such a rewarding experience…We chose Valerie for this role because her approach to leadership mirrors those values that are so important to the culture at Kodiak. We’re confident her expertise will accelerate the growth of the company and team.”