Land O’Lakes appoints former PepsiCo executive as CEO

US agri-food business Land O’Lakes has appointed former PepsiCo and Pepsi Bottling Company executive Beth Ford as its new CEO and president, effective from 1 August 2018.

Ford has held several senior positions at Land O’Lakes since joining the company in 2011, and most recently served as the company’s chief operating officer, Land O’Lakes businesses, where she oversaw the operations of the Dairy Foods, WinField United and Purina Animal Nutrition business units.

Prior to this role, Ford served as the head of Land O’Lakes’ Dairy Foods and Purina Animal Nutrition businesses, and a statement from the company claims that she “led record performance and growth” in this time by leveraging R&D to strengthen both brands.

With over 20 years of experience in the areas of technology and R&D, Ford also held roles at International Flavors and Fragrances, Mobil Corporation and Scholastic before joining Land O’Lakes.

Ford will succeed the outgoing Chris Policinski, who announced in May that he would retire from his position after 13 years in the role.

Ford said: “I’m humbled and honoured to have the chance to serve this great organization. I am grateful to the Board of Directors for their trust in me and for the management team that built the strong foundation we currently enjoy.

“I look forward to continuing to work with the talented and dedicated leadership team, as well as our outstanding employees to deliver for our member-owners, customers and communities.

“There has never been a more exciting time to be in the agriculture and food industry. Together, our team will work to continue our growth trajectory, as we lead the way forward into the company’s next 100 years.”

Land O’Lakes board chairman Pete Kappelman added: “At a time of unprecedented change in the agriculture and food industries, no person is better suited to lead us into the future than Beth Ford.

“Since joining our company in 2011, Beth has proven she’s not afraid of hard work, and she sees every challenge as an opportunity to deliver more value for our cooperative.

“She’s built a track record of success in a wide array of leadership roles across a decades-long career, and in her seven years at Land O’Lakes, she has earned the trust and respect of our members, employees and customers.

“We are thrilled to have someone of such strong qualifications and character to build on the legacy of growth that Land O’Lakes has established.”