Sargento Acquires La Terra Fina a Category Leader in Premium Dips, Spreads and Quiches

"For three generations, Sargento has built our success through industry-leading innovation and a real commitment to our stakeholders," said Louie Gentine, third generation Chairman and CEO of Sargento. "Entering the Deli is an exciting opportunity for the Sargento Family, that expands our capabilities, builds on the strength of the La Terra Fina® brand and brings new consumers to Sargento."

Founded in the San Francisco Bay Area in 1983, La Terra Fina makes premium dips, spreads and quiches and has been a private affiliate of Catamount Management Corporation since 2015. As privately held entities, Sargento and La Terra Fina will not disclose any financial details of the sale.

"Sargento has the right culture, capabilities and commitment to innovation to grow our brand for generations to come," said Stephen Cottrell, La Terra Fina President and CEO. "Now that we are part of the Sargento Family, we know this next chapter will bring new opportunities and new ways of working. Through it all, La Terra Fina will remain focused on the quality, service and the people who have made the brand as strong as it is today. We look forward to building our future together as part of Sargento."

New Business Unit Leadership Across Sargento

With the acquisition now complete, Erin Price has been named General Manager of its new Deli Business Unit, overseeing the La Terra Fina business within the Sargento corporate portfolio. Stephen Cottrell and the La Terra Fina leadership team will report to Erin, and the brand will continue serving consumers and customers under her leadership. In this role, Erin will be responsible for integrating La Terra Fina into the Sargento business model, building the company's Deli strategy and driving performance across the business. Her leadership will focus on strengthening La Terra Fina's position in the marketplace, expanding customer relationships and supporting profitable growth within Sargento's three-year rolling strategic plan.

Erin brings more than 20 years of CPG experience and strong leadership across Brand, Integrated Marketing Communications, strategic planning and general management. Previously, Erin served as Sargento's General Manager of Consumer Products, Food Service & Ingredients and Vice President of Strategic Planning.

Jeremy Schellin has been promoted to General Manager of the Sargento Consumer Products Business Unit, which markets the company's branded natural cheese slices, shreds, chunks and snacks through grocery and other retail channels nationwide. Consumer Products has made Sargento the No. 1 branded natural cheese company in the U.S., supported by strong retailer relationships and category-growing innovations including Balanced Breaks® snacks and Sargento® Natural American Cheese.

Jeremy brings strong business acumen, a disciplined growth mindset, and a proven ability to lead teams through complex business environments. He previously served as General Manager of Food Service & Ingredients, which under his leadership generated a record $500 million in net sales for the first time in its 40-year history. His experience in innovation, brand, strategic planning and general management will help strengthen Consumer Products in a rapidly evolving marketplace. Jeremy's ability to turn strategy into action and build high-performing teams will support continued growth in this key Sargento business unit.

Sargento also appointed Joy Judski Interim General Manager of Food Service & Ingredients (FSI), which provides leading restaurants, food manufacturers and distributors with premium natural cheese, customized products and packaging, and culinary innovation. Judski will continue leading FSI Sales while supporting business continuity and performance during the search for a permanent General Manager.

Joy has more than 20 years of leadership experience in sales, trade strategy, customer planning and talent development. Her deep knowledge of the FSI business, strong customer relationships and proven sales leadership will support the business unit during the transition. Previously, Joy served as Vice President of Sales for Consumer Products.

"The acquisition of La Terra Fina represents an important milestone and growth engine for Sargento. It will strengthen our ability to deliver value for our employees, customers, suppliers and shareholders," said Michael Pellegrino, Chief Operating Officer of Sargento. "I want to congratulate Erin, Jeremy and Joy on their new roles as we align our leadership structure to support this exciting venture. Their leadership and expertise will help us welcome La Terra Fina to the Sargento Family, serve our stakeholders and continue positioning our company for long-term growth."

About Sargento

Sargento is a family-owned cheese company with more than 2,500 employees and $1.7 billion in net sales. Founded in Plymouth, Wisconsin, in 1953, the company helped introduce pre-packaged sliced and shredded natural cheeses and cheese blends in the U.S. Today, Sargento makes natural cheese products and ingredients and supports the communities where its employees—known as the Sargento Family—live and work. www.sargento.com

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SOURCE Sargento