Leadership moves spotlight snacks growth, supply chain and digital ordering

Consumer packaged goods and foodservice companies are making leadership moves that signal continued focus on better-for-you snacks, supply chain performance and digital guest experiences — priorities that can influence product availability and merchandising opportunities in vending, micro markets and travel hubs.

Flowers Foods appointed Michelle Lorge president of Simple Mills. Lorge succeeds Simple Mills founder Katlin Smith, who is stepping down as CEO and will remain with the company in an advisory role, Flowers Foods said.

Lorge has spent 11 years with Simple Mills and most recently served as chief marketing, innovation and mission officer. Flowers Foods said she helped scale the brand’s distribution to more than 30,000 stores nationwide across crackers, cookies, bars and baking mixes — categories that continue to expand shelf space in better-for-you sets that overlap with micro market and vending planograms.

Ferrero Group said it will implement a new governance structure effective Sept. 1, adding two leadership roles that report to Giovanni Ferrero, president of Ferrero International S.A.

Alessandro Nervegna, currently chief strategy and innovation officer, will become CEO of “Ferrero Core,” overseeing core categories including confectionery, biscuits and bakery, and better-for-you businesses, the company said.

Lapo Civiletti, currently Ferrero Group’s CEO, will move into a newly created role as president of Ferrero Ice Cream and WK Kellogg Co., while continuing as vice president of Ferrero International S.A., according to Ferrero.

For convenience services operators, the changes underscore Ferrero’s continued emphasis on expanding beyond traditional confectionery into additional snack and sweet categories with strong performance in grab-and-go channels.

General Mills named Jonathan Ness chief supply chain officer, effective March 16. Ness will also join the senior leadership team and oversee the company’s global supply chain operations, General Mills said.

Ness has served as interim chief supply chain officer since late January and has held leadership roles across supply chain strategy, manufacturing, procurement and transformation during nearly 20 years at the company, General Mills said.

For operators, supply chain leadership continuity at major manufacturers can affect service levels, fill rates and promotional execution across center-store staples.

OTG appointed Sri Anne chief technology officer, tasking him with leading the company’s technology strategy across airport operations, guest-facing digital experiences and infrastructure to support growth, according to the company. OTG develops and operates restaurants, bars and food halls inside major U.S. airports, often integrating self-ordering kiosks, tablets and other digital ordering technology into the dining experience.

Anne brings more than two decades of leadership experience, including roles at JetBlue Airways, Madison Square Garden and American Express.

As airports continue to invest in mobile ordering, friction-reducing checkout and more personalized digital engagement, those capabilities can shape expectations for unattended retail and self-serve foodservice — especially in high traffic, time-sensitive environments where operators compete on speed and reliability.