Schwan’s Company has launched Schwan’s Strategic Partner Solutions, a new division focused on growing the Marshall, Minnesota, USA-headquartered frozen food company’s private label and contract packing business with retailers and food manufacturers.
“Increasingly, we know that today’s consumers see tremendous value in both branded and private label products when making their grocery purchases,” said CEO Dimitrios Smyrnios. “We believe our dynamic manufacturing capabilities, iconic brands, high quality foods and deep consumer insights position us well to help customers grow their branded and private label businesses as they work to meet the evolving needs of consumers.”
Joe Pacinelli, who joined Schwan’s through the acquisition of Better Baked Foods in July, has been appointed president of Schwan’s Strategic Partner Solutions. He will report to Smyrnios and serve as a member of the company’s executive leadership team.
An experienced, well-known leader within the food industry, Pacinelli was with Better Baked Foods for 19 years and had served as its president since 2005. In addition, he has been a board member with the American Frozen Food Institute for 12 years.
Founded in 1952, Schwan’s has been making a wide variety of food and beverages under its proprietary brand names as well as products for other companies during the past six decades. Currently its main target areas for private label and co-packing activities are ice cream, pies, snacks and appetizers, pizza, beverages (primarily smoothies), sauces and aluminum packaging.
“Our goal is to lead in every category in which we compete. In creating a new private label and co-packing business unit, we are achieving two objectives,” said Smyrnios. “We are increasing a strategic focus on our private label business, a rapidly growing and vitally important market segment for our customers. In addition, we are enabling other Schwan’s business units to intensify their focus on growing our own strong retail brands.”
An especially important category for the new enterprise will be pizza. During the summer, Schwan’s announced several acquisitions that are helping expand its presence in this market: MaMa Rosa’s Pizza of Sidney, Ohio; NE Foods Inc.’s wholly owned subsidiaries of Better Baked Foods of North East, Pennsylvania; and Drayton Foods of Fargo, North Dakota.
Schwan’s has been a major player in the frozen pizza business for many years, both in the foodservice and retail sectors. Its household name retail pizza brands are Red Baron, Tony’s and Freschetta.
