The Supply Side briefs: Exec moves at Dean Foods and JBS

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by The City Wire staff ([email protected]) September 16, 2015 4:20 pm 175 views 

Ralph Scozzafava has been promoted to chief operating officer of dairy giant Dean Foods effective Oct. 1. In this new role he will continue to oversee the commercial functions of sales, marketing, research and development and logistics.

Scozzafava joined Dean Foods a year ago as the chief commercial officer with 30 years of experience in the consumer goods and grocery categories, having held leadership roles Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co.. Johnson & Johnson, Clorox and the Campbell Soup Co.

“I’ve really enjoyed the dairy industry, and I’m excited to begin this new phase of my career with Dean Foods,” Scozzafava said. “I’ve been impressed with the quality of people within the organization and all we can accomplish together. The launch of DairyPure earlier this year was one example of how I think we’re changing the dairy category, and I very much look forward to this next chapter.”

Scozzafava will continue to report to Gregg Tanner, CEO of Dean Foods.

Dean Foods is a supplier to Wal-Mart Stores and maintains a sales office in Bentonville.

* JBS names new global president
Tarek Farahat, a former Procter & Gamble Co. senior executive, will take over as global president of the newly announced marketing and innovation team at JBS. The 51-year-old Farahat was the president of P&G Latin America and has been a JBS board member since June 2013.

In this new role he will be responsible for positioning JBS brands including Swift and Pilgrim’s in the US and Seara in Brazil. 

In May, JBS CEO Wesley Batista said the company is seeking to diversify into segments such as packaged and branded food products.

Born in Egypt, Farahat worked for 26 years at P&G in different regions including the Middle East and Europe.

“He has an impeccable track record of building brands around the world, including in Brazil,” Batista noted in the statement.

Gilberto Tomazoni, chairman of Pilgrim’s Pride Corp. and CEO of JBS Foods, Brazil’s chicken and processed-food unit, was also promoted. He will will now oversee the company’s global operations. Farahat and Tomazoni will report directly to Batista.

JBS is also a supplier to Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and is a competitor to Tyson Foods Inc.