Snack Food & Wholesale Bakery - September 2008 - (Page 12)

2008 W h o l e s a l e Ba k e r o f t h e Y e a r Continued from page 10 Another point of difference is the brand’s product portfolio, adds Doug Radi, vice president of marketing. “Our strategy is to be the organic, mainstream, all-family company,” he says. “There are a lot of organic [food] com- panies that are doing unique breads such as artisan or local breads. We’re trying to [target] health-seeking, health-and-wellness mom and give her the products her whole family can eat.” For instance, Rudi’s Organic top-selling sandwich varieties include 100% Whole Wheat, Honey Sweet Wheat, Country Morning White and Multigrain Oat that Radi describes as “center of the category, all-purpose sandwich breads.” The line also offers organic buns, rolls, tortillas, English muffins and more for everyday eating occasions throughout the day. “The thing that can get you into trouble with organic is being a niche of a niche of a niche,” Radi explains. “It takes as much time to launch one product as another so you have to guard against, from a business principal, doing organic sense of scale. Targeting a mainstream audience and mainstream tastes, textures and varieties is typically a better strategy than being unique. At the same time, as an entrepreneurial company, we have the right to be innovative. You have to find the right balance.” Mainstream Innovation This balance between mainstream and innovation is reflected in the new products Continued on page 14 At a Glance Company: Charter Baking Co., a portfolio company of Charterhouse Group, a New York private equity firm Headquarters: Boulder, Colo. Products: Organic and all-natural sandwich bread, artisan bread, rolls, buns, English muffins, bagels, tortillas, wraps, granola. Brands: Rudi’s Organic, The Baker, Vermont Bread, Matthew’s All Natural, Kasanof’s, Green Freedman Plants: Boulder, Colo.; Brattleboro, Vt.; North Grosvenordale, Conn.; Milford, N.J. The Milford facility will be consolidated into the North Grosvenordale operation this year. No. of Employees: 350-375, depending on the season Web site: www.CharterBaking.com. Key Personnel President & CEO: John Foley Chief Financial Officer: Mike Aufiero Chief Information Officer: Andy Artzer V.P. of Operations: Floyd Snell V.P. of Route Operations: Rob Barnes V.P. of Marketing: Doug Radi V.P. of Sales: Tom Nash Dir. of Human Resources: Connie Deitsch SFWB0108EURO.indd 1 12/13/07 10:00:00 AM 12 Snack Food & Wholesale Bakery - SEPTEMBER 2008 http://www.CharterBaking.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Snack Food & Wholesale Bakery - September 2008

Snack Food & Wholesale Bakery - September 2008 Contents Editor’s Note For Goodness Sakes Better Than the Rest Unconventional Thinking Easy Does It New Products In the Comfort Zone Engineering Management The ASB Column Printer Keeps Production Running Equipment Briefs Better Than the Rest The Final Word

Snack Food & Wholesale Bakery - September 2008

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