Manitowoc, Wis. (Dec. 18, 2018) – Lakeside Foods Inc. announces the addition of an industry veteran as part of its strategic plan to grow its foodservice and national account business.
Reagan Russell will join Lakeside in January as Vice President of Foodservice Sales. Russell brings 16 years of foodservice sales experience in the packaged vegetable industry. He will be charged with building a go-to-market sales strategy that aligns with the company’s long-term growth plan.
Mark Leibham, a 35-year veteran of Lakeside who has led its foodservice team since 2013, will move into a newly created role as Vice President of Chain & Industrial Sales.
“As part of our strategic planning, we have identified significant growth opportunities with national restaurant chains due to evolving consumer dining preferences and the growing demand for more plant-based menu options,” said Matt Brown, Vice President of Sales. “We are excited to have Mark focus his efforts on this segment and to welcome Reagan to our team.”
Lakeside Foods is one of the largest U.S. suppliers of canned and frozen vegetables and whipped topping for the private label and food service markets. The company has grown recently with two acquisitions in adjacent food categories and begun construction on a 100,000-square-foot expansion of its frozen packaging facility in Wisconsin.
About Lakeside
Lakeside Foods is a premier supplier of high-quality frozen and canned foods to the retail, food service and industrial sectors. Since its beginning in 1887 as a small pea-canning plant, Lakeside Foods has expanded to 13 processing facilities, producing canned and frozen vegetables, frozen desserts, appetizers and canned pet food that are distributed in 14 countries. Lakeside Foods manages its vegetable growing and harvesting operations through a network of regional farmers, ensuring food quality and freshness from farm to table. The company is family-owned and based in Manitowoc, Wis.