Highview Capital | March 19, 2024
Leading Protein Manufacturer and Distributor Completes Leadership Team Buildout with Executive Appointments and Promotions
Los Angeles, CA – Randall Foods (the “Company”), a value-added provider of ground beef, poultry, beef, and pork protein solutions and a portfolio company of Highview Capital, today announced the completion of its executive team buildout that includes both external appointments and internal promotions.
Randall Foods is the combination of Randall Foods and WilMar Meat from a transformational merger in 2022. Now integrated, Randall Foods serves as a critical partner to grocery retail and foodservice customers. It assists customers by solving their greatest protein needs through a diversified and unparalleled offering of fresh and frozen value-added solutions, innovative packaging formats, and four state-of-the-art facilities strategically located in Vernon, CA. As a result of the merger, the Company meaningfully expanded its product portfolio, strengthened its operating leverage, and widened its customer reach. Since then, Randall Foods has executed a comprehensive integration plan in people, systems, and processes while building out an integrated leadership team across the enterprise. With recent capital investments in automation, substantial capacity for continued growth, and a commitment to commercial and operational excellence, the executive team is well-positioned to further lead growth across the Western U.S.
Mike Buccheri continues to lead Randall Foods as Chief Executive Officer and brings more than 30 years of experience in the food industry. Buccheri formerly served as CEO at CTI Foods, as well as various leadership positions at Simmons Foods and Tyson Foods. Matt Ellis continues to serve as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, bringing over 20 years of experience and having previously served as CFO at Founders Food Group and subsidiaries of Tyson Foods.
The broader leadership team includes John Whatley as Chief Operating Officer, Mario Valdovino as Chief Innovation Officer, and David Minx as Chief Procurement Officer. Recent internal promotions include Lisette Funke to Senior Vice President of Human Resources and Ana Teheran to Vice President of Food Safety and Quality. Completing the leadership team buildout was the recent hiring of Marcelo Larpin as Chief Customer Officer.
“It’s an honor to lead Randall Foods as Chief Executive Officer, and I’m energized by the vast and actionable opportunities in front of us,” said Buccheri. “Randall Foods has been a trusted partner to the grocery retail and foodservice industries in the Western U.S. for more than 70 years. I look forward to working with the team to build on our foundation of quality, service, and operational excellence.”
“We believe Randall Foods can uniquely serve its customers by offering a one-stop shop of consumer staples across a diverse protein product base,” said Dan Picmann, Managing Director at Highview Capital. “We are very excited to have Mike and the other executives lead the team, and we believe the significant strength of Mike and the team will allow the Company to continue executing and winning for customers by providing them with quality, service, and value.”
About Randall Foods
Randall Foods is a leading provider of value-added ground beef, poultry, beef, and pork protein solutions. The company is built with two principles in mind: make a quality product and provide the best customer service possible. The Vernon, CA-headquartered Company’s customers include grocery retail, food distributors, and foodservice providers. The Company is BRC, Organic, and Halal certified. For more information, visit www.randallfoods.com.
In 2022, Randall Foods completed a transformational merger between the legacy Randall Foods business and WilMar Meat. Founded in 1978, WilMar is a leading processor and packager of products focusing on beef and ground beef. The combination created one of the leading protein providers in the Western U.S. with an extensive suite of products, complementary operating cultures, and a world-class integrated management team.
About Highview Capital, LLC
Highview Capital, LLC is a Los Angeles-based private equity fund backed by a multi-billion dollar family office. The fund employs a flexible mandate and takes a long-term perspective on middle market businesses at an inflection point. Highview takes pride in our ability to partner closely with founders and management teams over the long term. For more information, visit www.highviewcapital.com.