Baldor Specialty Foods, a Mid-Atlantic produce and specialty foods distributor, announced Monday that it has appointed Scott Crawford as VP of merchandising and Scott T. King as VP of sales.
Crawford comes to the position from FreshDirect, where he was chief merchandising officer. He has also led the prepared foods division at Whole Foods Market across several regions. At Baldor, Crawford will ensure the business is improving its catalog by bringing to market new and emerging producers and farms that match the company’s values and customer needs, according to the company. He and his team will also be responsible for building relationships with core and legacy partners and fostering vendor growth.
“Working in the distribution business, albeit on the consumer side, I’ve watched Baldor for years and have long seen them as an industry model for their commitment to premium products,” said Crawford in a statement. “I am eager to bring the experience gained from Fresh Direct to continue to strengthen our product portfolio, further our commitments to responsible sourcing, and deepen our relationships with incredible vendors.”
King most recently served as senior director of sales at Tropicana. He also has worked throughout PepsiCo, including on the Frito Lay and Tropicana brands, leading and developing sales strategies for teams in various divisions. In his new role, Scott will be tasked with leading the sales organization and building processes and capabilities that improve the company’s partnership with its customers and fuel growth over the long term.
“What attracted me to Baldor is the fact that they’re an industry-leading operator that prioritizes the customer experience, focusing on service with a large portfolio of diverse and high-quality items,” said King in a statement.
Both Crawford and King will report to Benjamin Walker, SVP of sales, marketing, and merchandising.
“In the executive search for these roles, we were very careful to look for leaders who could help us strengthen our strategies, systems, and processes, but most importantly who would complement our existing culture,” said Walker. “It is also important that they share our customer-centric approach and have the highest quality food and service standards in the industry. We were fortunate to find that in Scott and Scott.”
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