Maple Leaf Foods Names Mike Yang Supply Chain Leader as Part of Reorganization
Maple Leaf Foods has named a new chief supply chain officer as part of the final phase of commercial and operational realignment.
Mike Yang joins the company to take on the role on February 3. He has a background in consumer goods, helping to lead manufacturing transformation and modernization.
He was previously the SVP of supply chain and operational excellence at Kruger Products, a North American manufacturer of tissue paper products under brands Cashmere, Sponge Towel, Bonterra, and more. Prior to that, he held senior roles at Noramerica International, Irving Consumer Products, and Kimberly Clark.
Yang takes over for Iain Stewart, who is retiring this May after more than 35 years at Maple Leaf Foods.
Consolidation Strategy
Last year, the company announced it was undergoing an organizational restructuring that consolidated its meat and plant protein businesses to better support a refreshed Blueprint strategy. Its pork business, however, has spun off into a separate entity.
Read more: Behind Maple Leaf Foods’ Split
"With the stage set for 2025 to be a transformational year, we are advancing our Fuel for Growth initiative, with the prime objective of putting the structures in place for success, including streamlining our leadership team, creating clear accountabilities, and sharpening our competitive edge," said Curtis Frank, president and CEO of Maple Leaf Foods, in a statement.
The most recent changes are parts of efforts to reduce the size of the top two layers of leadership in the company. Other changes to the senior leadership team include a new SVP of customer business development in Canada — taken up by 25-year Maple Leaf Foods veteran Josh Kuehnbaum. This consolidates all Canadian retail and foodservice sales under a single leader. Also, Ryan Walker has been promoted to SVP of poultry, replacing Ben Brooks, who is retiring this May.
Maple Leaf Foods is a Canada-based company that manufactures food products under brands such as Maple Leaf, Maple Leaf Prime, Maple Leaf Natural Selections, Schneiders, Mina, Greenfield Natural Meat, LightLife, and Field Roast.
