Schwan’s Co. has appointed Brian Schiegg as the CEO of the South Korea-owned retail and foodservice supplier specializing in pizza, meals, and desserts.
Schiegg takes over from retired CEO Dimitrios Smyrnios, who led the company based in Bloomington, Minnesota, for over a decade.
Prior to this role, Schiegg served as the president of Schwan’s consumer brands business, overseeing brands such as Red Baron, Tony’s pizza, Mrs Smith’s desserts, and Bibigo Asian-style foods. He joined the company in early 2021.
Schwan’s is under CJ Foods, a subsidiary of South Korea conglomerate CH CheilJedang, which operates in food, beverages, logistics, bio-technology, and pharmaceuticals.
Minsok Pak, chairman of the Schwan’s board and CEO of CJ Foods, stated, “The North American market is crucial to our growth strategy, and I am excited to collaborate with Brian to achieve our vision of becoming the top provider of ethnic cuisine in the United States.”
Schiegg’s professional background includes roles as the chief operating officer at Ocean Spray Cranberries and various positions at Mars over 17 years.
“Schwan’s is an extremely strong company with an amazing heritage, and we have built an extraordinary team of very talented people,” said Schiegg.
He added, “Together, we will work to build upon our position as a leader in the North American market and continue to pursue our plans for long-term growth.”
The company also produces the Pagoda brand of Asian-style foods and brands like Hearth & Fire, Big Daddy’s, Villa Prima, and Freschetta pizza.
Schwan’s recently announced plans to establish a new regional office in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, to support its Asian-style foods manufacturing facility. The 700,000 square-foot plant began construction in 2021 and will produce the Bibigo food range and other snacks and appetizers.
Schiegg emphasized that this investment in the plant will strengthen their position in one of the fastest-growing food categories in the US.
The Foundation Park facility, scheduled for completion in 2021 with an estimated cost of $500 million, is expected to create over 600 jobs by 2025.
