Darigold, a leading US dairy company, has announced a recent executive departure, with CEO Joe Coote stepping down. Effective immediately, Allan Huttema, the company’s chairman, will take on the position on an interim basis. This comes as the Seattle-based firm, one of the largest dairy processors in the US, embarks on a multi-year transformational journey that includes modernizing its operations and expanding its international presence.
Coote, a three-year veteran at Darigold, played a pivotal role in the company’s growth and modernization efforts. According to Huttema, under Coote’s leadership, Darigold made significant strides in enhancing its operations, including initiating the construction of a new facility in Pasco and launching a migration of the company’s business management systems. With his departure, Huttema, who has been serving on Darigold’s board of directors for the last nine years, steps in as interim CEO, bringing confidence in the capable leadership team already in place.
Darigold is focused on enhancing its production capacity, updating systems, reinvesting in its brand, and refocusing its culture on excellence in execution. The company aims to continue providing its customers with high-quality dairy products, underlining its commitment to excellence.
With Coote’s departure, the company has also made significant additions to its executive team, hiring experienced consumer packaged goods industry executive Dan Hofmeister to lead its business-to-consumer operation and appointing dairy sector veteran Chris Rowe to head its business-to-business arm. In addition, Darigold has named a new senior vice president of sales, Dan Bukowski, to support its growth efforts.
Darigold prides itself on handling approximately ten billion pounds of milk annually and producing a range of dairy products for diverse markets. The company operates 11 plants in the US north-west, with satellite offices in Mexico and China.
Furthermore, Darigold is looking for a renewed focus on international growth, with the new facility in Pasco, Washington state, poised to open next year. Amid these changes, the company is set on maintaining its status as a key player in the food and beverage industry, adapting to evolving consumer trends.
As Darigold continues its transformative journey, Huttema, as interim CEO, expresses confidence in the company’s team and structure, reflecting the commitment to serve its customers with high-quality dairy products. The temporary leadership change comes as Darigold advances its efforts to strengthen its position in the food and beverage industry, reflecting its dedication to excellence.
