The president and CEO of High Liner Foods, Rod Hepponstall, has announced his resignation from the Canada-based seafood group. Hepponstall, who has held the position for five years, will step down “on or before” January 2, 2024, according to the publicly-listed company.
The board of directors expressed gratitude for Hepponstall’s years of service and stated that he will work with the company on a transition plan. High Liner Foods will provide further details in the near future.
In May 2018, High Liner Foods employed Rod Hepponstall, a former executive at Lamb Weston and Conagra Brands, as its CEO. The company recently announced its financial results for the 26-week period ending July 1. Sales rose by 6.4% to $583.5 million, while adjusted EBITDA slightly declined by 0.9% to $53.2 million, and net income dropped by 41.1% to $19.8 million.
In 2022, High Liner Foods achieved sales of $1.07 billion, representing a 22.2% increase from the previous year. Adjusted EBITDA rose by 14.9% to $103.9 million, and net income grew by 29.6% to $54.7 million.
The company’s products, including High Liner, Fisher Boy, Mirabel, Sea Cuisine, and Catch of the Day, are widely distributed throughout the US and Canada. Additionally, High Liner Foods supplies branded products to restaurants and institutions and serves as a private-label seafood provider for North American food retailers and foodservice distributors.