New CEO for Ontario organic co-op

Monday, February 6, 2012

by SUSAN MANN

The new chief executive officer of Organic Meadow Inc./Co-operative, Donald Rees, says he wants to build the company’s organic food business in a way that’s supportive of the organization’s roots.

He also wants to work closely with the co-op’s members to fill the continually growing market opportunity for organic food products. Organic Meadow currently has more than 90 certified organic products available in grocery and specialty food stores nationwide.

Organic Meadow Inc./Co-operative announced Rees’ appointment in a press release today. There was no mention of what happened to outgoing chief executive officer Steve Cavell.

Rees has worked for a number of respected food organizations in Canada and the United States, including Maple Leaf Foods, PepsiCo Foods International, and SunOpta Inc., a natural and organic food based company. Rees was vice president and general manager of SunOpta’s Canadian distribution group and helped build the group’s business within the natural and organic food categories across Canada.

Rees says he’s had experience marketing products in traditional grocery channels and that will help the organization in filling the increasing consumer demand for organic products in both natural, independent food stores and mass market retailers.

Organic Meadow was formed 23 years ago to enable organic farmers to collectively store, process and market their organically-grown products while uniting family farms under one brand. Organic Meadow Inc. is the administration and marketing organization owned by the co-operative. A total of 100 family farms have invested in the co-op. BF