MONTREAL – WeCook Meals (“WeCook”) announced today the appointment of Michel Gagné as President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), as WeCook continues to strengthen its position as the leading ready-to-eat home-delivered meals company in Canada. Simultaneously, co-founder and CEO Étienne Plourde has been appointed Vice-Chairman of the Board.
“After ten years at the helm it is time to pass the torch. Michel, who joined us as COO over a year ago, has already made an indelible mark on our business. His appointment as President and CEO recognizes that impact and his strong operational and leadership skills, which are ideally suited to ensuring that all aspects of our business continue to support our rapid growth, including maintaining our high standards for meal quality, menu customization and customer satisfaction,” said Étienne Plourde. “Michel’s appointment and my new role as Vice-Chairman will allow me to now focus on the broader vision for WeCook and our long-term strategy for continued profitable growth across Canada.”
“Since the Claridge Food Group announced its investment in WeCook in May 2022, we have been impressed with the team’s ability to further cement the company’s leadership position and generate long-term profitable growth. We are confident that, under Michel’s leadership, WeCook will extend its food processing capabilities and distribution in support of its continued success delivering customizable, chef-crafted meals in Canada. In addition, WeCook will continue to benefit from Étienne’s strategic oversight and expertise as Vice-Chairman,” said Bob Leonidas, Chairman of the Board of WeCook and President and CEO of Claridge Food Group.
“I am thrilled and honoured to be named President and CEO of WeCook. My goal is to continue building on the solid foundation and winning recipe that Étienne and the team built over the last decade. I look forward to driving operational and execution excellence as WeCook entrenches its leadership position delivering fresh and nutritious ready-to-eat meals across Canada while meeting our financial and ambitious growth objectives,” said Michel Gagné.
Michel Gagné has more than 30 years of experience in leadership roles, mainly in the food industry. Prior to joining WeCook in January 2023 as Chief Operations Officer (COO), Mr. Gagné held the position of COO at The Green Organic Dutchman. Before that, he led Colabor’s meat divisions for over five years, in addition to previously holding various operational roles with leading Canadian food companies, including Maple Leaf Foods, BCI Foods and Cargill.
About WeCook Meals
WeCook Meals was founded in 2013 by Étienne Plourde and Jonathan Roy, two young entrepreneurs who wanted to spend less time in the kitchen, without compromising on a high-quality, nutritious diet. Meals are curated by an in-house chef, using only the freshest ingredients sourced from local suppliers in a zero-waste facility. Its offering includes customizable ready-to-eat meals updated weekly, sealed food, snacks and select groceries. Demand for WeCook’s ready-made meals has increased 1000% since 2019 and the Montreal-based company has successfully created 500 new jobs. WeCook currently has two production facilities in Quebec, delivering more than 5 million meals a year throughout Ontario, Quebec and New Brunswick directly to consumers.
About Claridge Food Group
Claridge Food Group is an investment vehicle created by Claridge Inc. with the participation of Investissement Québec, the Fonds de solidarité FTQ and Desjardins Capital. Its mission is to support Quebec food processing companies with significant growth potential by providing them with financial resources, managerial and operational support, knowledge of global trends, and a large network of partners to support and accelerate their growth in Quebec, Canada and North America.
