CTI Foods Appoints Sam Rovit As Chief Executive Officer

WILDER, Idaho — CTI Foods (“CTI”), a leading independent provider of custom food solutions to major chain restaurants and manufacturers in North America, announced today that Sam Rovit, former President of the Refrigerated Meals Business Unit at Kraft Foods, has been appointed President and Chief Executive Officer, effective October 22, 2015. Rovit succeeds Robert Horowitz, who will become Chairman of the Board at CTI.

Rovit is a proven executive with over 20 years of experience in the food services industry building and leading consumer retail brands, and managing and servicing complex manufacturing supply chains. Most recently, at Kraft Foods, he was responsible for managing iconic brands such as Oscar Mayer, Lunchables, Claussen Pickles, and Boca. He oversaw more than 6,000 employees and successfully grew both top and bottom lines. Before that, Rovit served as Kraft’s EVP Strategy, President of Planters Nuts, and President and CEO of Swift & Company. In addition, Rovit served as Partner and Director at Bain & Company, Inc. where he led the firm’s Global Mergers & Acquisitions Practice from 2000-2005.

“On behalf of our Board and the rest of our management team, I am excited to welcome Sam to CTI Foods,” said Robert Horowitz, Chairman of the Board at CTI. “Sam is an exceptionally talented leader, with a proven track record of driving operational performance and increasing brand value. Over his more than two decades of experience within the food management industry he has demonstrated a deft ability to identify and capitalize on shifts in the food industry. His operational acumen and industry knowledge will be essential as CTI pursues its next stage of growth. I look forward to working closely with Sam and all of CTI’s dedicated employees to ensure we continue to provide our customers with the best and most innovative food solutions in the industry.”

“I am thrilled to be taking on this role at such an exciting time in the Company’s history and with so many promising opportunities ahead,” said Rovit. “Bobby has done an exceptional job growing the CTI Foods business over the last five years, and want to personally thank him for all that he has done to position CTI for long-term growth. I am grateful that I will continue to benefit from his industry knowledge and expertise. CTI has never been better positioned, and I cannot wait to begin working with all the talented employees as we continue to grow the business and provide our customers with a wide range of high quality food products.”

About CTI Foods

CTI Foods is a culinary-driven company that offers a diverse range of custom food solutions to the foodservice and restaurant industries, including raw and pre-cooked protein, soups and sauces and dehydrated beans. CTI Foods has seven state-of-the-art food processing facilities and has over 1,500 employees at its California, Idaho, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, and Texas locations.

Source: CTI Foods