ADDISON, Ill. — Brookside Flavors C Ingredients LLC (“Brookside Flavors” or “BFI”), a leading provider of food flavorings to both sweet and savory end markets, and a portfolio company of Brookside Equity Partners LLC (“Brookside Equity” or “BEP”), is pleased to announce the appointment of Sarah Staley to succeed Rudy Dieperink as Chief Executive Officer. Effective June 12, 2024.
Mr. Dieperink will step down from his role as CEO and Ms. Staley will assume the position. Over the coming weeks, Mr. Dieperink will be working closely with Ms. Staley to ensure a seamless transition for BFI’s employees, customers, suppliers and other partners.
Mr. Dieperink has served as CEO of Brookside Flavors since October 2020. Under Mr. Dieperink’s leadership, BFI has experienced significant growth, developed world-class facilities, and fostered a strong culture of customer service and quality. After transitioning from his CEO role, Mr. Dieperink will become an Operating Adviser at BEP, where he will continue to support BFI, with a primary focus on BFI’s MCA strategy.
Ms. Staley has dedicated her career to building leading commercial operations for businesses selling high-value ingredients. A biochemist by training, Ms. Staley brings a wealth of technical knowledge to customer interactions and a unique ability to create innovative and clean-label solutions across a broad range of food applications. At her roles at the Kerry Group, FrieslandCampina and most recently at Grande Cheese’s Custom Ingredients Group, Ms. Staley built enduring relationships with leading CPG and food service customers that utilize many of the products BFI supplies across its sweet and savory business units. Ms. Staley holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Biochemistry from the University of Limerick, Ireland and a Diploma in Management Practices from the Irish Management Institute.
Donald L. Hawks III, Managing Director and President of BEP, commented on the transition, “We extend our deepest gratitude to Rudy Dieperink for his outstanding leadership at Brookside Flavors since 2020. Rudy built an excellent management team, led the build-out of state-of-the-art facilities and cultivated a culture that prioritizes customer service and high-quality products. We look forward to continuing to work with Rudy in his new capacity as a Brookside Equity Operating Adviser.” Mr. Hawks continued, “We are thrilled to welcome Sarah Staley to Brookside Flavors.
Sarah’s impressive track record in managing high-growth business units in the specialty ingredients sector, combined with her ability to leverage industry relationships, positions her well to continue scaling the fantastic flavorings business we have been building at Brookside Flavors since 2015.
We remain highly optimistic about BFI’s future and are committed to further establishing the business as a clear leader in its space.”
About Brookside Flavors C Ingredients:
Brookside Flavors C Ingredients LLC, founded by flavor industry professionals in 2015, headquartered in Addison, IL and with operations in Branchburg, NJ, is a premier provider of flavorings to food, beverage and nutraceutical customers. Brookside Flavors offers a broad range of natural and organic food flavoring products in both sweet and savory applications, including confections, beverages (alcoholic and non-alcoholic), baked goods, alternative proteins, soups, sauces, snacks and many others, and services customers selling into grocery, food service and other end markets. Brookside Flavors is committed to exceeding customer expectations at each step and acting as a key partner in its customers’ success.
About Brookside Equity Partners:
With roots dating back over 45 years, Brookside Equity Partners makes strategic private equity investments in middle-market companies. Brookside Equity’s philosophy is to partner with exceptional management teams to create long-term value. Supported by evergreen, patient, and flexible capital, BEP’s investment strategy is tailored to the needs of its portfolio companies rather than predetermined investment periods. This unique approach allows BEP to make investment decisions based on business fundamentals, providing management teams with the assurance that exit decisions will be made in partnership with them and at the most opportune times.
