DECATUR, Ark.- Cooks Venture, a pasture-raised chicken and independent poultry breeding company, announces the appointments of Tim Singleton as Chief Operating Officer (COO) and Bob Davenport as Chief Sales Officer (CSO).
“Tim and Bob’s deep experience leading poultry companies will aid Cooks Venture as we scale the business, expand our genetics program, increase our production capabilities and grow our retail presence,” states CEO and Founder Matthew Wadiak. “Their leadership will serve the company well as we enter into the next phase of growth.”
Singleton, an experienced senior executive, brings over twenty-five years of experience in the poultry industry. He most recently served as the Chief Operations Officer for Ingham’s Australian chicken and turkey operations and was responsible for growing the company’s volume over 4% year over year and reduced operational costs by well over $60 million annually. He worked to install water systems that allowed Ingham’s to recycle water and return to process, reducing their water use by nearly 70%. Singleton helped Ingham’s through their transition from a private to a public company.
Before Ingham’s, Singleton led live operations, plant operations and supply chain management for Pilgrim’s, Simmons and Tyson. He has experience building effective, large teams in production and agriculture, in roles spanning strategy, transformation, growth and operations.
“Joining Cooks Venture is an exciting opportunity to grow a poultry business where we are demonstrating we can grow a healthier bird through better breeding practices. There’s a strong moral imperative driving the company culture. We understand that we have the opportunity to make impactful change in this industry, change that’s rooted in regenerative agriculture and better breeding,” states Tim Singleton, new COO of Cooks Venture.
As COO, Singleton will continue to refine Cooks Venture’s omnichannel business, improve efficiencies, execute the mission to expand regenerative agriculture systems at scale while also leading the company’s investment into infrastructure across the breeding program, primary processing and expansion of a debone facility.
Davenport brings over twenty-five years of leadership and sales experience in the chicken industry to his role as Chief Sales Officer. He joins Cooks Venture from the startup Do Good Chicken, where he built the retail platform and sales channel for the launch of the business. Prior to Do Good Chicken, Davenport held senior-level leadership roles with George’s and Tyson Foods.
As CSO, Davenport will continue building on Cooks Venture’s growing retail presences while expanding the brand to reach new customers, channels and geographies. He will lead strategy and evolve processes across sales and supply chain teams.
“I was immediately drawn to Cooks Venture as a mission-driven company with tremendous potential for growth,” said Davenport, new CSO at Cooks Venture. “There’s growing demand from consumers seeking high quality meat from verified sources, and that’s where Cooks Venture comes in. It’s the kind of business that has the potential for great impact and I’m excited to be a part of it.”
Singleton and Davenport join the company at a pivotal time. “In addition to attracting new customers to Cooks Venture, we are growing the pasture-raised chicken category as a whole and leading the way on better, more humane breeding with our Pioneer breed,” said Matthew Wadiak, Cooks Venture’s CEO and Founder.
Cooks Venture’s growing retail presence now spans nationwide in over a thousand retailers and services all fifty states.
ABOUT COOKS VENTURE
Cooks Venture is a vertically integrated poultry pedigree breeding and animal agriculture company committed to healthier animals and regenerative agriculture as well as a truly transparent supply chain. Founded by Matthew Wadiak, Cooks Venture provides food choices that are exceptional in quality and taste. Cooks Venture is a Global Animal Partnership Step 4 certified company, Certified Humane and verified Non-GMO. Cooks Venture works with FoodID to verify their no-antibiotics claims through science, not affidavits. Learn more at www.cooksventure.com and follow the company on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.
