New leaders bring proven expertise in business strategy, marketing and food safety to rapidly growing organization
Chelsea, Mass. – State Garden, a New England family-owned produce supplier, announced today three new strategic hires. These new leaders will bring new capabilities and expertise to the organization’s rapidly evolving portfolio of brands and offerings, including Olivia’s Organics, Northeast Fresh, and more. Tom Thompson joins as Chief Revenue Officer; Dinesh Babu joins the organization as Vice President of Quality and Food Safety; Faye Doyle joins as Director of Marketing.
Together, these three new hires represent a strategic push to build capacity and expertise for accelerated growth and entrance into new markets. Over the past year, State Garden has expanded its geographic footprint and market penetration with new brands, new products lines and new strategic partnerships.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Tom, Dinesh and Faye to the State Garden family,” said State Garden CEO Mark DeMichaelis. “As a company, we’re growing fast, with a lot of exciting opportunities on the horizon. Their expertise will be crucial as we continue to grow brands like Olivia’s Organics to new markets.”
Tom Thompson’s role as Chief Revenue Officer will entail driving overall revenue activities with an immediate focus on enhancing strategies focused on State Garden’s emerging brands and growth opportunities. Before joining State Garden, Thompson worked throughout the food supply chain with deep expertise in field- and greenhouse-grown products.
“I’m thrilled to join the State Garden team,” Thompson said. “It’s incredible to be part of a company that has cultivated the #1 organic packaged salad brand in the East with Olivia’s Organics. They’ve achieved this by prioritizing the consumer over the course of four generations, staying true to their values, and keeping an eye on the future.”
As Vice President of Quality and Food Safety, Dinesh Babu will oversee food safety, compliance, and quality management programs while fostering a culture of food safety across the organization and value chain. Prior to joining State Garden, Babu managed food safety for several notable produce companies. He has a Ph.D. in food science-food microbiology from Oklahoma State University.
“State Garden has a proven industry reputation for leading food safety practices, from proprietary triple-washed processes to intensive pre-screening of all products,” Babu said. “I’m so excited to join the team and share my knowledge and expertise.”
In her role as Director of Marketing, Faye Doyle will lead all marketing efforts for State Garden’s core brands, inclusive of consumer insights, brand strategy, campaign development and execution, strategic planning, and innovation. Doyle has more than 20 years of marketing experience across many industries, including CPG and family brands.
“As a family business bringing fresh, healthy foods to families in New England and beyond, State Garden and its brands have such a powerful story to tell,” Doyle said. “I’m happy to help shape and share those stories as we look to expand with new products in new markets.”
About State Garden
State Garden is a fourth-generation family business committed to helping all families eat better and live better. With roots as a produce cart in Boston’s North End, the company has been providing the freshest, highest quality produce to food markets since 1938. Today it is a leading supplier of organic and tender leaf lettuce, spinach, and celery hearts in the Northeast, with a brand portfolio including Olivia’s Organics, Northeast Fresh, and private label offerings.
