AUSTIN, Texas, Aug. 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Vital Farms (NASDAQ:VITL), a Certified B Corporation that offers a range of ethically produced foods nationwide, has hired Reena Van Hoven as Chief People Officer (CPO), starting September 16, 2024. Van Hoven joins Vital Farms from food and beverage industry leader Danone North America. In the newly created CPO role, Van Hoven will lead Vital Farms' People Team overseeing Business Partnerships, Org & People Development, and Total Rewards.

"We are thrilled to welcome Reena to build on the great foundation our People Team has established. We believe our true competitive advantage is our people, and deepening our investment in this function will help us scale our high-performing organization and purpose-driven culture," said Russell Diez-Canseco, Vital Farms' President and Chief Executive Officer. "Reena's deep expertise and passion for people will continue to strengthen our work engaging, inspiring, and developing our crew members and attracting world-class talent."

Van Hoven is an accomplished human resources leader with nearly 20 years of experience aligning people strategies with business results and fostering inclusive company cultures for Fortune 500 Companies and purpose-driven brands. She joins Vital Farms from Danone North America, one of the largest food and beverage industry-leading companies in dairy, plant-based beverages, water, and specialized nutrition, where she most recently served as North American Senior Vice President of Talent and Rewards and held various human resources leadership positions since 2017. Prior to that, she was Head of Human Resources at Earthbound Farms, the largest producer of organic salads in the United States and served in a variety of progressive positions at Earthbound Farms' parent company, WhiteWave Foods, and Deloitte.

Van Hoven commented, "I am honored to lead the People function for a purpose-driven company that improves the lives of people, animals, and the planet through food. Vital Farms not only embodies its mission and values, but also fosters an environment where talent can thrive, make a significant impact, and grow both personally and professionally. I am eager to build on this momentum by nurturing Vital Farms' truly unique culture, inspiring crew members to engage and develop, and driving sustainable growth."

Stephanie Coon, who has served as Vital Farms' Senior Vice President of People & Strategy since January 2022, will continue to serve on the company's Senior Leadership Team as Senior Vice President of Strategy.

"Stephanie has played an instrumental role in evolving Vital Farms' People team into the high-impact function it is today," Mr. Diez-Canseco continued. "In addition to welcoming an incredible leader in Reena, this move enables Stephanie to put even more focus on the critical strategy work ahead as we build Vital Farms into a $1B company and a disruptive force in the food industry."

ABOUT VITAL FARMS:

Vital Farms (NASDAQ:VITL), a Certified B Corporation, offers a range of ethically produced foods nationwide. Started on a single farm in Austin, Texas, in 2007, Vital Farms is now a national consumer brand that works with over 350 family farms and is the leading U.S. brand of pasture-raised eggs by retail dollar sales. Vital Farms' ethics are exemplified by its focus on the humane treatment of farm animals and sustainable farming practices. In addition, as a Delaware public benefit corporation, Vital Farms prioritizes the long-term benefits of each of its stakeholders, including farmers and suppliers, customers and consumers, communities and the environment, and crew members and stockholders. Vital Farms' products, including shell eggs, butter, hard-boiled eggs, and liquid whole eggs, are sold in approximately 24,000 stores nationwide. Vital Farms pasture-raised eggs can also be found on menus at hundreds of foodservice operators across the country. For more information, visit https://vitalfarms.com/.

CONTACT:

Media:

Rob Discher

Rob.Discher@vitalfarms.com

Investors:

Anthony Bucalo

Anthony.Bucalo@vitalfarms.com

Vital Farms Hires Reena Van Hoven as Chief People Officer