Dive Brief:
- Ortega maker B&G Foods said it has hired a new CEO, with current top executive Casey Keller set to step down from the post on Friday. Keller has been CEO since June 2021.
- Robert Mills, who served as a member of the company’s board of directors, stepped into the top role Monday. He most recently worked at Tractor Supply Company, where he was the chief technology officer of digital and pet services.
- Under Keller’s leadership, New Jersey-based B&G has slimmed down its portfolio to shed noncore assets, sharpen its focus and reduce its debt. He will continue to assist B&G with its leadership transition on an "ongoing basis," the company said.
Dive Insight:
Once a serial buyer, B&G has largely focused on divestitures under Keller. Since May 2025, the company has offloaded its Green Giant vegetable business and sold two of its tomato lines as well as its Le Sueur brand of premium sweet peas, green beans and carrots.
Still, it has remained open to acquisitions when the right opportunity comes along. Earlier this year, it purchased brands College Inn and Kitchen Basics from Del Monte Foods for $110 million.
“We have begun to reshape our portfolio through our recent divestiture and acquisition activity, and I believe the dedicated and resilient team at B&G Foods will guide the Company towards a bright future,” Keller said in a statement.
While at Tractor Supply, Mills was tasked with leading all digital operations and facilitating strategy including M&A, B&G said in a statement. He led a large-scale transformation program and various growth initiatives.
Mills added in a statement that his immediate priorities as CEO will be "execution, operating discipline and accelerating growth," noting there are new opportunities to deploy technology and artificial intelligence to improve productivity.
“Combined with disciplined portfolio management, capital allocation and a relentless focus on execution, I believe these capabilities can help us to strengthen our core brands and our overall business performance and position B&G Foods to compete more effectively,” he said.
Mills comes to B&G at a challenging time for the company and food manufacturers across the board as consumers shun processed offerings and pull back on spending due to inflation. During B&G’s most recent quarter, the Crisco and Clabber Girl manufacturer said net sales slipped 3.9% to $409 million from the same period a year ago.
Editor's note: This story has been updated with details about the new CEO.
Laurel Deppen contributed to this story.
