Potandon Produce LLC, the nation's largest distributor of fresh potatoes and onions and exclusive marketer of Green Giant Fresh® potatoes and onions, has appointed Michael A. Pennella to its Board of Directors, the Idaho Falls-based company announced July 29. The move follows Potandon's recent installation of Des Hague as Chief Executive Officer and President, and signals an accelerating leadership build-out as the fresh produce supplier pursues long-term commercial growth across retail and foodservice channels.
Pennella's Operating Track Record
Pennella brings more than 40 years of executive experience across branded food and foodservice, with a résumé that includes billion-dollar business integrations at two of the sector's largest players. As President of Hillshire and Sara Lee Bakery & Deli, he consolidated multiple operating companies into a single foodservice organization generating more than $1.7 billion in annual sales — a portfolio that included Ball Park, Jimmy Dean, and State Fair alongside the flagship Hillshire and Sara Lee brands.
He subsequently joined ConAgra Foods to lead another large-scale transformation, unifying brands such as Hunt's, Wesson, Healthy Choice, Armour, Eckrich, Butterball, Reddi-wip®, and Egg Beaters into a consolidated foodservice structure with more than $2 billion in annual revenue. Earlier career stops included senior roles at Seneca Foods, PepsiCo, Pillsbury, Michael Foods, Lamb Weston, Pilgrim's Pride, and Schwan's Foodservice — a cross-section of the supply chain that spans commodity ingredients, frozen prepared foods, and broadline distribution. Since stepping back from corporate leadership, Pennella has advised food companies, private equity firms, and emerging brands on growth strategy, commercialization, and acquisitions.
What the Appointment Signals
For a fresh produce distributor eyeing expanded brand equity, the appointment carries strategic weight. Green Giant Fresh® competes in a fresh category where retail produce category management and foodservice procurement are increasingly consolidating around fewer, better-branded SKUs. Potandon's positioning as the category's largest potato and onion distributor in North America gives it scale; adding board-level counsel with deep foodservice commercialization experience suggests the company is intent on converting that scale into branded margin.
Jeff Sholl, Chairman of the Board for Potandon Produce LLC, pointed to Pennella's track record building high-performing organizations as central to the hire. CEO Hague, who cited a prior working relationship with Pennella, framed the appointment around operational leadership and strategic insight as the company pursues what he described as its "next era of growth."
Pennella, for his part, highlighted Potandon's grower partnerships and customer relationships as the foundation for that growth. The company's dual-channel reach — serving both retail grocery and foodservice supply chain operators — positions Green Giant Fresh® as a recognizable consumer brand that procurement teams can pull through into commercial kitchen applications, a dynamic that makes senior boardroom experience in foodservice commercialization directly relevant.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
