John Ghingo has been appointed to serve as president of Applegate Farms. He will also serve as the company’s senior director of mission.
Applegate is a leading natural and organic meat brand, and a stand-alone subsidiary of Hormel Foods Corporation.
Meanwhile, Gina Asoudegan, will be elevated to vice president of mission and innovation strategy.
Most recently, Ghingo was the president of plant-based foods and beverages at The WhiteWave Company. Asoudegan has been with Applegate since 2006 and will report to Ghingo.
“I’m confident that John’s understanding of the complexities of the natural and organic food space, combined with his passion for brand building, will inspire the Applegate team to reach new heights,” said Jim Snee, chairman, president and chief executive officer, Hormel Foods. “In order for Applegate to succeed, mission and innovation must be inextricably tied, and that’s why Gina’s new role at Applegate will ensure that the Applegate mission- Changing The Meat We Eat®– will continue to thrive.”
About John Ghingo
Ghingo fills the position previously held by Steve Lykken, who has since been named president of Jennie-O Turkey Store, another Hormel Foods subsidiary and the second largest turkey company in the United States.
Prior to working for WhiteWave, where he led the Silk and So-Delicious brands, Ghingo spent 16 years at Mondelez. At Mondelez (formerly Nabisco and Kraft), Ghingo worked in various marketing leadership positions across several brands and divisions, including Belvita, Chips Ahoy, Oreo and Ritz.
He is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame and earned his MBA at New York University Stern School of Business. Ghingo is a member of the national board of directors for After-School All-Stars. He resides in Verona, New Jersey with his wife and four children.
About Gina Asoudegan
When Asoudegan joined Applegate in 2006 as director of communications, she worked closely with non-governmental organizations to raise awareness of food-system issues, including antibiotic resistance and genetically modified organisms (GMOs).
Gina Asoudegan | Photo courtesy of Hormel Foods
In her expanded role, she will oversee product innovations that are designed to create a consciously scaled supply chain. Asoudegan is on the leadership team of the non-GMO Supply Working Group (an initiative of the Center for Sustainable Solutions), an advisory board member at the Sustainable Food Lab, on the advisory council for The National Young Farmers Coalition and was instrumental in securing Applegate as a founding partner for the Savory Institute’s Land to Market Program, the world’s first regenerative sourcing solution for livestock-derived meat, dairy, wool and leather.
She resides in Lambertville, New Jersey with her husband.
