The maker of Applegate brand, the nation’s leading natural and organic meat brand, announced that Stefan Oellinger will assume the position of senior director of raw supply to lead the growth and development of the company’s highly differentiated supply chain.
Applegate Farms, LLC, is a stand-alone subsidiary of Hormel Foods Corporation.
Oellinger most recently led meat and poultry procurement for Fresh Direct, a leading online grocer serving the Northeast corridor (New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Washington, DC). As part of the Applegate senior leadership team, Oellinger will report to John Ghingo, Applegate president.
“Stefan has a vision for what a truly sustainable meat supply chain should look like and the know-how to build it,” said Ghingo. “His expertise in livestock production and online grocery is a unique combination that will be instrumental to the Applegate mission: Changing The Meat We Eat®.”
Oellinger’s experience in animal agriculture includes building a highly competitive meat program at Fresh Direct for more than eight years. Before joining Fresh Direct, he managed a no-antibiotics, no-added hormone beef company that brought certified organic grass-fed beef to market in 2002 and served major retailers and foodservice distributors.
“I look forward to bringing my passion for building progressive animal agriculture systems that connect consumers with environmentally and economically sustainable meat to Applegate,” said Oellinger.
Oellinger holds a Bachelor’s of Science degree in agricultural applied economics and management from Cornell University and lives in New Jersey with his family.
