Freshpet (FRPT) Appoints Dave West to its Board of Directors

Freshpet, Inc. (NASDAQ: FRPT) (“Freshpet” or the “Company”) today announced that David J. West has been appointed to the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board”), effective July 21, 2023. Mr. West will serve on the Board’s Audit Committee.

Mr. West is an accomplished pet food and consumer products executive who brings over three decades of experience leading a range of blue-chip consumer companies and well-known brands. His experience includes serving as Chief Executive Officer of Big Heart Pet Brands (formerly a part of Del Monte Foods) and as Chief Executive Officer, President and director of The Hershey Company (“Hershey”).

“Dave is a highly regarded industry veteran with a track record of driving growth at the helm of pet food and consumer goods companies. We are thrilled to welcome him to the Board,” said Walt George, Chair of the Board. “As Freshpet continues to build on its strong brand loyalty and growth momentum, Dave will bring valuable operating and financial insights and perspective drawn from a successful career as CEO, CFO and director at leading public companies in our industry. We look forward to leveraging his expertise to support our continued growth and create value for our shareholders.”

Mr. West said, “As a long-time admirer of Freshpet, I am honored to join the Company’s Board of Directors. I look forward to contributing my operating and financial expertise in pure play pet food and treats to the Board as Freshpet executes its strategy to drive profitability and deliver long-term, sustainable value to its shareholders.”

Mr. West will stand for election as a Class III director at the Company’s 2023 annual meeting of shareholders (the “Annual Meeting”), and replaces Charles Norris, who is retiring from the Board immediately and not standing for election in accordance with the Company’s mandatory retirement policy. In accordance with the previously announced Chair transition, current director and Chair of the Board’s Nominating, Governance and Sustainability Committee Walt George has assumed the role of Chair of the Board, effective immediately.

With the addition of Mr. West and retirement of Mr. Norris, the Board is now comprised of 10 directors, nine of whom are independent. Today’s announcement continues the Board’s refreshment process, which also included the recent appointment of former Conagra executive David Biegger to the Board this past May.

Continued Progress on Governance Transformation Roadmap

Today’s announcement demonstrates continued progress on the Board’s multi-year governance transformation roadmap to support the Company’s continued growth. Announced in 2020, this governance transformation has included implementing a staged declassification of the Board and the elimination of all supermajority voting provisions, significant refreshment of the Board’s composition, diversity and expertise, and other notable governance enhancements commensurate with Freshpet’s continued growth and expansion.

David J. West Biography

Mr. West has served as a partner of Centerview Capital Consumer since May 2016. He previously served as Chief Executive Officer and President of Big Heart Pet Brands (formerly a part of Del Monte Foods) from August 2011 to March 2015, one of the world’s largest pure-play pet food and treats company at that time. Mr. West oversaw the creation of approximately $2 billion of equity value for investors during his tenure as CEO of Big Heart Pet Brands, where he repositioned the business to increase focus on growth and innovation, launched new products, enhanced specialty pet distribution channels, led the company through its rebrand and oversaw the company’s sale to The J. M. Smucker Company in March 2015. He then served The J. M. Smucker Company as President, Big Heart Pet Food and Snacks until March 2016 and as a Senior Advisor until April 2016.

Mr. West previously served as CEO, President and director of Hershey from 2007 to May 2011. Under his leadership, Hershey increased its investment in domestic and international operations, improved the effectiveness of its supply chain and business model, and accelerated its advertising, brand building and distribution programs. Prior serving as CEO, Mr. West spent a decade in various leadership roles at Hershey, including serving as Chief Operating Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Customer Officer, and Senior Vice President of Strategy and Business Development. Prior to Hershey, Mr. West held a range of senior positions at the Nabisco Biscuit and Snacks group, including Senior Vice President, Finance, and Vice President, Corporate Strategy and Business Planning.

Mr. West is currently a member of the Board of Directors of Advantage Solutions Inc. and Simply Good Foods and was a member of the Board of Directors of Hershey (from 2007 to 2011), Del Monte Foods (from 2011 to 2014), Big Heart Pet Brands (from 2014 to 2015) and The J. M. Smucker Company (from 2015 to 2016). He received a bachelor of science degree, cum laude, in Business Administration from Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania.

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