Carbone Taps CPG Veteran Jeff Stoeckel to Accelerate Retail Dominance

NEW YORK, NY – February 18, 2026 – Carbone Fine Food, the rapidly expanding premium Italian food brand, today announced a significant leadership addition, appointing Jeff Stoeckel as its new President. The move signals a clear intent to intensify its already aggressive growth strategy. Stoeckel, a seasoned executive with a notable history of scaling culturally significant food and beverage brands, will partner with CEO Eric Skae to steer the company into its next ambitious chapter of retail expansion and product innovation.

In his new role, Stoeckel is tasked with overseeing the company's daily business operations. His core mandate is to work in lockstep with Skae to expand Carbone's retail footprint, accelerate its innovation pipeline, and solidify the brand's standing as a dominant force in the premium consumer packaged goods (CPG) category. The appointment comes as Carbone continues its meteoric rise from a celebrated restaurant concept to a grocery aisle powerhouse.

The Scale-Up Specialist Takes the Helm

Jeff Stoeckel arrives at Carbone Fine Food with a formidable reputation as a brand builder who understands the delicate art of rapid expansion without sacrificing brand integrity. His career is marked by key leadership roles at some of the most recognizable names in the premium food and beverage sector. He was instrumental in guiding Stumptown Coffee Roasters through pivotal periods of growth and transformation, including managing the brand's identity before and after its acquisition by Peet's Coffee & Tea from TSG Consumer Partners.

More recently, Stoeckel demonstrated his strategic acumen at LesserEvil, where he led strategy, product innovation, and ultimately the deal process that culminated in the healthy snack brand's successful sale to The Hershey Company. His expertise extends directly into the retail environment that Carbone aims to conquer further. In a notable achievement from January 2026, Stoeckel played a crucial role in launching the digitally native meat subscription service ButcherBox into Target stores nationwide, successfully navigating a predominantly direct-to-consumer brand into the competitive national retail landscape for the first time.

This track record makes him a strategic fit for Carbone's current trajectory. CEO Eric Skae praised the appointment, highlighting Stoeckel's unique capabilities. "Carbone is entering the next phase of its rapid growth," Skae stated. "Jeff knows how to scale brands the right way - fast, focused, and without losing what makes them special. He's the right partner for where we're going."

From Michelin Stars to Grocery Aisles

Carbone Fine Food's success story is a masterclass in brand extension, leveraging the immense cultural capital of its namesake restaurant. The brand is an offshoot of Major Food Group, the hospitality empire founded by Mario Carbone, Rich Torrisi, and Jeff Zalaznick, which is renowned for creating some of the world's most acclaimed dining concepts. The CPG line was born from the desire to translate the iconic restaurant's quality and bold flavors into products for the home kitchen.

The brand's strategy has been to meticulously replicate the restaurant's quality, using premium ingredients like Italian tomatoes grown in volcanic soil and slow-cooking sauces in small batches. This commitment to quality, overseen by the founding chefs, has resonated powerfully with consumers, fueling explosive growth. The company has become the fastest-growing national pasta sauce brand in the United States, with sales projected to hit $100 million after doubling year-over-year. Having already secured placement in approximately 27,000 stores, including major retailers like Whole Foods, Target, and Publix, Carbone has ascended to the number six spot in U.S. grocery pasta sauce sales and number two in the natural grocery channel.

This 'restaurant-to-retail' model is part of a larger industry trend where consumers, increasingly seeking premium and convenient at-home dining solutions, gravitate towards brands with authentic culinary roots. Carbone has effectively capitalized on this by offering a product that consumers perceive as a justifiable luxury, bringing a chef-curated experience into their homes.

Navigating the Premium CPG Battleground

The premium pasta sauce category is a fiercely competitive space, but one where Carbone has successfully carved out a significant market share. The brand's primary competitor is Rao's Homemade, another premium sauce brand with its own restaurant heritage, which has long dominated the category. Stoeckel's appointment is a clear move to challenge that dominance and vie for category leadership.

The market is ripe for disruption, driven by several key consumer trends. 'Premiumization' continues to shape purchasing habits, with shoppers willing to pay more for higher-quality ingredients, cleaner labels, and more authentic flavors. Carbone's emphasis on fresh, simple ingredients and its rejection of added sugars aligns perfectly with this demand. Furthermore, the brand has demonstrated a commitment to flavor innovation that keeps consumers engaged. Its product line has expanded from its initial tomato-based sauces to seventeen distinct flavors, including popular varieties like Spicy Vodka and Roasted Garlic, alongside more recent, sophisticated additions such as Black Truffle Alfredo, Lemon Pepper Alfredo, and a line of Italian Simmer Sauces.

Stoeckel’s challenge will be to maintain this momentum, pushing for standout product innovation and compelling brand storytelling that continuously reinforces Carbone's premium positioning. The strategy will involve not just winning more shelf space but also deepening the brand's connection with consumers who see it as an emblem of quality and taste.

A Partnership for Disciplined Growth

The leadership dynamic between Skae, a CPG veteran who previously helped scale Rao's, and Stoeckel creates a powerful combination of experience and strategic vision. Together, they plan to pursue a path of disciplined growth, ensuring that the brand's expansion is both rapid and sustainable. Stoeckel expressed his enthusiasm for the collaboration and the brand's future.

"Carbone is a brand with a strong point of view and massive potential," said Stoeckel. "I'm excited to partner with Eric and the team to build a durable, iconic platform. Carbone wins at retail, innovates with purpose, and stays true to its roots. It's a brand born from exceptional restaurateurs Mario Carbone, Rich Torrisi, and Jeff Zalaznick, and built from day one by one of the most experienced operators there is in CPG in Eric Skae. I couldn't be more excited to get started."

Their shared focus will be on executing a multi-faceted strategy that enhances retail velocity, introduces new products that resonate with the brand's core identity, and tells the story of its culinary heritage in a way that captivates a national audience. With Stoeckel managing daily operations, the new leadership structure is designed to support a more aggressive, yet focused, push into new markets and product categories, solidifying Carbone Fine Food's transition from a restaurant favorite to an indispensable staple in American kitchens.