Marzetti Taps Spirits CEO Greg Hughes for Board to Fuel Growth Strategy

WESTERVILLE, OH – February 11, 2026 – The Marzetti Company (Nasdaq: MZTI) has appointed Greg Hughes, a seasoned executive with deep roots in the food and beverage industry and current President and CEO of Suntory Global Spirits, to its Board of Directors. The move signals a strategic effort to infuse its leadership with expertise from the highly competitive spirits sector to navigate and accelerate growth in the dynamic specialty foods market.

Mr. Hughes, who has led the $12 billion spirits giant since 2023, brings a formidable track record in brand building, marketing, and operational leadership. His appointment is seen by industry observers as a deliberate play to bolster Marzetti’s strategic initiatives, which are heavily focused on brand enhancement, product licensing, and market expansion.

“We are thrilled to welcome Greg to the Marzetti Board,” said Alan Harris, Chairman, in the company's official announcement. “His experience leading food and beverage companies will be a tremendous asset to the organization. He has a deep understanding of marketing, brand development and operational excellence, which will benefit the Board and Management as The Marzetti Company continues to execute its growth strategy.”

A Strategic Play for Brand Expertise

The decision to bring a leader from the spirits world into a specialty food boardroom is a calculated one. The global spirits industry is fiercely competitive, built on masterful brand storytelling, premiumization strategies, and creating powerful consumer connections. Hughes has been at the forefront of this at Suntory Global Spirits, where he was instrumental in architecting the company's 2030 growth strategy and establishing a brand-led operating model. His focus has been on a “value over volume” approach, successfully elevating premium brands to account for more than half of the company's spirits sales.

This experience is directly applicable to Marzetti's ambitions. The company, known for its namesake dressings and dips, Sister Schubert's rolls, and New York Bakery breads, also manages a lucrative and expanding portfolio of licensed brands. These include sauces and dressings for restaurant giants like Chick-fil-A, Olive Garden, Buffalo Wild Wings, and Subway. Successfully managing and growing such a diverse portfolio requires the sophisticated brand stewardship that Hughes has demonstrated throughout his career. His leadership in launching Suntory’s “Proof Positive Sustainability strategy” also aligns with growing consumer demand for responsible sourcing and clean-label products in the specialty food sector.

A Deep Bench in Food and Beverage

While his current role is in spirits, Hughes’s professional history is firmly grounded in the food industry, making him a uniquely qualified addition to the Marzetti board. Before his tenure at Suntory, he spent seven years at Kraft Foods, a period that culminated in his role as Vice President of Marketing for Kraft Enhancers. This division was responsible for condiments and dressings, placing him directly in Marzetti’s core product category and providing him with intimate knowledge of its competitive landscape.

His CPG experience began at Procter & Gamble and was further honed during a four-year stint at Bel Brands USA, home to iconic names like The Laughing Cow and Mini Babybel. This extensive background in managing well-known consumer packaged goods provides Hughes with a comprehensive understanding of retail channels, consumer behavior, and the marketing levers necessary to drive growth. This combination of high-level food industry experience and recent success in the premium spirits market offers Marzetti a potent mix of foundational knowledge and innovative, brand-forward thinking.

Aligning with Marzetti’s Growth Blueprint

Hughes’s appointment comes as Marzetti actively pursues a multi-pronged growth strategy. The company’s three pillars are accelerating its core business, simplifying its supply chain to improve margins, and expanding through strategic mergers, acquisitions, and licensing. Hughes’s skill set aligns neatly with each of these objectives.

His expertise in brand development is critical for accelerating the core business and maximizing the value of its powerful licensing program. The recent expansion of Texas Roadhouse Dinner Rolls into retail is a prime example of the kind of initiative his guidance could amplify. Furthermore, his operational acumen, honed while managing complex global supply chains at Suntory, will be invaluable as Marzetti works to enhance efficiency and reduce costs.

Most notably, Hughes’s experience with M&A will be a significant asset. Marzetti recently completed a $400 million acquisition of Bachan's, a premium Japanese American barbecue sauce brand. The company plans to leverage its own retail relationships and foodservice partnerships to scale the fast-growing brand. Hughes’s experience in driving growth strategies and integrating new assets at a global company like Suntory provides the Marzetti board with a crucial perspective for making this acquisition and future M&A endeavors successful.

Navigating a Dynamic Market Landscape

Marzetti operates at the intersection of the retail specialty foods market and the foodservice industry, both of which are undergoing significant transformation. The specialty foods sector is booming, with analysts projecting double-digit growth driven by consumer demand for premium, high-quality, and artisanal products. Simultaneously, the foodservice industry continues to grapple with rising ingredient costs, labor shortages, and thin profit margins.

In this environment, strategic leadership is paramount. Marzetti reported steady performance in its most recent quarter, with a 1.7% increase in net sales to $518 million, but also experienced some volume pressure. The appointment of Hughes can be interpreted as a forward-thinking move to secure a competitive advantage. His proven ability to drive a “premiumization” strategy and build brand value is precisely what is needed to capture share in the growing specialty market while navigating the cost pressures of the foodservice channel.

By adding a leader of Greg Hughes’s caliber, The Marzetti Company is reinforcing its board with the strategic insight needed to not only navigate current market complexities but also to aggressively pursue its next chapter of growth. The appointment underscores a commitment to sophisticated brand management and operational excellence as the foundational elements for building long-term value in an evolving food landscape.