Francis Kint has been named chief executive officer of Sint-Katelijne-Waver, Belgium-headquartered Greenyard. Currently serving as managing director of the vegetable and fruit processing and marketing company’s Frozen Division, he is set succeed Co-CEOs Hein Deprez and Marc Zwaaneveld on January 1.
Zwaaneveld will remain available in an advisory role to facilitate a smooth transition and handover, while Deprez will focus on his duties as executive director of the board. In this role, and as founder, Deprez will continue to oversee, build and drive the vision and strategic direction of Greenyard.
The incoming chief executive has a solid track record as a leader combined with a rich history with Greenyard. At Univeg, which evolved into what is now known as Greenyard’s Fresh segment, he held various senior positions before performing as CEO from 2013-15. In 2021 he rejoined Greenyard to take on the job of managing director of its Frozen Division. Kint has expertise in the branded Fast Moving Consumer Goods segment and logged over 25 years of international senior leadership experience, having served as chief executive officer of Ter Beke (now What’s Cooking?) and the Vion Food Group, as well as senior positions at Fiskars and Chiquita.
“He holds deep understanding of the fruit and vegetable industry, and gained valuable knowledge in both the foodservice and retail channels during his career,” said Greenyard Board Chairman Koen Hoffman. “Mr. Kint is the right man at the right place to accelerate the implementation of the strategic direction and to realize the full potential of Greenyard. We look forward to a fruitful collaboration.”
Hoffman added: “On behalf of the board, I also want to wholeheartedly thank our Hein Deprez and Marc Zwaaneveld for their leadership and guidance over the past years. “This led to strong performances year on year.”
Looking forward to soon assuming the held, Kint commented: “This is a fantastic moment to take on the role of chief executive officer…The company has great ambitions for further growth and our pure-plant products respond to the needs of today’s consumers. We are in an excellent position to be a leading global actor in the consumer trend towards a healthier lifestyle and more sustainable food chains.”
