Former Whole Foods Co-CEO and Food System 6 Co-Founder join Ed Schweitzer and Matt Welty in Supporting Rapidly-Growing Organic Plant-Based Food Company
Walter Robb, Principal, Stonewall Robb Advisors, former co-CEO of Whole Foods Market and Executive in Residence S2G Ventures, and Renske Lynde, co-founder and CEO of Food System 6, joined New Barn Organics’ Board of Directors. Robb was a leading natural foods grocer for more than thirty years. His past experience ranges from operating a small store to managing the Fortune 500 company, providing a deep network and a broad scope of industry expertise. Robb is currently Principal of Stonewall Robb Advisors and Managing Partner of Stonewall Robb, a family investment company, in addition to serving as a Director on the Boards of various other public and private companies.
“I am pleased to join the team at New Barn Organics,” said Walter Robb. “Plant-based, organic foods are what today’s customer is looking for. I’ve spent my career passionately advocating for organic foods, and New Barn Organics is a strong brand that is well positioned to bring rapid innovation and a deeper commitment to organic agriculture to shoppers all across the country.”
Lynde’s background in food systems and sustainable agriculture will benefit New Barn Organics as it leans into its position as a leading organic plant-based food brand. Her experience as an investor and food activist will lend support to the company’s deeper mission, having worked with both non-profit and for-profit ventures. This unique perspective will help guide the company as it strives to make impactful change to its supply chain by increasing transparency and embracing regenerative organic agriculture.
“I’m thrilled to be a part of an emerging brand committed to impact and transparency,” said Renske Lynde. “I was attracted to the team and strong start the brand has in the marketplace. I am looking forward to supporting the company and their strategic initiatives going forward.”
Ed Schweitzer also joins Robb and Lynde on the Board of Directors. Schweitzer brings more than thirty years of banking and investment experience, having worked at Banker’s Trust and Banc of America, as well as his own firm, EH Schweitzer & Associates. Robb, Lynde, and Schweitzer join Matt Welty on the Board, a co-founder and Director who’s been advising the company since its inception. Welty is a partner at Welty, Weaver, & Currie, LLP. All Directors have invested in previous financings and have made further investment into the most recent capital raise.
“We are growing quickly,” said Ted Robb, New Barn Organics Chairman & CEO. “We need experienced leaders who can mentor and support our team through the ups and downs of a high-growth, startup environment. We are extremely fortunate to have such a strong and passionate Board of Directors supporting our future expansion and supply chain initiatives.”
New Barn Organics will be exhibiting and launching new products lines at Natural Products Expo West in Anaheim, California on March 6-9, 2019, Booth #5023.
About New Barn Organics
New Barn Organics makes and markets best-in-class super-premium Organic Almondmilk and non-dairy Organic AlmondCrème. Founded in 2015 by a tight group of natural industry veterans, it has quickly become the nation’s leading innovative, branded Organic Almondmilk range in the combined Natural/Specialty channel, guided by the principles of Organic and fewest, cleanest, simplest ingredients. New Barn is distributed nationally to thousands of Natural, Specialty, Conventional, and Mass accounts by UNFI, KeHE and other leading distributors. For more information, visit: http://www.newbarnorganics.com.
About Walter Robb
An investor, mentor, and advisor to the next generation of American food companies, former co-CEO of Whole Foods Market Walter Robb has a long and varied entrepreneurial history, ranging from natural food retailer to farmer to consultant. Robb joined Whole Foods Market in 1991 and in 2010 was named co-CEO along with John Mackey, at which time he joined the Whole Foods Market Board of Directors. In 2017, Robb transitioned his leadership focus to his role as a passionate advocate for greater food access in underserved communities, serving as Chairman of the Board for Whole Kids Foundation and Whole Cities Foundation. Robb also serves on the Board of Directors for Union Square Hospitality Group, The Container Store, FoodMaven, HeatGenie, and Apeel Sciences.
Robb is an ardent organic advocate; he works his own organic garden and has served on the Board of Directors of the Organic Trade Association and the Organic Center for Education and Promotion. In 2013 he received the Culinary Institute of America “Augie” Award for Sustainability and Food Ethics, and in 2018, he was inducted into the Expo West Natural Products Expo Hall of Legends.
He graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Stanford University in 1976 and is a proud father and grandfather with two sons, a daughter, and five grandchildren.
About Renske Lynde
Renske Lynde been an advocate for a more equitable & sustainable food system for over 20 years and is currently an active investor, philanthropist and Board member in food and agriculture companies. Renske is a co-founder and current CEO of Food System 6 (FS6). FS6 is a non-profit accelerator based in the SF Bay Area that supports mission-driven entrepreneurs transforming how we grow, produce and distribute food. FS6 has an active portfolio of 23 companies working throughout the value chain to accelerate the creation of a food system designed for the health of people & planet. FS6 collaborates closely with a range of philanthropic, investment and corporate partners including the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Ovo Fund, Susan Rockefeller, General Mills, Clif Bar, and others.
Renske began her career advocating for sustainable agriculture on behalf of smallholder farmers in global trade policy in the 1990s and went on to build direct markets for farmers & ranchers in Philadelphia as part of the national “Buy Fresh, Buy Local” campaign. Before co-founding Food System 6, she directed legislative and programmatic efforts to improve the food stamp and school meal programs for the San Francisco Food Bank. She holds BA degrees from Boston University in Political Science and Psychology and an MPP from UC Berkeley’s Goldman School of Public Policy.
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