John Foraker has been the longtime President of Annie’s, Inc. and a leading authority in the organic and natural foods space. In August 2017, Foraker transitioned into a new role as Chairman of the Bunny, where he will continue to work with General Mills and the Annie’s Operating unit to drive leadership in company culture, organic and regenerative agriculture, and strategy support for the general Mills enterprise in the natural & organic food space. Stepping into this new role will allow Foraker the space to become co-founder and CEO of a new & highly disruptive organic food start up that will become public news in September 2017, just ahead of Expo East.
With more than 20 years of natural & organic business experience and a sharp focus on sustainability and social responsibility, Foraker’s vision for growing Annie’s always relied on transparent leadership and an over-arching commitment to creativity, innovation and honesty. In addition to his role as President, Foraker also led within the greater General Mills organization as an advisor for the company’s small business incubator 301, Inc., a new venture group that invests in small promising companies.
Prior to assuming his role as President in October 2014, Foraker led investors to place growth capital into Annie’s in 1999, earning his title as Chairman of the Board. Beginning in 2004, Foraker led as Annie’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), taking Annie’s public under the BNNY symbol in 2012, just prior to the company’s buyout by General Mills, Inc. in October 2014.
A respected expert spokesperson in the organic and natural foods industry, Foraker has been featured in Fast Company, Forbes and Wall Street Journal, in addition to other platinum media outlets. Foraker has also shared his leadership and expertise with business owners and audiences at home in the Bay Area and across the country, addressing organizations like the Berkeley Entrepreneurs Forum, the Lester Center for Entrepreneurship and the Nutrition Business Journal Conference, among others. Most recently, Foraker was awarded EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2015 in Northern California, recognizing his entrepreneurial excellence in the retail and consumer products category.
Prior to his tenure at Annie’s, Foraker served as Vice President at Bank of America, overseeing commercial banking client relationship management in the bank’s premium wine business portfolio. Foraker holds a Bachelor of Science degree in agricultural economics from the University of California, Davis and a Masters of Business Administration from the University of California, Berkeley.
Morning Jam Session
Tuesday, September 26, 2017
Always-on, voice-activated shopping, meal kit solutions, micro partnerships and societal movements surrounding the latest food ideals, all present new avenues of competition, but also opportunities for traditional retailers. How should brands and retailers lean-in to these disruptions to build a sustainable business where technology is demanded but ever-changing? How do you inspire employees, business partners and all points in-between to work in concert and create a harmonious customer experience? How do you adopt entrepreneurial approaches that are authentic and engaging to your fans?
This thought-provoking, TED-style session will capture the spirit of three uncommon voices to challenge your thinking about our industry and where things are headed. Their presentations will highlight novel approaches and provide new context which will influence your thinking and spur dialogue during your conference business meetings.
