Parsippany-based B&G Foods, the powerhouse behind household staples like Ortega, Crisco, and Cream of Wheat, announced Tuesday the appointment of John Ozgopoyan as executive vice president of sales.
The strategic hire comes at a pivotal moment for the company, as it navigates a broader restructuring plan aimed at shedding non-core assets and stabilizing revenue in a volatile consumer market. Ozgopoyan will report directly to President and CEO Casey Keller, joining the executive leadership team effective immediately.
Ozgopoyan brings over two decades of experience in the consumer packaged goods (CPG) sector, having held senior leadership roles at some of the industry’s largest players. His appointment follows a successful stint as chief customer officer for North America at Hain Celestial, where he served from August 2024 through late 2025.
Ozgopoyan’s Professional Highlights:
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L’Oréal (2021–2024): Served as senior vice president, managing large-scale retail relationships in the beauty and personal care space.
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Reckitt Benckiser (2007–2021): Spent 14 years in roles of increasing responsibility, including vice president of sales and general manager of sales for Health US.
“John is an experienced sales executive who develops strong relationships with customers,” Keller said. “We are excited to bring John’s sales leadership… as we continue to sharpen our focus on our core brands and improving our base business net sales.”
The appointment is part of a larger 2026 strategy to reverse recent volume declines and optimize the company’s “Base Business Net Sales”—a key metric that excludes impact from recent divestitures.
As of early 2026, B&G Foods has been aggressively reshaping its portfolio to focus on high-margin segments like Spices & Flavor Solutions and Meals. The company recently completed or initiated several major moves to simplify its operations:
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Green Giant Canada: Reached an agreement in late 2025 to sell the brand’s Canadian frozen and shelf-stable assets to Nortera Foods.
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Asset Divestiture: Sold the Le Sueur U.S. shelf-stable vegetable line to McCall Farms in August 2025.
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Debt Reduction: Management is currently working toward a mid-2026 goal of reducing its consolidated leverage ratio to 6.0x.
For New Jersey’s economy, B&G Foods remains a critical corporate anchor. The company manages more than 50 brands from its Parsippany headquarters, supporting a vast distribution network across the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico. Ozgopoyan will be tasked with defending shelf space for legacy brands like Ortega against new, high-velocity competitors while driving growth in the foodservice and club channels for brands like Dash and Spice Islands.
