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Food For Thought

Ajinomoto Foods North America Charts Path to Growth Under New President/CEO

Dave Gardner, new president and CEO of Ajinomoto Foods North America, discusses the rise in Asian and frozen foods, as well as the primary focal points of the company as it looks to continue to grow in the U.S. market.
June 3, 2026
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Dave Gardner, who was recently promoted to president and CEO of Ajinomoto Foods North America (AFNA), joins the Food For Thought podcast to discuss what is driving the popularity in Asian foods as well as frozen foods in the U.S. today. Gardner explains how the quality, value and convenience of frozen foods today are meeting demands of consumers, and they are responding positively.

In addition, Gardner talks about his approach to his new role at AFNA, what he expects to bring to the table as the president and CEO, and the three points he believes the AFNA team needs to focus on moving forward to continue to grow.

About the Author

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Andy Hanacek

Senior Editor

Andy Hanacek has covered meat, poultry, bakery and snack foods as a B2B editor for nearly 20 years, and has toured hundreds of processing plants and food companies, sharing stories of innovation and technological advancement throughout the food supply chain. In 2018, he won a Folio:Eddie Award for his unique "From the Editor's Desk" video blogs, and he has brought home additional awards from Folio and ASBPE over the years. In addition, Hanacek led the Meat Industry Hall of Fame for several years and was vice president of communications for We R Food Safety, a food safety software and consulting company.

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