Tyson Foods Combines Prepared Foods, Growth Divisions Under Chief Growth Officer Boulden

Sept. 25, 2023

Melanie Boulden, who became the company’s chief growth officer in February, adds the responsibilities of group president of Prepared Foods.

Andy Hanacek

Tyson Foods announced it has named chief growth officer Melanie Boulden group president of its Prepared Foods business unit as part of a plan to combine the division with the company’s Growth organization, according to a release from the processor late last week.

Boulden, who was hired as chief growth officer in February of this year, will oversee the company’s retail, foodservice and e-commerce portfolio, including the Tyson, Jimmy Dean, Hillshire Farm and Ball Park brands. She replaces Stewart Glendinning, who left the company in mid-September to become CEO of fashion apparel retailer Express Inc.

Tyson views the Prepared Foods division as a growth pillar for the company, and it has been a bright spot during a tumultuous, often-disappointing year for the Springdale, Ark., company.

It expects the combined Prepared Foods and Growth groups to focus on brand building, operational excellence and route-to-market expansion, collaborating to produce greater speed and agility for the organization.

About the Author

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.