Ocean Spray Cranberries Inc. president and chief executive officer Tom Hayes will retire from the company effective March 2, 2026, according to an announcement shared by Ocean Spray.
Hayes joined Ocean Spray five years ago in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic, and Ocean Spray chairman of the board Peter Dhillon said in the release that he brought veteran leadership, a commitment to excellence and “a new strategic direction that has us well-positioned for the next chapter at our company.” Improved processes and efficiencies, smart capital investment and solid year-over-year results followed Hayes’ arrival, the company said.
Previous to his time at Ocean Spray, has led several food industry brands and businesses, including Tyson Foods, Hillshire Brands, Sara Lee, Conagra and Kraft Foods. He is on the board of directors for both Maple Leaf Foods and Basic American Foods. Hayes will remain in an advisory role to the Ocean Spray board until a successor is named.
The cooperative has already begun its search for Hayes’ replacement.
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.