KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The board of Hostess Brands Inc. has named Andrew Callahan as the company’s president and CEO effective May 7, 2018. He will replace C. Dean Metropoulos, the company’s executive chairman, who has been in the expanded role of interim president and CEO since March 31.
Metropoulos will remain executive chairman. The board also appointed Callahan as a director.
Callahan joins the snack-cake company with more than 23 years of executive leadership experience in key consumer packaged goods industry roles.
Callahan previously was Tyson Foods’ president of retail packaged brands, managing the Tyson, Jimmy Dean, Hillshire Farm, Sara Lee, Aidells and Ball Park brands, as well as president of North American foodservice and international. Additionally, he was responsible for Tyson Pet Products Inc., which makes True Chews dog treats. Prior to that, Callahan was president of retail of Hillshire Brands, during which time the company completed an initial public offering and then was subsequently acquired by Tyson Foods. He also was chief customer officer for Sara Lee Corp, North America, president of Sara Lee foodservice division and general manager of Jimmy Dean. Prior to Sara Lee, he spent 13 years at Kraft Foods in roles of increasing responsibility in marketing, sales and general management.
Before beginning his corporate career, Callahan spent seven years in the U.S. Navy as a flight officer.
“We are delighted to welcome Andy to the Hostess team,” Metropoulos said. “He is a very accomplished consumer packaged goods executive with strong experience in leading brands, and we welcome his leadership, brand and innovation expertise as we continue to further build our distribution and market share in the sweet baked-goods category. We believe Andy has the right combination of entrepreneurial and strategic leadership and people management skills to lead Hostess into our next phase of growth and build value for our stockholders.”
Kansas City, Mo.-based Hostess is a major packaged-food company focused on developing, manufacturing, marketing, selling and distributing fresh sweet baked goods. It produces a variety of treats, including Ding Dongs, Ho Hos, Donettes, Hostess Bake Shop and Fruit Pies, in addition to Twinkies and CupCakes.
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