Sprinkles Promotes Murakami to Chief Operating Officer
Sprinkles Bakeries and Picnik Restaurants has promoted Justin Murakami to chief operating officer, recognizing his exemplary contributions and leadership in steering operational growth and innovation. His promotion signals a pivotal phase in executing Sprinkles’ growth strategies domestically and internationally.
Dan Mesches, president and CEO, lauded Justin’s appointment, affirming, “Justin’s strategic foresight and operational expertise have been instrumental in our company’s success, especially in expanding Sprinkles’ global footprint and Picnik’s domestic expansion. We’re confident that under Justin’s leadership, we’ll continue to exceed expectations, scale efficiently and solidify our position as industry leaders.”
Since joining Sprinkles in 2017, Justin swiftly became an integral part of the company’s evolution. His instrumental role in developing and implementing foundational systems and processes laid the groundwork in expanding the brand’s physical footprint with both company-owned and franchised locations, domestically and internationally.
Notably, under his stewardship, Justin took the brand’s iconic cupcake ATMs beyond their brick and mortar locales and launched the non-traditional Cupcake ATM business. With over 50 ATMs and counting, Sprinkles ATMs can be found in airports, malls and lifestyle centers across the country. Justin was also instrumental in the successful launch of Sprinkles’ National Shipping Program, creating another channel for significant growth.
With an impressive career spanning 25 years in the hospitality sector, Justin has navigated through the ranks starting as a host, then becoming a GM at the Cheesecake Factory to an Area Director overseeing multiple brands with Lettuce Entertain You and Hopdoddy Burger Bar. His vast experience has honed his abilities and insights, propelling him to craft and fortify infrastructures conducive to sustained business growth.
As COO, Murakami will lead operations, training, supply chain, culinary, franchise operations and new bakery and restaurant openings. His responsibilities include partnering with cross-functional departments, identifying opportunities and gaps, formulating and implementing robust processes and systems to ensure scalability and ease for the team.
Murakami expressed his enthusiasm about the promotion, stating, “Assuming the role of chief operating officer at Sprinkles and Picnik is a tremendous honor. I am devoted to leveraging our team’s strengths, harnessing operational excellence, and charting a growth trajectory that maintains our commitment to exceptional guest experiences. I am excited about the opportunity to not only drive innovation and sustainable expansion for our business, but to continue nurturing and developing the people I work with every day.”
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Healthy Living Natural Food Retailer Hailed as Outstanding Vermont Business
Healthy Living, an independent natural foods retailer, was named as the 32nd recipient of the Deane C. Davis Outstanding Business of the Year Award by Vermont Business Magazine and the Vermont Chamber of Commerce.
The award honors sustained growth and “an acute awareness of what makes Vermont unique.”
“Like Davis himself — former [Vermont] governor, president of National Life of Vermont, and environmentalist — each finalist reflects Vermont’s diverse nature and, at the same time, radiates a savvy business sense,” John Boutin, publisher of VermontBiz and co-presenter of the award, said in his publication.
Healthy Living has long embodied the values honored in the award; when Katy Lesser opened the South Burlington store in 1986, she wanted to bring healthy, natural foods to the family table. In the three decades since, the brand has expanded to include locations in Williston and Saratoga, N.Y.
Lesser co-owns Healthy Living with her children, Eli and Nina Lesser-Goldsmith, who serve as CEO and COO, respectively. Together they have created 350 jobs, supported the economies of Vermont and New York, and worked tirelessly to fuel a passion for great food, health and well-being and establishing a sense of place where people gather to shop, eat, and work.
The company gives back to nonprofits quarterly and just this year became one of the first retailers to join the Northeast Organic Family Farm Partnership, encouraging shoppers to buy local and support participating producers.
Healthy Living’s dedicated, expert staff bring ready-to-eat meals, groceries and wellness items to shoppers each day — with everything sold held to the store’s strict ingredient standards.
“This award means so much to us, because it acknowledges our core values and celebrates them,” Lesser said. “Deane C. Davis became governor at age 68, which shows that you really can switch careers and make an impact. That’s what I did as a young mom in the 1980s, and I’m still learning every day.”
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Williams Sonoma Launches Seed & Harvest Food Collection
Williams Sonoma, a brand portfolio member of Williams-Sonoma, Inc. has launched Seed & Harvest, a collection of food that prioritizes providing customers with unprecedented transparency in ingredients and sustainable sourcing practices to accommodate various dietary, food or lifestyle preferences.
As a result of these commitments to transparency and sustainability, packaging of Seed & Harvest products will feature iconography that will assist customers in easily identifying products that are vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, kosher or dairy free. Additionally, all Seed & Harvest products are refined sugar-free and all packaging of Seed & Harvest products are either compostable or recyclable.
Williams Sonoma has a rich history of offering our customers best-in-class food products made with clean, high-quality ingredients that we develop in-house or source from premiere vendors around the world,” said Williams Sonoma President Ryan Ross. “We are developing Seed & Harvest products to appeal to the palate of all of our customers while also being mindful of those who may have various dietary, food or lifestyle preferences. The accommodations we are making with this collection will allow our customers with specific needs to easily shop Seed & Harvest products with confidence without having to question quality or compromise on flavor.”
The sustainably sourced ingredients featured in Seed & Harvest products will be identifiable through premiere third-party certification organizations like Fair Trade and through purveyors and partners of Williams Sonoma such as Renewal Mill, an award-winning, women-led food company that’s dedicated to fighting climate change with upcycled flours and baking mixes.
The Seed & Harvest collection by Williams Sonoma features 33 items ranging across all food categories from savory and sweet to snacks and beverages:
- Brownie and Cookie Mixes – $14.95-$16.95
- Brownie, Chocolate Chip Cookie, Sugar Cookie
- Cake Mixes – $16.95
- Chocolate Cake, Yellow Cake
- Quick Bread and Muffin Mix – $15.95
- Raspberry Lemon Quick Bread, Banana Date Quick Bread
- Blueberry Oat Flour Muffin
Breakfast Bars and Protein Pancake Mix – $14.95-$16.95
- Banana Oat Breakfast Bar
- Blueberry Protein Pancake, Protein Powder Pancake
- Sweets – $9.95-$14.95
- Gummy Worms, Organic Vegan Gummy Bears, Soft Baked Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Beverage/Cocktail Mixes – $18.95
- Blueberry Lemon Thyme Cocktail Mix, Citrus Ginger Cocktail Mix, Pomegranate Paloma Cocktail Mix
- Sauces and Seasonings – $14.95-$16.95
Chipotle Black Pepper BBQ Sauce, Original BBQ Sauce, Smoky Peach BBQ Sauce- Everyday Seasoning Rub
- French Mustard, Ginger Soy and Ultra Herb Sheet Pan Seasoning
- Salad Dressings/Marinades/Oil Drizzlers – $16.95-$18.95
- Golden Goddess Everything Sauce, Green Goddess Everything Sauce, Red Goddess Everything Sauce
- Balsamic Basil, Garlic Meyer Lemon, Sonoma Herb Veggie Roasting Drizzler
- Pasta Sauce $18.95
- Hidden Veggie Marinara Pasta Sauce, Vegan Vodka Pasta Sauce
Pizza Sauce and Crust Mix – $14.95-$16.95
- Pizza Sauce
- Cauliflower Pizza Crust Mix
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