Stonewall Kitchen Hires Horn as Chief Sales Officer

Leading specialty food, home goods and personal care producer Stonewall Kitchen has hired Brent Horn as its chief sales officer. Horn takes over for Kathy Gilbert, who will be retiring after an accomplished 27-year tenure with the company.

Horn joins Stonewall Kitchen with more than three decades of experience in the consumer goods industry, with Fortune 500 companies, including Kraft Foods, Henkel, Reckitt, and most recently the Bel Groupe where he served as Chief Growth Officer for the GoGo SqueeZ brand. With Bel Groupe, Horn was responsible for leading sales, marketing, supply chain and project management. During his four-year tenure, the brand recognized extraordinary growth.

“I want to extend our heartfelt gratitude to Kathy for her unwavering dedication and instrumental role in shaping our company’s success and where we stand today,” Stonewall Kitchen CEO Carrie McDermott said. “I also want to welcome Brent to our team, who brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to Stonewall Kitchen. We’re excited to see his contributions as we continue the growth and success of our family of brands.”

As part of Horn’s 33-year career, he served as head of sales for the French’s Food business, which was later acquired by McCormick. He was also General Manager for the club channel, responsible for the company’s growth strategy and key functions.

“I am thrilled to be joining Stonewall Kitchen and becoming part of its rich history,” Horn said. “I am committed to taking what has already been built and leveraging what I have been fortunate to learn over my career to help drive the growth of the company even further. I am honored to be a part of this team and look forward to making a positive impact together.”

Horn officially joined Stonewall Kitchen on May 13.

Stonewall Kitchen is a leading specialty food, home goods and personal care producer headquartered in York, Maine.  Founded in 1991 by partners Jonathan King and Jim Stott, the two established the Stonewall Kitchen brand by selling jams and jellies at local farmers’ markets with a flavorful line of distinctive and high-quality products. Over time, they expanded the brand to include sauces, condiments, crackers and baking mixes, always focusing on innovative product development, beautiful packaging, and exceptional guest service.

Today, Stonewall Kitchen is the premier specialty food and home goods platform in North America, home to a family of premium quality brands including the flagship Stonewall Kitchen brand; the Michel Design Works brand of elegantly designed and crafted personal and home care products; the Vermont Coffee Company brand of high quality, non-GMO, certified organic coffee; the Urban Accents brand of globally-inspired spice mixes, seasonings, and sauces; the Village Candle brand of fragranced candles, gifts and accessories; the Tillen Farms brand of pickled vegetables and cocktail cherries; the Napa Valley Naturals brand of olive oils, culinary oils, balsamic vinegars and wine vinegars; the Montebello brand of artisan organic pasta imported from Italy; the Vermont Village brand of organic apple sauce and apple cider vinegars; and the Legal Sea Foods brand of restaurant-quality seafood sauces and condiments.

The company boasts distribution in more than 19,000 stores nationwide and internationally; a thriving catalog and online division; a café in York, Maine; and ten retail Company Stores throughout New England. As winners of 35 prestigious awards from the Specialty Food Association and the recipient of the coveted Outstanding Product Line honors three times, Stonewall Kitchen is proud to be one of the most awarded specialty food companies in the country.

For more news of interest to the specialty food industry, subscribe to Gourmet News.