BNET Industries
Last Fiscal Year Sales:$927.7M
- Private
- US
Dow Jones Description
Birds Eye Foods was founded in the early sixties as Curtice Burns Inc., in partnership with a farmer cooperative, Pro-Fac Cooperative. The Company grew out of Western New York, but over the years diversified and expanded geographically, acquiring companies with regional strengths. A portfolio of fruit and vegetable products soon grew to include items such as snacks, canned meals and salad dressings. Today, Birds Eye Foods is a privately-held food marketing company whose focus is on innovation and new products that provide value and convenience to consumers.
Chief Executive Officer
Neil HarrisonNumber of Employees 2,660
Contact Information
90 Linden Oaks
Rochester, New York 14625
Peer Companies
NAICS Code Frozen Fruit, Juice, and Vegetable Manufacturing: 311411
Recent Events
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Blackstone chilling with Birds Eye
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Blackstone-owned Pinnacle Foods Group buys Birds Eye Foods for $1.3 billion
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Blackstone-owned Pinnacle buys Birds Eye for $1.3 billion
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BRIEF-Pinnacle Foods acquires Birds Eye Foods in a $1.3 billion deal
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Birds Eye Foods to be acquired by Pinnacle Foods Group
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Blackstone Pinnacle Brands Plans to Acquire Birds Eye Foods for $1.3B
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Blackstone Unit to Buy Birds Eye
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Blackstone Unit to Buy Birds Eye Foods
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Birds Eye Foods plans to go public
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WRAPUP 1-Dole sets IPO terms, Birds Eye aims to go public
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Indiana inventor says big companies stole his idea
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Fennville, Birds Eye seek water solution
Decision Makers
| Name (plus bio) | Position |
|---|---|
| Neil Harrison | Chief Executive Officer |
| Earl L. Powers | Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer and Secretary |
| David E. Hogberg | Executive Vice President, Marketing & Business Development |
| Lois Warlick-Jarvie | Senior Vice President, Admin |
| Robert G. Montgomery | Senior Vice President, Frozen Sales |
| Ron Trine | Senior Vice President, Frozen Supply Chain |
| Bea Slizewski | Vice President, Corp Communications |
| John Blough | Snyder of Berlin Vice President of Human Resources and Purchasing |
| Kent Roberts | Vice President |
| Larry Hahn | Vice President, Sales |
| Linda Nelson | Vice President and Controller |
| Paul DeGenova | Vice President, Commodity Management |
| Randy Zeno | Vice President, Marketing |
| Amy LaVigne | Director, Marketing, Dry Goods |
| David Leferman | Senior Director, Customer & Category Management |
| Kurt Buckman | Director, Quality Sys Management |
| Michael Cocca | Director, Retail Sales |
| Mike Curtin | Director, Marketing, New Prods |
| Wendy Preiser | Director, Marketing, Frozen Branded Prods |
| Jim Fazioli | Manager, Field Trade |
| Karen Emisse | Manager, Purchasing |
| Bill Kalaf | Sales Rep |
| Clarence Birdseye | Head |
| John Heslin | Sales Rep |
| Allan W. Overhiser | Director |
| Daniel S. O'Connell | Director |
| Daniel S. O. Connell | Director |
Board of Directors
| Name (plus bio) | Position |
|---|---|
| Brian K. Ratzan | Board of Directors |
| David B. Vermylen | Board of Directors |
| David M. Hooper | Board of Directors |
| Gregg A. Ostrander | Board of Directors |
| Kevin A. Mundt | Board of Directors |
| Patrick W. Rose | Board of Directors |
| Peter Calamari | Board of Directors |
| Peter R. Call | Board of Directors |
| Stephen P. Donovan | Board of Directors |
| Organization | Position | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Birds Eye Foods, Inc. | Chief Executive Officer | Current |
| Birds Eye Foods, Inc. | President | Current |
| Birds Eye Foods, Inc. | Chairman | Current |
| Solo Cup Company | Board of Directors | Current |
| Atkins Nutritionals, Inc. | Chief Executive Officer | Former |
| Atkins Nutritionals, Inc. | President | Former |
| H.J. Heinz Company | president | Former |
| H.J. Heinz Company | senior vice president | Former |
| Lever Brothers | Former | |
| Atkins Nutritionals, Inc. | Chairman | Former |
| Organization | Position | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Birds Eye Foods, Inc. | Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer and Secretary | Current |
| Organization | Position | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Birds Eye Foods, Inc. | Executive Vice President, Marketing & Business Development | Current |
| Organization | Position | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Birds Eye Foods, Inc. | Senior Vice President, Admin | Current |
| Organization | Position | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Birds Eye Foods, Inc. | Senior Vice President, Frozen Sales | Current |
| Sara Lee Corporation | Former |
| Organization | Position | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Birds Eye Foods, Inc. | Senior Vice President, Frozen Supply Chain | Current |
| Organization | Position | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Birds Eye Foods, Inc. | Vice President, Corp Communications | Current |
| Organization | Position | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Birds Eye Foods, Inc. | Snyder of Berlin Vice President of Human Resources and Purchasing | Current |
| Organization | Position | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Birds Eye Foods, Inc. | Vice President | Current |
| Organization | Position | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Birds Eye Foods, Inc. | Vice President, Sales | Current |
| Organization | Position | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Birds Eye Foods, Inc. | Vice President and Controller | Current |
| Organization | Position | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Birds Eye Foods, Inc. | Vice President, Commodity Management | Current |
| Organization | Position | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Birds Eye Foods, Inc. | Vice President, Marketing | Current |
| Organization | Position | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Birds Eye Foods, Inc. | Director, Marketing, Dry Goods | Current |
| Organization | Position | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Birds Eye Foods, Inc. | Senior Director, Customer & Category Management | Current |
| Organization | Position | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Birds Eye Foods, Inc. | Director, Quality Sys Management | Current |
| Organization | Position | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Birds Eye Foods, Inc. | Director, Retail Sales | Current |
| Organization | Position | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Birds Eye Foods, Inc. | Director, Marketing, New Prods | Current |
| Organization | Position | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Birds Eye Foods, Inc. | Director, Marketing, Frozen Branded Prods | Current |
| Organization | Position | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Birds Eye Foods, Inc. | Manager, Field Trade | Current |
| Organization | Position | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Birds Eye Foods, Inc. | Manager, Purchasing | Current |
| Organization | Position | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Birds Eye Foods, Inc. | Sales Rep | Current |
Clarence Birdseye, whose share of the purchase was just under a million dollars, was to remain with the new corporation to head up research and development. He directed 22 chemists and food technicians at the laboratory set up by the new corporation in Gloucester, Massachusetts. This research group came up with the use of coated cellophane as a wrapping to go over the cartons in which the food was frozen. It was at this laboratory that the portable multi-plate freezer was invented and built. This group also developed over a hundred varieties of processed foods which could be successfully frozen.
| Organization | Position | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Birds Eye Foods, Inc. | Head | Current |
| Organization | Position | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Birds Eye Foods, Inc. | Sales Rep | Current |
Allan W. Overhiser has been a Director of Pro-Fac since March 1994, a Vice President since March 2004, and First Vice President and Treasurer since March 2005 and a member of Pro-Fac since 1984. Mr. Overhiser also serves as a Director of Birds Eye Foods and has served in this capacity since May 2004. Mr. Overhiser is a fruit farmer (A.W. Overhiser Orchards; South Haven, Michigan).
| Organization | Position | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Pro-Fac Cooperative, Inc. | First Vice President, Treasurer | Current |
| Birds Eye Foods, Inc. | Director | Current |
| Pro-Fac Cooperative, Inc. | Board of Directors | Current |
| Organization | Position | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Vestar Capital Partners | Managing Director & Head, Diversified Industries Sector | Current |
| Birds Eye Foods, Inc. | Board of Directors | Current |
| Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette | Corporate Finance Group | Former |
| Vestar Capital Partners | Team Member | Former |
| Harvard Business School | MBA | Former |
| University of Michigan | M.B.A. | Former |
| University of Michigan | B.A | Former |
| Organization | Position | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Vestar Capital Partners | Chief Executive Officer | Former |
| Huish Detergents Inc. | Director | Current |
| Money Studies, Inc. | Director | Current |
| National Mentor Holdings Inc. | Director | Current |
| Birds Eye Foods, Inc. | Director | Current |
| Argo-Tech Corporation | Board of Directors | Current |
| Solo Cup Company | Board of Directors | Current |
| Yale School of Management | Advisory Board Member | Current |
| St. John Knits International, Inc. | Board of Directors | Current |
| Brown University | Board of Directors | Current |
| Concentric Medical, Inc. | Board Observer | Current |
| Aavin | member of advisory board | Current |
| Acumen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. | Board Observer | Current |
| NeuroVentures Capital, LLC | Founding Member | Former |
| Vestar Capital Partners | Founder | Current |
| University of Virginia | M.B.A | Former |
| The George Washington University | Llb | Former |
| Brown University | A.B. | Former |
Daniel S. O Connell is a director of the Company, having served in that capacity since February 2004. Mr. O Connell is the Chief Executive Officer and founder of Vestar Capital Partners. Prior to founding Vestar Capital Partners in 1998, Mr. O Connell was a Managing Director and Co-Head of the Management Buyout Group at The First Boston Corporation. Mr. O Connell is currently a director of Birds Eye Foods, Inc., Sun Products Corporation, Sunrise Medical, Inc., St. John Knits International, Inc., National Mentor and Radiation Therapy Services, Inc. Brian P. O Connor is a Director of the Company, having served in that capacity since April 2008. In August 2000, Mr. O Connor joined Vestar and most recently has served as a Principal since January 2009. Prior to that time he served in other capacities including as Vice President from December 2006 to December 2008. Prior to joining Vestar, Mr. O Connor was a member of the Merchant Banking group at Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette from August 1998 to June 2000. Pursuant to the Stockholders Agreement between the Company, SCIC, Vestar, SCC Holding and certain other parties, Messrs. Mundt, Harrison, Long, Macadam, O Connell and O Connor serve on the Company s board of directors as designees of Vestar; and Messrs. Korzenski, Robert L. Hulseman, James R. Hulseman, James D. Hulseman and Ms. Sheila M. Hulseman serve on the Company s board of directors as designees of SCC Holding, and Mr. Mundt serves as Chairman of the board of the Company as Vestar s designee to that position. There are no other arrangements or understandings between any member of the board of directors or executive officer and any other person pursuant to which that person was elected or appointed to his or her position.
| Organization | Position | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Vestar Capital Partners | Chief Executive Officer | Current |
| Vestar Capital Partners | Founder | Current |
| St. John Knits International, Inc. | Director | Current |
| Argo-Tech Corporation | Board of Directors | Current |
| National Mentor Holdings Inc. | Director | Current |
| Solo Cup Company | Board of Directors | Current |
| Radiation Therapy Services, Inc. | Director | Current |
| Birds Eye Foods, Inc. | Director | Current |
| Organization | Position | Status |
|---|---|---|
| TreeHouse Foods, Inc. | President | Current |
| TreeHouse Foods, Inc. | Chief Operating Officer | Current |
| Aeropostale, Inc. | Board of Directors | Current |
| Birds Eye Foods, Inc. | Board of Directors | Current |
| The Cookie Company | CEO | Former |
| Kellogg Company | President and CEO | Former |
| The Cookie Company | Vice President of Marketing and Development | Former |
| TreeHouse Foods, Inc. | Principal | Former |
| The Tree House, Inc. | Principal | Former |
| Keebler Company | Former | |
| Aeropostale, Inc. | Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee Chairman | Former |
| The Cookie Company | Chairman | Former |
| New York University | M.B.A. | Former |
| Georgetown University | B.A. | Former |
| Organization | Position | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Birds Eye Foods, Inc. | Board of Directors | Current |
| Organization | Position | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Arctic Cat Inc. | Executive Chairman, Michael Foods Inc. Minneapolis, Mn | Current |
| Michael Foods, Inc. | Chairman | Current |
| Arctic Cat Inc. | Board of Directors | Current |
| Carlisle Companies Incorporated | Board of Directors | Current |
| Birds Eye Foods, Inc. | Board of Directors | Current |
| Michael Foods, Inc. | Chief Executive Officer | Former |
| Michael Foods, Inc. | President | Former |
| Michael Foods, Inc. | Coo | Former |
| Organization | Position | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Vestar Capital Partners | Managing Director and President of Vestar Resources | Former |
| Huish Detergents Inc. | Director | Current |
| Vestar Capital Partners | Manager | Former |
| Birds Eye Foods, Inc. | Board of Directors | Current |
| Telephone & Data Systems, Inc. | Board of Directors | Current |
| Oliver, Wyman & Company | Managing Director | Former |
| Vestar Capital Partners | partner | Former |
| Bain & Company | Consultant | Former |
| Vestar Capital Partners | Team Member | Former |
| Harvard Business School | MBA | Former |
| Brown University | BA | Former |
Mr. Rose has served on the Company's board of directors since 1992. He is a private investor. Mr. Rose served as Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer of Bumble Bee Seafoods, Inc. from June 1985 to August 1988. He served as Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer of Van Camp Seafood, Inc., from March 1992 to August 1997. Since 2003, he has served on the board of directors of Birds Eye Foods, Inc. and as United States Commissioner to the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission.
| Organization | Position | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Birds Eye Foods, Inc. | Board of Directors | Current |
| IHOP Corp. | Board of Directors | Current |
| Bumble Bee Seafoods, LLC | Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer | Former |
| Organization | Position | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Colorado Coalition for The Homeless | Treasurer, Vice President, Vestar Capital Partners | Current |
| Platte River Ventures | Managing Director | Current |
| Duff and Phelps, LLC | Board of Directors | Current |
| Solo Cup Company | Board of Directors | Current |
| Birds Eye Foods, Inc. | Board of Directors | Current |
| Hetsco, Inc. | Board of Directors | Current |
| Colorado Coalition for The Homeless | Board of Directors | Current |
| Consolidated Container Company LLC | Board of Directors | Current |
| Vestar Capital Partners | Vice President | Former |
| Vestar Capital Partners | Principal, Consumer | Former |
| Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc. | Former | |
| Mergers and Acquisitions | Board of Directors | Former |
| Yale University | B.A. | Former |
| Mergers and Acquisitions | Member | Former |
| Organization | Position | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Birds Eye Foods, Inc. | Board of Directors | Current |
| Organization | Position | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Consolidated Container Company LLC | Board of Directors | Current |
| Birds Eye Foods, Inc. | Board of Directors | Current |
| Consolidated Container Company LLC | Manager | Former |
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