LIVEKINDLY Collective [LKC], a collection of plant-based food brands and factories selling innovative products around the globe, appoints Bart Wolfert to the role of Head of Operations.
Bart brings decades of experience in operations acquired in both multisite plant operations and large-scale single sites and leading global manufacturing from Europe to Africa. He joins LKC from his recent role at Danone Nutricia in the Netherlands, where he had full site responsibility for one of the largest and most complex sites in the business. Before returning to the Netherlands, Bart was based in Ghana where he was leading all factory operations for Danone in West Africa. Prior to his time at Danone, Bart held various roles at Friesland Campina.
He joins the Collective’s leadership team under David Suarez, CEO. “We are pleased to welcome Bart, a seasoned operations leader, to our global Collective. With the private label offering growing in volume across markets and our in-house capabilities now fully developed, Bart joins at a perfect time to lead the business to even better serve our B2B customers worldwide into its next phase of global growth.”
At LKC Bart will be responsible for leading the company’s operations, looking to gain efficiencies from three strategically places manufacturing sites (Oss, the Netherlands, Stora Levene, Sweden and Pine town, South Africa) which are serving LKC’s brands as well as B2B customers. LKC’s plant-based products are currently sold at restaurants and stores across 40+ markets.
“I am genuinely excited to join LIVEKINDLY Collective and contribute to its mission of promoting plant-based food brands. Being part of LKC aligns perfectly with my passion for sustainability and innovation in the food industry. I am eager to make a positive impact by supporting the growth of this global collective and delivering operational efficiency improvements. Together, we can inspire more people to embrace a healthier, more compassionate lifestyle,” says Bart.
Bart’s hire follows in the footsteps of the recent additions to LKC’s leadership team, with David Gwilliam and Tim Dillon having joined in November as CFO and General Manager International Sales, respectively.