Ocean Spray Cranberries has appointed industry veteran Brad Hartzell as chief supply chain officer, bringing 25 years of experience to the agricultural cooperative as it continues to reorganize its leadership team, according to a Sept. 21 press release.
Hartzell will be responsible for overseeing Ocean Spray’s supply chain and operations capabilities. The Lakeville, Massachusetts-based cooperative is best known for its cranberry juices and sauces, as well as its Craisins dried fruit brand.
He succeeds Earl Larson, who is set to retire at the end of September after nearly 22 years with Ocean Spray.
Hartzell joins the company after spending the past two years as chief operating officer for beauty and body solutions at personal care manufacturer Kdc/One. Before that, he served as chief operating officer at food ingredient manufacturer NovaTaste from 2020 to 2024, according to his LinkedIn profile.
Much of Hartzell’s career was spent at International Flavors & Fragrances, where he worked across multiple functions over 19 years. His time with the company ultimately culminated in his role as vice president of global savory solutions operations.
Ocean Spray has also appointed Kevin Zidron as chief strategy and transformation officer as part of the leadership changes.
Zidron brings experience from Nestlé Health Science, Vital Proteins and Kraft Heinz. In his new position, he will oversee enterprise strategy, transformation, value capture, project management, commercial strategy and insights.
The two appointments come only months after Ocean Spray named former Nestlé Health Science chief executive Abigail Buckwalter as its president and CEO.
“We have an opportunity to build on what makes Ocean Spray unique while creating the capabilities needed for our next chapter,” Buckwalter said in a statement. “Kevin and Brad bring the leadership and expertise to help us move faster, sharpen execution and deliver on our priorities.”
