Krasdale Foods promotes Cynthia Ramos to chief sales officer

Grocery wholesaler Krasdale Foods has elevated Cynthia Ramos to chief sales officer and Howie Kent to director of category management and sales analytics.

White Plains, N.Y.-based Krasdale said Wednesday that Ramos and Kent bring extensive experience to their new roles, including 20 years of experience in the CPG sector. From its distribution center in the Bronx, the company supplies more than 300 independent supermarkets in the Northeast and Florida, primarily in metro New York, under such store banners as C-Town, Bravo, Aim and Market Fresh supermarkets and mini-groceries Shop Smart Food Markets and Stop 1 Food Mart.

Ramos (left) joined Krasdale in December 2016 as director of sales and later was promoted to vice president of sales. Her more than two decades in the food and grocery industry includes leading teams as large as 150 employees and a diverse skill set that includes brand management, direct owner operations and technology integration, the company noted. Before Krasdale, she served as East Coast sales director at Borden Dairy Co.

“I’m grateful to work at a family-owned company that provides significant growth opportunities,” Ramos said in a statement. “I look forward to many more years of success working for Krasdale and building this department.”

Related:Krasdale Foods taps Gus Lebiak as president and COO

Kent (left) came to Krasdale in January 2015 as a data analyst in the company’s Alpha 1 Marketing arm and was promoted to sales manager of voluntaries at Alpha 1 in 2018. In his new role, he will focus on sales reporting, including category management analysis, insight, sales analysis and in-store execution. He joined the distributor after more than 11 years at Advantage Sales & Marketing, most recently as business development manager.

“As a company, Krasdale is unique because it provides exposure to key decision-makers and management across departments,” Kent commented. “I love working for a company that is so dedicated to its employees and to ensuring their ongoing growth and development.”

The appointments of Ramos and Kent mark Krasdale’s latest promotions in the past two months. In November, the company announced the promotion of Gus Lebiak, senior vice president and chief operating officer of Alpha 1 Marketing, to president and COO of Krasdale Foods, succeeding Steve Silver, who is retiring.

“We are fortunate to work with some of the best professionals in the business,” Lebiak stated. “Cynthia and Howie are exemplary employees who routinely go above and beyond to serve the company and our customers. We look forward to watching them continue to grow and develop in their new positions.”

Related:Q&A: Krasdale Foods’ Steve Silver says COVID-19 supply hurdles remain

Other Krasdale affiliates include Consolidated Supermarket Supply (third-party grocery distribution), KoolTemp Foods (frozen and refrigerated food distribution) and Waverly (financial services).