The Fresh Market Taps David Cummings as Director of Bakery

Specialty grocer The Fresh Market Inc., has appointed David Cummings as director of bakery. Cummings serves as a key leader of the bakery merchandising department, providing strategic direction on growth plans of offering best-in-class baked goods as well artisan and seasonal desserts, the Greensboro, N.C.-based company said.

“David is a true bakery expert and has a long, dedicated focus in the bakery world,” said Diane Cleven, director of deli, CMS and bakery. “While this may not be on his resume, he literally started ‘making the doughnuts’ at his parents’ Dunkin Donuts shop when he was just 13. He has gravitated to specialty bakery as his career progressed, and we could not be more thrilled to have him join our team at The Fresh Market.”

Cummings brings 46 years of bakery experience, most recently as director of bakery retail at Balducci’s and Kings, and as VP of bakery for Fairway Market. Over his career, Cummings has also worked for ShopRite, A&P and in sales positions for Pillsbury, General Mills and Hazelwood Farms. He attended Western New England University, and also completed the Science of Baking course at the American Institute of Baking.

In his new role, Cummings will focus on expanding specialty offerings and building on the bakery departments’ strengths, as well as working closely with the operations team to offer products that are specifically curated for The Fresh Market.

When asked what attracted Cummings to The Fresh Market, he said, “Without hesitation, it is the team, the product offering as well as the quality and freshness of the product offerings.”