CHICAGO — The Edlong Corporation announced that Michael Natale has been appointed company president.
Michael brings more than 23 years of Food & Beverage Industry experience to his role at Edlong. Most recently, Michael served as VP Global Flavor, Multinational Accounts and Customer Experience for Ingredion, where he held several key roles including General Manager and Global Leader of Plant based Protein and Senior Director, Commercial and Growth Platforms in Guadalajara, Mexico.
Prior to Ingredion, Michael served in leadership roles for Bell Flavor and Fragrance, including VP/Managing Director of Latin America and General Manager of Mexico, where he established and rapidly grew Bell’s business in the region.
“Michael is the right person at this stage of Edlong’s growth to take us to the next level — he has a proven track record as a builder and an incredible growth mindset,” said Laurette Rondenet, Edlong’s Owner and CEO. “Michael’s balance of passion, perspective, and expertise in F&B will enable him to step easily into our growing company and accelerate our trajectory while honoring our values and culture.”
“Edlong has a unique position and expertise in the industry, with a lot of opportunity for growth,” stated Michael, “I have met and worked with members of the Edlong team through partnerships and industry associations, and am very impressed with their thought leadership, technical capabilities, and commitment to excellence. I couldn’t be more excited to join the Edlong family,”
As an engaged executive in the Food & Beverage Industry, Michael supports numerous global and regional organizations. He previously served on the Board of Directors for The Every Company, a non-animal protein precision fermentation company and as Member of the Food Chamber for the State of Jalisco in Mexico. He is active in various trade associations including ANFPA, IFRA, RFIM, and IFT.
Michael is an alumnus of DePaul University where he received an MBA with concentration in Entrepreneurship from the Kellstadt Graduate School, as well as a Liberal Arts and Sciences degree with concentration in Communication Media.
A Chicagoland native, Michael lives with his wife and four children in the suburbs of Chicago.