Tim Smith has joined Swiss Valley Farms as the National Sales Manager for the Natural Cheese division of the company. In his new position, he will be responsible for leading the growth of Swiss Valley Farms branded lines with a strong emphasis on strategic growth of all natural cheese lines.
Tim brings to the team over 20 years of industry experience, including a background in the areas of sales, marketing, product development, merchandising, category management and training. Tim comes to Swiss Valley Farms from DPI Specialty Foods, The Kroger Company's largest distributor of specialty grocery and perishables. As the National Director of Perishables, Tim was responsible for the creation of national sales and marketing strategies for all Kroger divisions.
Prior to that role, Tim held the position of Deli Category Manager at The Kroger Company, where he was instrumental in the development of numerous private label brands and the launch of new store merchandising plans. During his tenure, he created a comprehensive cheese category system for a more complete category management program. Tim's career history also includes positions at Anco Fine Cheese, Bongrain Cheese and Whole Foods Market.
Tim is an active supporter of the artisanal cheese industry. He just completed a six-year term on the Board of Directors for the American Cheese Society, and in 2005, he published a book entitled Making Artisan Cheeses: Fifty Fine Cheeses That You Can Make In Your Own Kitchen. Tim is a graduate of Skidmore College and also holds a Master of Arts in Teaching from Tufts University.
As the National Sales Manager for the Natural Cheese division, Tim will report to Jeff Jirik, VP/GM Natural Cheese.
Source: Swiss Valley Farms