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Ajinomoto Foods North America (AFNA), a specialist in culturally inspired frozen foods, has announced the appointment of Dave Gardner as President and Chief Executive Officer, effective 1 April 2026. Gardner succeeds Hiroshi Kaho, who has been promoted to a global leadership role at the Tokyo-based parent company, Ajinomoto Co., Inc., following a multi-year period of capability building and cultural transformation in the North American division.

The move marks a strategic decision to place supply chain and operational excellence at the centre of the brand’s expansion strategy as it navigates an increasingly competitive frozen food landscape.

Gardner assumes the top executive role after serving as AFNA’s Chief Supply Chain Officer since 2022. During his tenure, he managed end-to-end operations across the company’s eight U.S. production facilities, notably leading a cost transformation initiative that delivered 35 million dollars in first-year savings.

His professional background includes senior leadership roles at Amy’s Kitchen and Ingredion Incorporated, establishing a track record for translating complex industrial strategies into measurable operational results. By elevating a supply chain veteran to CEO, AFNA is signalling a focus on "asset optimisation" and supply chain resilience as foundational elements for its next growth phase.

Capturing Growth in the $90 Billion Frozen Food Market

Gardner inherits a portfolio positioned in some of the most dynamic subcategories of the 90 billion dollar U.S. frozen food market. According to Circana and Grand View Research, the "multicultural" and "frozen snack" segments are currently outperforming the broader category, with compound annual growth rates ranging from 7 per cent to over 10 per cent.

AFNA’s brand stable, including Ling Ling and Tai Pei, is uniquely positioned to capitalise on the expanding consumer demand for authentic global flavours. Gardner’s mandate involves shifting the brand perception from a traditional frozen food manufacturer to a recognised "well-being" brand, aligning with the parent company's global focus on amino acid science and nutritional balance.

Priorities for the Next Phase of AFNA Expansion

Gardner has identified three primary strategic pillars for his early tenure:

• Operational Excellence: Establishing high-efficiency manufacturing as a company-wide discipline to support margin protection.

• Brand Building and Innovation: Accelerating the R&D pipeline to expand AFNA’s footprint on retail shelves and within the high-velocity foodservice channel.

• Talent Development: Developing a "deep bench" of cross-functional leaders aligned with the company’s purpose-driven framework.

Hiroshi Kaho, Gardner’s predecessor, noted that the organisation has built a strong foundation with a clear sense of purpose. He emphasised that Gardner’s experience in integrating businesses at scale makes him uniquely suited to lead AFNA as it seeks to meet evolving consumer expectations for convenience and quality.