Chicago / IL. (cag) ConAgra Brands Inc., one of North America’s leading branded food companies, announced Barry Calpino has joined the company as vice president of innovation. Calpino will report to chief growth officer, Darren Serrao. «Barry is an experienced and accomplished leader with a track record of innovation and new product success at several of the most respected Consumer Packaged Goods companies», said Darren Serrao, chief growth officer, Conagra Brands. «He’s made a name for himself delivering on big bets and breakthrough ideas and as Conagra Brands continues to build its innovation pipeline and cultivate more of an entrepreneurial culture, his expertise and leadership will be a tremendous asset to the team».
As vice president of innovation, Calpino will focus on driving rapid innovation and growth across Conagra’s portfolio of brands. An integral part of the company’s Growth Center of Excellence, he will be responsible for the direction and success of cross-functional teams made up of Consumer Insights, Marketing, Research + Development, Packaging, and Design.
Barry Calpino said, «I am pleased to be joining Conagra Brands at such a transformative time for the company. I’ve been impressed with the recent innovations I’ve seen from Conagra and I’m excited for the opportunity to make meaningful contributions to the company’s growth strategy».
Barry Calpino was most recently vice president, global platform innovation at Mondelez where he drove breakthrough initiatives including creation, development and launch of the new Véa brand. Previously he was vice president of breakthrough innovation at Kraft Foods Group where under his leadership, Kraft doubled its innovation rate in three years. Calpino is also an Adjunct Professor of Marketing teaching innovation at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. Calpino earned his bachelor’s degree in Marketing from Marquette University and holds an MBA from Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management.
