USA – Darigold’s Chief Executive Officer, Joe Coote, has announced his resignation, marking the end of his two-year leadership at the dairy cooperative.
Coote, who took the helm in January 2022, played a pivotal role in guiding Darigold through a significant corporate transformation and expansion.
This comes as the company, based in Seattle, is currently undergoing a 10-year transformation plan aimed at expanding production and establishing itself as a global ingredients provider.
Coote expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to serve as CEO, stating, that serving as CEO of Darigold the last two years was a great privilege.
However, he revealed that after being away from his home country, Australia, for many years, he and his family are eager to return and embark on new adventures back home.
In response to Coote’s departure, Darigold’s Board Chairman, Allan Huttema, has been appointed as the interim Chief Executive, effective immediately.
Huttema, who has been on Darigold’s board of directors for nine years and served as chairman for the last three, brings a wealth of experience to the role.
Notably, Huttema is an active dairyman in Idaho, providing him with a unique and well-rounded understanding of Darigold’s complex operations.
Huttema will be stepping into big shoes, as the Seattle-based dairy producer is currently in the midst of a significant expansion.
“I take over as Interim CEO with the benefit of having an extremely capable leadership team in place,” Huttema stated.
“I have full confidence that the team and the structure we have in place will help ensure that we continue serving our customers in the way they have come to expect from us.”
In addition, Darigold, keen on fortifying its leadership team, recently welcomed three new sales executives with experience at prominent companies such as Hormel, Fonterra, and Organic Valley.
The move reflects the company’s commitment to maintaining its competitive edge in the dairy and consumer packaged goods sectors.
As Darigold navigates this leadership transition, industry insiders will be closely watching how Huttema leads the cooperative through its ambitious expansion plans and continues to uphold the standards set by his predecessor, Joe Coote.
Meanwhile, Darigold is in the process of constructing a $600 million ingredients facility, investing in distribution capacity near ports to enhance its international market presence, and establishing a new office in Boise, Idaho, to strengthen ties with member farms and processing plants.
