Kalera Appoints James Leighton as President and Chief Executive Officer

Rhea-AI Summary

Kalera AS has appointed James Leighton as its new President and CEO. Leighton, an experienced executive with over 20 years in the consumer packaged goods and food industries, aims to drive the company's strategic growth. Previously, he led Ingham's Enterprise, Australia’s largest poultry producer, generating $1.9 billion in sales. The appointment comes as Kalera prepares for a merger with Agrico Acquisition Corp. Leighton expressed enthusiasm for creating a leading company in locally-grown produce and leveraging the team’s strengths for future success.

Positive

• Appointment of James Leighton as President and CEO brings experienced leadership.
• Leighton's background in CPG and food industries may enhance operational efficiency.
• Focus on strategic growth aligns with the company's ambitions.

Negative

• Transition to new leadership may create uncertainty during the merger process.

ORLANDO, Fla., May 12, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kalera AS (Euronext Growth Oslo: KAL, Bloomberg: KSLLF), one of the preeminent leafy green vertical farming companies and a leader in plant science for producing high-quality produce in controlled environments, announced today that it has named James Leighton as President and Chief Executive Officer. Leighton is an accomplished executive with a strong reputation within the consumer-packaged goods and food industries.

“Jim is a true Level 5 leader with a deep and varied background in leading companies in the food and CPG sectors. His focus on people and his disciplined approach to operations and execution will serve Kalera and its shareholders well in the years to come,” said Curtis McWilliams, the current Interim CEO and the incoming Chairman of Kalera’s Board of Directors following its announced merger with Agrico Acquisition Corp.

As a veteran executive with well over 20 years of leadership roles in CPG and food industries, Leighton will provide Kalera with strong leadership as the Company continues to pursue its strategic growth vision. Leighton most recently served as Chief Executive Officer for Ingham’s Enterprise. Founded in 1918 and listed on the Australian Stock Exchange, Ingham’s is the largest poultry producer in Australia with sales of $1.9 billion. Previously, Leighton served as President and Founder for 40North Foods, a subsidiary of JBS S.A. established to create protein-centric brands. He served as Chief Operating Officer, Interim CEO and Director at Boulder Brands, Inc. where he played a key role scaling the business and ultimately selling it to Pinnacle Foods. In addition, Leighton spent seven years at Perdue Farms, including serving as President of the company’s global Food Group. Leighton holds an MBA from the Keller Graduate School of Management, and a BA in Business Administration and Industrial Relations from the University of Iowa.

Jim Leighton noted, “I could not be more excited to join Kalera at this momentous time. It is an incredible opportunity to work with a highly-capable team to create the world’s leading company in clean, fresh, locally-grown produce with the support of the board and the company’s various stakeholders. I have quickly gained an appreciation for the Kalera team’s efforts to position the company for a great future, and I look forward to working with the management team to further leverage all of our complimentary capabilities.”

About Kalera:
Kalera is a vertical farming company headquartered in Orlando, Florida. Kalera uses proprietary technology and plant and seed science to sustainably grow year-round, local, non-GMO leafy greens that are nutrient-rich and free of harmful chemicals or pesticides. It has spent several years optimizing plant nutrient formulas and developing an advanced automation and data acquisition system with Internet of Things, cloud, big data analytics and artificial intelligence capabilities. Kalera currently operates farms in the US (Orlando, Atlanta, Houston and Denver) as well as in Munich and Kuwait. Additional farms are in development. More information is available at www.kalera.com.

Media Contact:
Kathleen Komarzec
kkomarzec@lambert.com
(616) 916-4092

Investor Relations Contact:
Eric Birge
ir@kalera.com
313-309-9500

FAQ

Who is the new CEO of Kalera and what is his background?

James Leighton is the new CEO of Kalera, with over 20 years of experience in the consumer-packaged goods and food industries, including previous roles as CEO of Ingham's Enterprise.

What impact will James Leighton's appointment have on Kalera?

Leighton's leadership is expected to drive operational improvements and align with Kalera's strategic growth vision, especially during the upcoming merger with Agrico Acquisition Corp.

When was the announcement of James Leighton's appointment made?

The announcement of James Leighton's appointment as CEO was made on May 12, 2022.

What are Kalera's primary business operations?

Kalera specializes in vertical farming, producing high-quality, non-GMO leafy greens in controlled environments across multiple locations, including the US and Europe.