FiveStar Gourmet Foods, home of Simply Fresh, announced July 24 the appointment of Johnny Hughes as president of SF-360, the company’s omnichannel platform focused on delivering fresh food solutions across retail, foodservice, sports and entertainment, transportation, hospitality and quick-service restaurant channels. In addition to his executive role, Hughes will also serve on the FiveStar board of directors to help shape the company’s long-term strategic vision.
Hughes brings 30 years of experience from his executive tenure at Tyson Foods, where he held leadership roles across various divisions, FiveStar says. He successfully led Tyson’s government business and managed the company’s global partnership with McDonald’s, one of the world’s largest and most complex foodservice accounts. Hughes was later promoted to oversee Tyson’s entire Foodservice division, leading national strategy, innovation and growth across commercial, non-commercial and institutional sectors.
“Johnny’s experience at Tyson, building and leading some of the most strategically important business units, makes him especially suited to advance our vision for SF-360,” says Tal Shoshan, CEO of FiveStar Gourmet Foods. “His talent for expanding high-impact food platforms across multiple channels aligns with our goal to position and reinforce Simply Fresh as the most trusted and accessible fresh food brand in America.”
Hughes’ addition coincides with the recent opening of FiveStar’s new facility in Southern California. The location is a new hub for innovation, production and nationwide distribution of SF-360’s fresh food solutions.
As president of SF-360, Hughes will be responsible for all aspects of the company’s rapidly growing vertical, including branded fresh kiosks, smart vending, foodservice distribution, institutional partnerships and Simply Fresh Kitchen — a new concept for health-focused quick-service restaurants. He will also oversee licensing and partnership initiatives to ensure cohesive execution across FiveStar’s nationwide footprint.
“FiveStar and Simply Fresh have earned their reputation by putting quality and convenience first,” Hughes says. “What’s next is reimagining how and where people access fresh food, whether through technology, partnerships or entirely new formats. SF-360 is uniquely positioned to lead that shift, and I’m here to help accelerate what’s working and push what’s possible.”
