A Conversation With Jack Warden
In January 2011, Jack Warden was named president and CEO of American Blanching Co. (ABC), a Fitzgerald, Ga.-headquartered manufacturer of peanut butter for retailers' store brand programs and industrial purposes. He joined the company after working more than 30 years in the snack foods industry, serving in several roles at Tom's Snacks Co., which became a subsidiary of Charlotte, N.C.-based Snyder's-Lance Inc. in 2005. Prior to joining ABC, Warden was the general manager of the Snyder's-Lance facility in Columbus, Ga.
Private Label ⇒ Store Brands asked Warden to discuss how things have been going since he started with ABC, and what areas of opportunity he sees in the store brand industry.
Private Label ⇒ Store Brands: What brought you to ABC after 32 years at Tom's/Snyder's-Lance?
Jack Warden: Tom's [Snacks], where I started out as an engineer over 30 years ago, was a great company because of great employees. It is great to see the Columbus location, where I worked, flourish as part of the Snyder's-Lance family, and I never envisioned leaving, but the ABC opportunity kept coming around. Finally, I agreed to speak with [ABC's] board chairman, Jay Shuster, and we immediately hit it off.
Ironically, I had visited ABC about five years earlier to look at the bulk peanut butter operation and knew that it was very much like Tom's/Lance, where employees enjoyed working together and took pride in their job. After several conversations, the move just felt right. It was one of the toughest decisions I ever made, but it was absolutely the right one.
PLSB: What has been your biggest challenge at your current job?
Warden: We have seen significant growth in our business over the last couple of years, which naturally puts stress on everything. We have to be mindful of that and add resources where needed. Being a great partner to do business with is one of our core goals, so it is imperative that we don't lose focus as we continue to grow.
PLSB: What are the most exciting store brand categories right now, and what makes them so exciting?
Warden: Of course I am partial, but I would have to say … peanut butter. There are some really good private label products that are truly national brand equivalents. I heard someone recently say that peanut butter was a dull category. I challenged them to visit the peanut butter aisle. The addition of all-natural [products] and decadent flavors, omega-3 enrichments and various inclusions has really expanded the category.
PLSB: What is your fondest memory at ABC so far?
Warden: There have been several. I especially enjoy getting notes from employees about how much they appreciate working at ABC. I am a huge golf fan, so the letter from Jack Nicklaus saying how much he enjoyed the peanut butter I sent him is a treasure.
PLSB: How would you sum up your work philosophy?
Warden: Have fun while working hard. Be a coach — it is great to see your team succeed.
PLSB: Who is your greatest hero, and what makes him or her such an inspiration?
Warden: My dad, who was a high school coach in a small town in Tennessee for over 20 years, was an inspiration to his players. Over his career, he did not have a winning record, but the community/players thought enough of him as a person that they named the stadium after him. When I visit [the stadium], it is not uncommon for me to have former players tell me not about their win/loss record, but rather how [my father] helped shaped their character. That is certainly an inspiration.