Solina, a global company that provides custom ingredient solutions to the food industry, recently appointed Michael Marks as regional CEO of Solina USA, reinforcing the company’s commitment to the US market and its ambition to expand its presence across foodservice, retail and quick-service restaurant channels.

Marks will lead Solina’s US operations, the company’s largest and fastest-growing region, with a focus on deepening customer partnerships, fostering innovation and supporting sustainable, long-term growth. 

“I’m honored to lead Solina USA and to build on the strong foundation our teams have created,” said Marks. “Our focus is on accelerating growth, strengthening strategic partnerships and driving innovation that delivers real value for our customers and the broader market. By combining strong execution with an entrepreneurial spirit, we will continue to expand Solina’s presence and impact across the US.” 

Marks joined Solina in 2022 through its acquisition of Saratoga Food Specialties, where he was named president of Solina USA. Since then, he has played a central role in integrating Saratoga and subsequent US acquisitions into the Solina organization, advancing the company’s strategy to pair Solina’s global culinary know-how with a deep understanding of US regional tastes and markets. Under his leadership, Solina USA has continued to grow, most recently adding Sokol Custom Food Ingredients to broaden its flavor capabilities into sweet sauces.

“Michael is a thoughtful leader who brings people together to support our customers and deliver results,” said Anthony Francheterre, CEO of Solina. “As part of Solina’s global executive team, Michael’s experience and vision will be key as we continue to strengthen our customer partnerships and expand our business both in the US and globally.”

Before joining Solina, Marks spent 15 years at Saratoga Food Specialties, ultimately serving as president. Earlier in his career, he held leadership roles at Unilever and Case Swayne/Unilever Bestfoods.

Solina USA now operates five sites — in California, Nevada, New Jersey and two sites in Illinois — with a workforce of more than 1,000 employees. The acquisition of Sokol marks Solina’s fourth US acquisition, following Asenzya in 2021, Saratoga Food Specialties in 2022 and Advanced Food Systems in 2024.

Source: Solina