KIND Chooses Mars Petcare Exec for CEO Position

KIND Snacks (KIND) has named Daniel Calderoni as chief executive officer of KIND North America. Most recently, Calderoni was the general manager of Mars Petcare Canada.

Calderoni has more than 20 years of global experience leading consumer brands, including about 10 with Mars, and will report to Blas Maquivar, global president of Health and Wellness, Mars Snacking.

"We’re extremely pleased to welcome Daniel to KIND and the Mars Health & Wellness Leadership Team,” said Maquivar. “Daniel is highly regarded as a purpose and people-first leader, and we are excited that he brings a tremendous track record of growth to the KIND business.”

Calderoni will lead KIND North America’s efforts to continue advancing the brand’s mission of crafting snacks that taste good, feel good, and do good and building on the long-standing legacy of creating a kinder and healthier world.

“I believe an organization’s purpose should be its true differentiator,” said Calderoni. “That’s why I’m thrilled to join the leadership team at KIND Snacks, a brand whose products bring all KINDs of good to the world. KIND sparked the growth of an entirely new healthy snacking category back in 2004, and I’m eager to take part in leading the brand into its next chapter as we shape the future of snacking."

Most recently, Calderoni served as the general manager for Mars Pet Nutrition in Canada, since November 2022. Calderoni was responsible for overseeing the Canadian market for Pet Nutrition, managing a portfolio of brands such as PEDIGREE, and IAMS, while leading a passionate team of associates and serving over 9 million pet-owning households across Canada.

Prior to joining Mars Pet Nutrition in Canada, Calderoni was vice president of Emerging Markets for Pet Nutrition in support of their global growth strategy. He has also served as general manager of Pet Nutrition in the Southern Cone, which included Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Uruguay and Paraguay.

Prior to Mars, Calderoni held various roles in marketing at Unilever across Brazil, South Africa, and China.