For more than 20 years, Annie’s has been nourishing families with simple, down-to-earth foods that taste great and are easy to love. Annie’s is driven by a team of folks who are passionate about food, people, and the planet we all share. That’s why we’ve sought out the best ingredients Mother Earth has to offer, harvesting pure, natural flavors to make delicious foods every family can feel good about.
Honest-to-goodness goodness is cooked up here.
Our Roots
"My three roles as mom, organic grower, and “Annie” are very much intertwined. At Annie’s, we make our products with real ingredients, all found in nature—no artificial anything—and are honored that our loyal friends and customers continue to invite us to share in their family meal time.” –Annie Withey
Annie Withey co-founded Annie’s Homegrown, Inc. with Andrew Martin in 1989 with the goal of giving families healthy and delicious macaroni and cheese and to show by example that a successful business can also be socially responsible. Initially, the company sold natural macaroni and cheese dinners to regional supermarkets and independent natural retailers in New England. More than 20 years after the company’s founding, our original values still guide our business. Annie Withey remains involved in the business, writing the personal letters printed on the back of our boxes and responding to letters from our consumers. The company remains a mission-driven business grounded in using natural and organic ingredients to make great-tasting products that consumers love.
Today, Annie lives on her certified organic farm in Connecticut with her husband and two daughters, where she grows a wide variety of vegetables and flowers for her local co-op and farmer’s market. She remains the inspiration and corporate conscience for the Annie’s family of products.
Annie's Farm
Our People
Annie's is driven by folks who are passionate about three things: food, people, and the planet we all share. Learn more about some of the Annie's team!
John Foraker is the guy who is responsible for leading our growth, and making sure that Annie’s stays true to its values. He is one of Annie’s biggest fans and has been involved with this little company since 1998, a long time in rabbit years. John and his wife have four children, so Bernie runs rampant in their household. Two of his favorite things about the job include working with a group of passionate, talented Annie’s employees every day, as well as hearing directly from Annie’s fans. Follow him on Twitter and make sure to write him -- he will actually write you back! His current favorite products are the certified organic deluxe mac and cheese, and of course the organic fruit snacks.
Kelly Kennedy is our CFO and oversees the financial affairs of Annie’s. An East Coast native, she now lives in Marin with her husband and three-year old twin boys. On weekends you can find her exploring California with her family. Their favorite spot? The beaches of Pt. Reyes! While “squishy bunnies” are the Annie’s snack of choice among her twins, Kelly loves to snack on Annie’s Organic Pretzel Bunnies.
Diane Edwards leads the Finance and Accounting function at Annie’s – pretty important stuff! Although born in the Detroit area, Diane considers herself a Southerner at heart after moving to Georgia as a teenager with her family. Diane, her husband, and their little dog relocated from Atlanta to the East Bay in 2010, and now they never want to leave. In her free time, Diane loves trying new restaurants, entertaining, and traveling with family and friends. Diane won’t share her recipes, but her “secret” ingredient to several favorite dishes is Annie’s Natural Lemon & Chive dressing. Shh! Don’t tell!
Amanda Martinez is our Executive Vice President, Operations and Administration - leading Annie’s Human Resources, Sustainability and Supply Chain teams. A new member of the Annie's leadership team, Amanda is enjoying supporting a brand that she always had on her grocery list! She lives in the East Bay with her husband, daughter and son. A native of Oregon, on weekends you can find her enjoying the sunny weather while running along one of her favorite outdoor routes. While the Annie's Natural Goddess dressing is Amanda's favorite product, her kids unanimously call the Annie's Deluxe Shells & Cheddar #1.
Mark Mortimer makes sure your favorite Annie’s foods are on the shelf at your local store by developing relationships with retail partners nationwide. A native Californian, you will find him enjoying all the amenities of the West Coast, from swimming at the beach to snow skiing to cheering on the Oakland A’s with his family. Mark’s favorite Annie’s pasta is Penne Alfredo.
Remember the slogan behind the Energizer Bunny ad campaign? That’s Sarah Bird. Fueled by pure passion for organic and natural foods, this woman just ‘keeps on going’. Whether it’s developing a new product, revamping packaging or baking up a batch of cupcakes for her children’s classmates, Sarah is all smiles. And with a small brood of organic chickens at home, Sarah aspires to be an organic farmer in her “next life”! Sarah loves our classic Annie’s Shells & White Cheddar.
Bob Kaake is our resident “mad scientist,” helping Annie create new products and flavors. As the leader of the product development team, Bob (as you see from his baby photo) isn’t afraid to get down and dirty in the kitchen, helping the Annie’s team to create more delicious meals. If you have an idea for a new great-tasting treat, Bob would love to hear from you – just email his pal Bernie. Bob’s favorite comfort food is Annie's Deluxe Shells & Cheddar.
Isobel Jones is our lawyer and is responsible for overseeing and managing the legal affairs of our company. A native of the Bay Area, Isobel lived for eight years on the East Coast and in Japan before clicking her ruby heels together and returning home. Isobel now lives in San Francisco with her husband and son. When not working, she loves to play board games and take photographs – and you may find her oddly dressed at various “historical” fairs (Renaissance Fair, Dickens Fair). Isobel’s favorite? Annie’s Totally Natural Classic Macaroni and Cheese (or maybe the Shitake and Sesame Dressing).
Chris Folena is responsible for the core functions of Finance and Accounting at Annie’s- pretty important stuff. A Northern California native, Chris grew up in San Francisco and then Walnut Creek. When he is not working, he can be found either at the gym or with his family and friends chatting over a nice dinner. Chris’ favorite snack is Annie’s Whole Wheat Cheddar Bunnies.
Sherrie is Bernie's little helper, answering your inquiries via phone and email. Sherrie's experience as a mom gives her the friendly customer service skills to get the job done. She will happily help with your questions and suggestions. In between talking to you and responding to your emails, Sherrie loves snacking on Annie's Chocolate Chip Bunny Grahams.
Amy Barberi believes humans are a precious resource and is excited to be helping Annie's with the many things that fall under Human Resources. She knows that it takes great people to make great Mac & Cheese! Amy is not only smart, she is handy too. When she is away from the office you will find this Napa native, along with her husband, playing with their son, Luke. Amy’s favorite snack is Chocolate Bunny Grahams.
Shauna Sadowski is passionate about food and how it travels from the farm to your plate. From the farmers who grow the food to the energy used to create it, Shauna digs into the details and helps us understand how we can be a more sustainable company. In addition to her role at Annie's, she also serves on the Board of Directors for the Sustainable Food Trade Association. Although she now lives in the Bay area, she grew up on a farm in Saskatchewan, Canada and thus feels a personal connection to farmers and the land. When Shauna isn’t working, she enjoys whipping up a tasty meal or getting outdoors with her husband, 1 year-old daughter, and Boston Terrier. Shauna loves Annie’s Organic Shells and White Cheddar.
Forgetting somebunny? Behind every great entrepreneur is the person (um, bunny) who was their inspiration. In Annie’s case, it was Bernie, her real gray-and-white Dutch rabbit who was her beloved pet for many years. While Bernie preferred carrots to pasta, his love of organic food straight from the earth inspired Annie’s recipes. When you see Bernie on the label, you know you’re getting a “Rabbit Approved” product made with the best natural and organic ingredients possible.
Eat Happy
For more than 20 years, we’ve proven simple ingredients add up to better taste. From our signature comfort foods like macaroni & cheese to our refreshing salad dressings, we’re all about goodness from the ground up. Annie’s products are delicious organic and natural alternatives to traditional convenience foods, snacks, dressings and more.
We work with a small group of trusted suppliers, and have developed long-term relationships with a number of family farmers and strategic partners who have similar core values to Annie’s.
What can we say – with a farmer as our visionary leader, we dig dirt. Rich, healthy soil that hasn’t been treated with chemical pesticides or fertilizers is where all organic ingredients begin. We believe the best tasting food comes from the simplest ingredients, and strongly support organic and sustainable farming because it is better for consumers, farmers, and the environment.
We are profoundly concerned about potential harmful effects GMO crops have on our soil, water, and air. Annie’s thinks consumers should have the choice of knowing what’s in their food, and believes GMO ingredients should be labeled as such, so consumers can make a fully informed choice. Annie’s uses only non-GMO ingredients. Annie’s supports the Non-GMO Project, an independent third party verification process to ensure every possible step is taken to mitigate the risks of GMO migration.
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