Why It Matters to Distributors: The move underscores how suppliers like Flowers Foods are tightening alignment between brand, pricing, and go-to-market execution—raising the bar for distributors operating within DSD and independent partner networks to deliver more coordinated, data-driven sales and service.
Flowers Foods said Monday that chief growth officer Terry Thomas will step down as the company eliminates the role and redistributes its responsibilities across senior leadership.
The company said the chief growth officer position, created in 2023 to build out growth capabilities, has “fulfilled its purpose,” with those functions now being integrated into its broader operating structure. Those responsibilities include innovation, customer development, and revenue management.
Thomas will remain with the company during a transition period as his duties are reassigned.
In 2024, according to the company’s latest proxy report and on file with The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Flowers Food paid Thomas total compensation of $2.604 million, including a base salary of $650,000 and a bonus of $350,000.
As part of the reorganization, chief brand officer Mark Courtney will report directly to CEO Ryals McMullian. Courtney will take on expanded responsibilities for retail customer sales, innovation, and revenue management, in addition to overseeing the company’s brand portfolio.
Flowers said the leadership changes align with a broader restructuring of its operations under president and chief operating officer Heeth Varnedoe. That effort includes naming a chief direct-store-delivery operations officer and establishing a geographic division structure with profit-and-loss accountability.
The updated model is designed to make the company more closely align brand, sales and operational execution, the company said.
Flowers Foods operates a direct-store-delivery model that reaches about 85% of the U.S. population. The company relies on a network of independent distributor partners, who purchase territorial distribution rights and deliver products to retail and foodservice customers, supported by route management systems such as FloRoutes.
The company produces bread, buns, rolls, and snack products at 41 to 44 bakeries across the United States, supplying supermarkets, mass retailers, and restaurants through its distribution network.
Flowers Foods, one of the largest U.S. producers of packaged bakery products, reported 2025 sales of about $5.3 billion. Its brands include Nature’s Own, Dave’s Killer Bread, Canyon Bakehouse, Wonder and Tastykake.
The company did not disclose a timeline for Thomas’ departure or whether additional executive changes are planned.
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