Fontaine Santé Foods names new CEO

Fontaine Santé Foods, one of the largest manufacturers of hummus, dips, salads, salsa, and tofu in North America, appoints Joe Ens as CEO.

Ens brings over 25 years of CPG experience to the company’s operations and brands, and most recently served as CEO of HighKey, a maker of gluten-free and sugar-free cookies, crackers, wafers, and chocolates.

Fontaine Santé Foods is headquartered in Montreal and makes its products at manufacturing facilities in Québec and Michigan. In the U.S., the company sells products under its Lantana and Garden Fresh Gourmet brands.

Ens brings significant brand-building experience to Fontaine Santé Foods having spent over 20 years at General Mills in various leadership roles. A native of the Greater Toronto Area, Ens holds a bachelor’s degree in business from the University of Western Ontario and an MBA from York University.

“It’s exciting to join Fontaine Santé at this stage in its transformation,” said Ens. “The company has always made incredible products, and the Fontaine Santé brand is a favourite in Canada. Now it’s time to get consumers across North America reaching for all of our brands. We know there’s a desire to eat healthier, but who wants to give up on taste? By focusing on brand building, we can introduce more people to delicious foods made from plants and set the company up for its next phase of growth.”

Fontaine Santé Foods is owned by Arbor Investments, a private equity firm focused on acquiring companies in food, beverage, and related industries. Arbor acquired Fontaine Santé Foods in November 2021.

“Joe is an accomplished executive with a passion for building high-performance teams that can align and deliver on a strategic plan,” said Carl Allegretti, president of Arbor Investments. “His understanding of CPG, the dynamics of U.S. and Canadian markets, and experience with challenger brands will be pivotal to driving continued growth at the company.”