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AlaTrade Foods, Inc., a 100% employee-owned poultry processing company with plants in Albertville and Boaz, Alabama, has announced the appointment of Robert Blake as its Director of Growth and Marketing, a newly created role designed to support the company’s long-term strategy for innovation, customer alignment, and market expansion.
Founded in 2000, AlaTrade Foods has built its reputation on quality processing, strong customer partnerships, and a people-first culture rooted in employee ownership. As the company continues to evolve alongside its customers and the broader food industry, the addition of this role reflects a commitment to strengthening internal capabilities while positioning the business for sustainable growth. As Director of Growth and Marketing, Blake will focus on creating scalable growth processes, furthering AlaTrade’s innovation efforts, and identifying opportunities to better serve both existing and emerging customers.
“We’re thrilled to have Robert join AlaTrade Foods in this newly created role,” said Josh Whitley, CEO/President of AlaTrade Foods. “Robert has a contagious attitude and an amazing outlook on change and growth. He’s going to mesh really well with our team, and I look forward to all the advancements he’s going to make in improving our customer experience through new value-added products and services.”
Blake brings decades of experience spanning operational retail, manufacturing, and sales. His background includes senior roles such as Director of Sales at Reily Foods Company; Vice President of Sales & Marketing/Private Label at Baumer Foods; Senior Director of Business Development at Diversified Foods & Seasonings; and Director of Corporate Sales at L.H. Hayward & Co. He later led retail sales and customer service initiatives at House Autry Mills before most recently driving national retail growth at Kontos Foods, Inc.
Throughout his career, Blake has reliably applied disciplined, data-informed strategies to complex market challenges. That ability to connect numbers with real consumer behavior positions him well to help AlaTrade expand its offerings, strengthen customer partnerships, and pursue sustainable progress in its next phase.
As he settles into his new position with AlaTrade, Blake will focus on identifying growth opportunities across the company’s well-established portfolio while also supporting the continued evolution of Eva’s Chicken, AlaTrade’s retail brand. Originally known for its premium, precisely portioned chicken breast fillets and named in honor of Eva Lee, Eva’s has undergone a comprehensive brand refresh to better reflect AlaTrade’s long-term vision in the retail space. With a renewed visual identity and an updated brand promise—“Save time. Savor flavor!”—Eva’s is positioned to meet today’s demand for high-quality, convenient protein solutions without sacrificing taste or integrity. That opportunity, Blake notes, reflects a broader gap in the market.
“Ready-to-cook marinated chicken remains an underdeveloped segment in the protein case, despite clear consumer demand for convenient, flavor-forward meal solutions,” said Blake. “By leveraging AlaTrade’s processing capabilities, customer partnerships, and employee-owned culture, we are well positioned to help retail and foodservice partners bring differentiated, value-added products to market that exceed today’s consumer expectations.”
While AlaTrade’s growth strategy will continue to be guided by data and market insight, it remains deeply rooted in the company’s employee-owned culture. Collaboration, shared accountability, and long-term thinking remain central to how the company approaches change, ensuring that progress benefits customers, partners, and employee-owners alike.
With a new Director of Growth and Marketing in place, a revitalized retail brand, and a clear focus on innovation and consumer relevance, AlaTrade Foods is entering its next chapter with purpose, committed to building momentum responsibly and creating opportunities for growth that endure.
