Superior Foods Inc., a Watsonville, Calif.-based supplier of frozen fruit and vegetable products — including value-added store brand items — announced the appointment of Neil Happee to president and CEO. Happee has been with the company for more than 20 years and has served as chief operating officer for the past 10 years. He replaces David E. Moore, who will join his co-founder Mateo Lettunich as co-chairman of Superior Foods Inc. and Superior Foods International, as well as continue to serve on the board as directors for the American Frozen Food Institute.

“Neil is uniquely qualified for this role,” Moore said. “He has a proven track record of performance, dedication and integrity, as evidenced by his leadership during the recent expansion of our San Antonio manufacturing plant, driving the innovation and development of new products, and optimizing our domestic supply chain. Leading the current management team, he will be responsible for all day-to-day operations, as well as positioning the company for long-term success. Mateo and I are confident that Neil’s experienced leadership will open up great opportunities for Superior Foods.”

Happee added: “For the past 20years, I have been inspired by the people at Superior Foods. The remarkable growth and accomplishments of this company have been driven by visionary leadership, commitment to innovation and a tireless work ethic from the most talented group in the industry. These qualities, coupled with the recent expansion of our San Antonio production facility, provide a strong foundation for continued growth. We will transition the company to a new management team while preserving David’s and Mateo’s significant industry knowledge, relationships and organizational skillsets.”