Baldor Specialty Foods Taps FreshDirect Co-Founder as President
Baldor Specialty Foods has a new president. David McInerney is joining the fresh produce and specialty food company at a time of expansion in both offerings and distribution.
McInerney is a longtime industry leader who will leverage more than 30 years of experience in the food and grocery sector. A trained cook who studied in France and New York City, he co-founded online grocer FreshDirect in 2000 and served as CEO before that company was acquired by Ahold Delhaize in 2021. His background in food sourcing and supply chain management, forged at FreshDirect, will help Baldor expand its distribution capabilities and product development.
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“Dave and I have known each other for years, and I couldn’t be happier for him to join Baldor,” said TJ Murphy, owner and CEO at Baldor. “We both love great food, and we have a shared view of what quality means in sourcing and service. Our strengths complement each other — while I love long-term innovation, his passion and expertise is bridging the present with the next several years and ensuring executional excellence. I’ll continue looking 10 years ahead, and Dave will start from today; we’ll meet in the middle.”
McInerney agreed that his background and interests align well with Baldor. “There are so many parallels between Baldor’s business and my background — the emphasis on tight relationships with growers, the focus on serving discerning customers, and the care for doing right by both sides. This feels like such a natural fit,” he remarked.
Based in Bronx, N.Y., and founded in 1946, Baldor Specialty Foods distributes premium fresh produce, specialty foods, dairy, meat, and fish in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions. The company currently offers more than 7,000 food items.