About Us

Our Company

Like your home, the center of our activity focuses on our kitchens.  The kitchen means time together, through good times and tough times; it’s where we gather to listen and talk about what is going on in our lives.  Our kitchens are where we come together to make good quality, food safe meals for Canadians to serve from their kitchens. 

We’re real kitchens making real food with Canadian roots going back over 70 years.  We are continuously evolving our expertise, our kitchens, our reach, and our relevance as a market leader.

Product Innovator - Paula standing in Freshstone's Tiffany Gate Product Development Kitchen

Paula - Product Innovation

Purpose, Vision, Values

Our Purpose

From our Kitchens to Yours, Food Done Right.

Our Vision

Creators of Inspiring Food Experiences for Kitchens Everywhere.

value customers users viewer

Our Values

Purpose

From our kitchens, food done right.

Vision

Creators of inspiring food experiences for kitchens everywhere.

People

We put people first.

Continuous Growth

We are always improving & developing.

Priority Focused

We ensure important things get done.

Teamwork

We work together as a team.

Customers

We focus on our customers.

Leadership

Freshstone Brands’ leadership team is made up of experts who have extensive knowledge in food, people and business.
With ideas as fresh as our food, they lead with inspiration, respect and the goal to constantly grow.

Frank Burdzy

Frank Burdzy

Chief Executive Officer

Leigh Newton

Leigh Newton

Chief Development Officer

Tony Spiteri

Tony Spiteri (Anthony)

President and Chief Commercial Officer

Bill Blink

Bill Blink (William)

Chief Financial Officer

Lyndel Kavanaugh

Sr. Vice President Marketing and R&D

Nabil Mahbouba

Nabil Mahbouba

Sr. Vice President Operations

Doug Oakey

Global Vice President of Sales

Jill Jennings

Director of Human Resources

Rob Burdett

Vice President of Supply Chain and Management Reporting

Watch Us Grow.

Freshstone Brands is always developing, join our journey and stay up to date.

Frank Burdzy

Chief Executive Officer

Frank Burdzy currently holds the Chief Executive Officer role as well as being on the Board of Directors of Freshstone Brands, and being part of their parent company Homestyle Selections LP which acquired Freshstone in April 2020.

Frank participates in the identification, assessment and execution of potential investment opportunities.  He also supports the Freshstone management team in developing core strategies to enhance growth and company performance. Also, as a Board member, Frank works alongside the other Board members to ensure the Freshstone management team has the people and financial resources required to execute the strategic plan. 

Frank brings Operational, Supply Chain, Distribution, Logistics, Sales and Marketing experience to Freshstone. Prior to his current role Frank has held several senior leadership roles in both private and public companies driving growth and performance in both branded and private label/co-manufactured consumer packaged goods. 

Frank holds both a Bachelor and Master of Business degree, and serves on various private and public Boards of Directors.

Leigh Newton

Chief Development Officer

Leigh Newton currently holds the Chief Development Officer role as well as being on the Board of Directors of Freshstone, and being part of their parent company Homestyle Selections LP which acquired Freshstone in April 2020.

Leigh leads identifying, assessing, and executing potential investment and strategic acquisition opportunities as well the integration process. Leigh provides leadership and serves as a board member to Freshstone, as well as leading the strategic planning and business development areas, and supporting the team in strategic growth initiatives. She also  liaises  with stakeholders such as investment bankers, lawyers, bankers, accountants, and other advisors to complete transactions and support the ongoing business management.

Leigh brings Accounting, Finance, Valuation, and Corporate Development experience to Freshstone. Prior to her current role Leigh served as Corporate Development Manager at Champion Petfoods, leading the assessment of priority initiatives to deliver growth, led stakeholder relations, and was the key resource to the executive team for strategic decisions, and communications.

Leigh earned her Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Finance at Centenary College of Louisiana, her Master of Professional Accounting from the University of Saskatchewan, and her Master of Business Administration from the University of Alberta. She also holds her Chartered Accountant Designation and her Chartered Business Valuator designation.

Tony Spiteri (Anthony)

President and Chief Commercial Officer

Tony Spiteri has over 33 years of career experience in the CPG, food manufacturing and distribution industry; including 25 years in executive roles where he has provided overall company leadership as well as leadership for sales, marketing and product development. Tony has worked in companies ranging from small, family-owned and operated businesses to multi-billion dollar public companies. Tony has extensive experience in delivering quality branded, private label, and co-manufactured food products to most of the major grocery retail and food service/restaurant customers in North America. His focus on and ability to significantly grow brands has created significant shareholder value in companies such as Olymel, Pinty’s Fine Foods, Lilydale Foods, and Maple Leaf Foods. Tony’s other loves include his family, his passion for all things automobile, and his volunteer time.

Bill Blink (William)

Chief Financial Officer

Bill Blink is a Finance executive with more than 25 years of hands-on full cycle accounting experience in a food manufacturing setting. He has held senior positions in both large, branded businesses as well as entrepreneurial companies which have experienced significant growth. Bill enjoys partnering with other areas of the business to help drive improvement and team development. Bill served several years as the senior finance and accounting leader at Champion Petfoods and most recently as senior divisional finance leader at Sofina Foods. Bill’s commitment as a team player with a focus on development and relationship building with both internal and external stakeholders has enabled him to partner with all internal departments to significantly improve visibility, insights, and performance across the businesses. Bill has been very active in things surrounding his family including coaching and being a “hockey/football dad” and volunteering in various roles to support amateur sport. He is a big fan of professional hockey and football, is an avid golfer, and loves spending time at the lake house.

Lyndel Kavanaugh

Sr. Vice President Marketing and R&D

Lyndel brings over 25 years of CPG experience in Canada and the US to the Freshstone team. Her love of food has allowed her to hold roles in product development, continuous improvement, and packaging for branded, private label and co manufactured items across several different product categories. Lyndel has worked to drive companies such as Pinty’s, Olymel and Destination Products International. Lyndel has a Bachelor of Science in Food Science and Microbiology from the University of Guelph. In her freetime Lydel enjoys spending time with her family. In the summer you can find her at the cottage and in the winter cheering on her favourite hockey team.

Nabil Mahbouba

Sr. Vice President Operations

Nabil has over 15 years of experience in the food manufacturing industry. With a BS in Electrical Engineering and a background in management and food technology, he is a highly motivated leader with a proven record of success for evolving company culture and vision. From his experiences in start-up and large corporations, he has accrued highly effective problem solving and interpersonal skills with a results-oriented focus, which he uses to develop and mentor high performing individuals and teams. Nabil and his teams execute corporate strategies and achieve goals by identifying process improvements and implementing needed changes. Nabil drives results by designing and implementing effective manufacturing processes, project management systems, and cost reduction plans. Nabil thrives in rapid revenue growth environments through strategic planning, resource allocation, leadership techniques, and coordination of people and resources. When Nabil isn’t busy in the our Kitchens and with his teams, you can find him enjoying nature, reading, or playing basketball.

Doug Oakey

Global Vice President of Sales

As the Senior Vice President of Global Sales at Freshstone, Doug brings an impressive 33 years of comprehensive expertise in the food industry. Leveraging his adept knowledge in business development, sales, marketing, and merchandising, he leads the sales team with finesse. Being a third-generation food industry professional, Doug navigates the entire sales process seamlessly, from prospecting to successful closures. His strategic prowess in analyzing, forecasting, and segmenting accounts remains instrumental in continuing to move the business forward. 

Jill Jennings

Director of Human Resources

Bio coming soon!

Rob Burdett

Vice President of Supply Chain and Management Reporting

Rob Burdett has over 35 years of career experience in the Retail, CPG, and the wholesale distribution industry in Finance, Supply Chain and IT leadership roles. Rob has worked in companies ranging from small, family-owned and operated businesses to multi-billion dollar public companies including Nabisco/Kraft, Walmart, Red Apple Stores and Wolseley Canada. Rob has an extensive track record of creating value, building strong teams and improving processes for the organizations that he’s worked for.  Rob’s other loves include his family, playing guitar and has a healthy golf obsession.