Ajinomoto Foods North America, Inc. (AFNA), a specialty frozen food manufacturer designing products for well-being, recently announced the appointment of Dave Gardner as president and chief executive officer, effective April 1, 2026. Gardner succeeds Hiroshi Kaho, who has been promoted to executive officer & executive vice president, chief human resources officer for Tokyo-based parent company Ajinomoto Co., Inc, after leading AFNA through a multi-year period of investment, capability building and cultural transformation.

Gardner brings more than 35 years of food industry experience to the role. He served as AFNA's chief supply chain officer since 2022, leading manufacturing and end-to-end supply chain operations across the company's eight US production facilities. He partnered closely with the CEO to translate long-term strategy into operational reality. Gardner focused on establishing a people-first culture and building fundamentals. He led a cross-functional cost transformation initiative delivering $35 million in first-year savings while improving customer service. He oversaw capacity expansions and asset optimization across the company's manufacturing network.

Gardner joined AFNA from Amy's Kitchen, the Petaluma, California-based natural and organic frozen foods company, where he served as chief operating officer. Earlier in his career, he held senior leadership roles at Ingredion Incorporated, including vice president of North America supply chain and vice president of North America manufacturing. Gardner is widely regarded across the food industry for translating strategy into execution at scale. 

Asian and multicultural frozen foods — a core strength of AFNA's portfolio, which includes the Ajinomoto, Ling Ling, Tai Pei, and José Olé brands — are consistently ranked among the top innovation drivers in both retail and foodservice, supported by expanding consumer demand for authentic global flavors, according to Euromonitor International and Innova Market Insights. That positions AFNA squarely at the center of where consumer demand is heading — across grocery, club and foodservice channels alike.

Gardner is stepping into the CEO role having helped shape and embed the company's purpose & values framework, which earned AFNA recognition in 2025 as both a Great Place to Work and winning an Inspiring Workplace award with "Best in Class" honors in the culture and purpose category. He plans to build on that foundation to accelerate growth, deepen innovation, and develop the next generation of cross-functional leaders.

Gardner holds bachelor's and master's degrees in chemical and biochemical engineering from Western University in London, Ontario, Canada.