SAN DIEGO — Human grade pet food company The Honest Kitchen announced it has hired two new senior executives tasked with helping improve operational and financial efficiencies. Steve Calderone was appointed chief operations officer and Mike Albano will take on the role of chief financial officer.

"I’m excited to have Steve and Mike join our outstanding, passionate team at The Honest Kitchen," said Bob Rubin, executive chairman and interim chief executive officer for The Honest Kitchen. "We’re an organization focused on constant improvement, and Steve and Mike will be critical to our ongoing effort to best serve our customers and pet parents." 

Calderone joins the company after years leading human food brands including Perfect Snacks and Food Should Taste Good. He will oversee operations including manufacturing, demand planning and supply chain management. 

"I'm thrilled to be a part of The Honest Kitchen and am eager to work with the team and our partners to bring innovation and increased efficiency to our operations," Calderone said. "I’m excited to help the company continue to grow and succeed in the coming years." 

Albano has worked as a senior finance executive in the premium pet category for the last 13 years. In his new role as CFO, Albano will manage financial, business intelligence and human resources activities for the company. 

"The Honest Kitchen has a rich history of helping pets by providing quality human grade food, and I'm excited to be a part of the team that will continue to build on that legacy," Albano said. "I'm looking forward to working with the team to optimize our financial processes, drive growth, and continue the mission of helping pets." 

In 2022, the company took steps to meet the increasing demand of their customers by opening a new Whole Food Clusters facility near Topeka, Kan. The addition of the 100,000-square-foot facility resulted in a fourfold increase in output. The company also expanded its dehydrated production line, which doubled output. The addition of the new senior executives will help The Honest Kitchen continue its plans for ongoing growth. 

"These changes represent an opportunity for The Honest Kitchen to optimize our operations and enter 2023 with renewed vigor," said Lucy Postins, founder and chief integrity officer for The Honest Kitchen. "We're excited to welcome Steve and Mike to our team and look forward to working together to help more pets live healthier lives."  

Read more about personnel changes throughout the industry.