Lundberg Family Farms Promotes Suzanne Sengelmann to CEO as Regeneration Pays Off, Delivering 14% YoY Growth Since Earning Certification

Lundberg Family Farms, the leading Regenerative Organic Certified® food brand known for its California-grown rice and rice-based products, today announces the selection of Suzanne Sengelmann as the company’s Chief Executive Officer. This comes as the company surpasses its Regenerative Organic Certified® (ROC™) target, as 100% of its organic farms and farm partners are now certified.

Sengelmann’s promotion comes as Lundberg has seen notable growth since its first ROC™ rice reached shelves in April 2024. With no price increase compared to Lundberg’s organic products, the brand has delivered 14% year-over-year (YoY) growth overall, signaling that third‑party‑verified claims and clear shopper communication can translate into incremental volume and trade‑up. Its packaged rice has seen 19% YoY growth. Lundberg products are distributed nationally across natural, conventional, and club channels, and are increasingly featured in leading better-for-you fast‑casual concepts and convenience products, such as Sweetgreen and Amy’s Kitchen.

Regenerative agriculture has quickly moved from pilot to portfolio for major food companies, with one study showing that 63% of surveyed food companies mention regenerative agriculture in public sustainability roadmaps. At the same time, regenerative is emerging as a net growth lever rather than a cost center, with the market size expected to nearly double in the next five years, hitting $18.3 billion by 2030. While “regenerative” itself has not been legally defined, leaving it open to interpretation and potential greenwashing, Lundberg believes moving away from chemical-intensive farming practices is imperative for both human and planetary health. ROC™ uses USDA Organic as a baseline and adds rigorous standards for soil health, animal welfare, and social fairness. Some argue the standard is too high to work at scale. However, ROC™ acres are nearing 20 million while ROC™ products are up 45% YTD, with a $20M (24%) jump in retail sales.

Lundberg’s performance highlights how regenerative and format innovation can unlock value in categories that have historically tracked low single‑digit growth. Lundberg has invested in format and occasion expansion–taking rice from a center‑of‑plate staple to an on‑the‑go and snacking platform. The company’s ready‑to‑heat rice, first launched in 2017 and converted to ROC™ in 2025, has quickly climbed to a top-selling ready-to-heat rice brand in the natural channel, growing 107% YOY, while the new Sweet Cakes line extends ROC™ rice into the better‑for‑you snack set, bringing new shoppers into the brand.

“It’s an exciting time to take the lead at a company that’s been doing good and doing well for generations! As retailers and operators are looking for proof points that sustainability sells, we’re providing the proof,” expressed Suzanne Sengelmann, CEO of Lundberg Family Farms. “What we’re seeing is that when you pair rigorous regenerative organic standards with the right formats, pack sizes, and price points, you get strong repeat, higher velocities, and a healthier category. Our ROC™ transition is not just about our own footprint; it’s about helping our customers de-risk their supply chains and future‑proof center‑store and foodservice menus. It also proves that regenerative organic can work at scale.”

Sengelmann is the first female CEO in the company’s history. She succeeds Craig Stevenson, the company’s first non-family CEO. Since joining Lundberg as Chief Growth Officer in the fall of 2022, Sengelmann has led the development of a bold, enterprise-wide growth strategy, strengthened Lundberg’s ROC™ leadership position, redefined its brand voice and architecture to resonate with today’s consumers, and enhanced the company’s long-term strategic planning.

Today, 19,000 acres managed by Lundberg and its farm partners are Regenerative Organic Certified®, beating its stated goal to fully transition its organic acres by 2027. This scale positions Lundberg as a dependable, verified‑sustainable supplier for retailers and foodservice operators looking to hit regenerative sourcing targets without compromising on quality or availability.

“For over 85 years, our family has cared for the land as if our lives depended on it, because they do,” said Bryce Lundberg, Vice President of Agriculture and third-generation farmer, Lundberg Family Farms. “Earning Regenerative Organic Certified® across our organic acres affirms that thoughtful stewardship can align with strong business performance. Under Suzanne’s leadership, we’re excited to continue proving that when you invest in the soil, the environment, and people, you’re also investing in long‑term growth.”

Lundberg’s ROC™ rice can be found in their packaged rice and rice-based snacks at retailers nationwide, including Whole Foods Market, Sprouts Farmers Market, Kroger, and lundberg.com. To learn more about Lundberg’s products, practices, and impact, visit: lundberg.com.

About Lundberg Family Farms
Lundberg Family Farms is the leading U.S. Regenerative Organic Certified® food brand best known for its packaged rice varieties and rice snacks. Family-owned and founded in 1937, Lundberg’s farming practices are a force of land-restoring, habitat-preserving, community-building wonder. And if they care this much about how rice is grown, just imagine how much they care about how it tastes. Dig deeper at www.lundberg.com and follow the farm on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

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Rachel Stoczko

PR for Lundberg Family Farms

Lundberg

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