Flowers Foods appoints leaders for DSD operations, new cake division
The appointments include David Roach as the newly created Chief DSD Operations Officer and Dan Scott as Senior Vice President, Cake.
USA – Flowers Foods has named seasoned executives to spearhead its direct-store-delivery (DSD) operations and a newly consolidated cake division, aiming to sharpen execution in a competitive retail landscape.
The moves include David Roach as the newly created Chief DSD Operations Officer and Dan Scott as Senior Vice President, Cake, reporting to Roach under President and Chief Operating Officer (COO) Heeth Varnedoe.
Roach, with over 30 years at Flowers, assumes full profit-and-loss responsibility for the DSD business, overseeing sales performance, operational efficiency, and cross-functional alignment across the value chain.
Previously, as Chief Strategic Projects Officer, he drove long-term growth initiatives, including leadership in cake operations, snacking/specialty, organics, and national/regional sales, and presidencies in Villa Rica, Georgia, and Nashville, Tennessee.
The role targets greater speed, accountability, and enterprise visibility amid dynamic grocery demands.
Roach’s appointment reflects Flowers’ focus on operating faster and more efficiently in an increasingly dynamic retail environment, where disciplined execution and enterprise-wide visibility are critical to delivering sustained results.
“David’s leadership and deep understanding of our DSD model positions us to improve execution, enhance profitability, and consistently deliver value to stakeholders,” said Varnedoe.
Complementing this, the cake business, encompassing end-to-end production and distribution, has been unified under Scott, tasked with accelerating performance and profitable growth.
Scott, who joined Flowers in 1999, brings extensive DSD sales and bakery experience through multiple leadership positions across the company’s traditional, specialty, and cake businesses.
He also played a critical role in Flowers’ recent digital transformation initiatives.
“Dan’s extensive experience in DSD sales and proven ability to lead through transformational change will be invaluable as we seek continued improvement and growth in our cake business,” stated Varnedoe.
The new structure is expected to enable faster decision‑making, tighter alignment between sales and manufacturing, and improved measurement of route profitability and service metrics.
Varnedoe praised Scott’s transformational leadership, stating, “Together, these leadership and structural changes strengthen our DSD model and position Flowers for long‑term success.”
With 2025 revenues steady despite challenges, these appointments align with the company’s focus on disciplined execution and innovation across organic breads and premium cakes.
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