Rise Baking appoints Mark McNeil as CEO  

USA – Rise Baking Company, a leading North American supplier of premium bakery products, has appointed industry veteran Mark McNeil as its new Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately.   

Rise announced the leadership change, with McNeil succeeding Brian Zellmer, who steered the company through five years of transformative growth, including ten strategic acquisitions, recent clean-label commitment, and a scalable national manufacturing network.  

McNeil brings over 30 years of cross-functional leadership in retail, foodservice, and manufacturing, having previously served as CEO of Shearer’s Foods, North America’s largest private-label contract manufacturer of salty snacks, cookies, and crackers.   

There, he executed a multi-year value-creation strategy that delivered significant revenue and EBITDA expansion while building an autonomous leadership team and deepening customer partnerships.   

His prior executive roles at Bonduelle Americas, Lassonde Pappas, US Foods, Weston Foods, and Loblaw Companies Limited equip him to balance long-term vision with operational precision, aligning perfectly with Rise’s ambitions for organic expansion and mergers.  

The timing is strategic, following Platinum and Butterfly’s 2024 acquisition of Rise, which praised its category leadership, scale, and customer trust in supplying cookies, pies, cakes, icings, muffins, and crispy bars to in-store bakeries and foodservice operators.   

Nathan Eldridge, Managing Director at Platinum Equity, lauded McNeil: “We believe Mark is precisely the leader who can drive Rise’s next phase of growth,” citing his expertise in scaling complex food businesses.   

Vishal Patel, Partner at Butterfly Equity, added that McNeil’s track record in growth and capability-building makes him ideal to advance Rise’s foundation of product excellence and efficiency.  

Brian Zellmer departs with a storied legacy, having elevated Rise from its 2013 founding into a top bakery platform.   

“It’s been the honour of my career to lead Rise Baking Company,” Zellmer said, expressing pride in the team’s achievements and confidence in McNeil.   

McNeil echoed enthusiasm: “I am privileged to join Rise at such a thrilling time,” committed to unlocking further momentum with customers and investors.  

This appointment positions Rise to capitalize on North America’s evolving bakery sector, where demand for premium, convenient baked goods surges amid labor challenges and premiumization trends.   

As in-store bakeries and foodservice innovate, McNeil’s operational acumen promises enhanced scale, innovation, and partnerships, solidifying Rise’s market dominance through 2026 and beyond.  

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