Brian Kocher has had his share of “learnings” — corporate speak for mistakes — in a decadeslong career in the food business. They’ve shaped him as a leader and given him a confident patience when it comes to connecting with employees and bringing out their best, even when the learnings pile up.
“You don’t step into the CEO chair and become infallible,” he said. “Those are the lessons I remember the most.”
Kocher became CEO of Eden Prairie-based SunOpta in January following a transformative stint by his predecessor, Joe Ennen.
SunOpta manufactures a majority of the shelf-stable plant-based milk on the market, including oat milk for Starbucks. The company spent the past several years shedding its legacy businesses and investing big in new manufacturing capabilities and product lines.
With the heavy lifting done, Kocher finds the plant-based milk maker is in need of fine-tuning rather than wholesale change.
“It’s not like I walked into a dumpster fire,” he joked. “It’s a community of hardworking, really genuine Midwesterners who come to work every day and care about what they do. And it’s infectious.”
Kocher now steps up to the podium as the conductor of an orchestra of 1,200 employees, ready to call out any sour notes he hears across the nationwide supply chain.
“The ongoing challenge for the team is to keep finding efficiencies,” he said. “We’re keeping our foot on the gas.”