Consumer >> CEO Interviews >> October 11, 1999
BARRY H. BERACHA has been Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief
Executive Officer of Earthgrains Company since September 1993. Mr.
Beracha led the company through its spinoff into an independent publicly
traded company (New York Stock Exchange) from Anheuser-Busch Companies,
Inc., in March 1996. Under Mr. Beracha, Earthgrains refined its core
business focus and developed strategies that are driving increased
profitability and growth. Earthgrains has made significant improvements
in reducing and controlling costs, has participated in industry
consolidation, including acquisitions of other baking companies in the
United States and Europe, and has emerged as an industry leader in the
use of information technology. Mr. Beracha introduced to Earthgrains the
Total Quality Commitment management system that focuses on customer
partnerships, improvements to products and processes, and reduced costs.
Under Mr. Beracha's leadership, Earthgrains has become one of the most
active food companies in using information technology, particularly
scan-based trading, to partner with grocery retailers and mass-
merchandise discount stores. In 1998, Information Week named Earthgrains
to its annual ranking of 500 Top Technology Innovators. Mr. Beracha is
active in baking and food industry organizations, particularly in the
area of information technology. He serves on the board of directors of
the Grocery Manufacturers of America, and he is co-chairman of the
Grocery Manufacturers of America/Food Marketing Institute Joint Industry
Committee on Electronic Commerce. Mr. Beracha is also Vice Chairman of
the Board of Governors of the Uniform Code Council and serves on that
organization's executive and electronic commerce advisory committees. In
1999, Mr. Beracha was named Snack Food & Wholesale Bakery magazine's
Executive of the Year. Mr. Beracha earned his Bachelor's degree in
Chemical Engineering in 1963 from the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NY.
Two years later, he earned his MBA with emphasis in Operations Research
and Industrial Management from the Wharton School at the University of
Pennsylvania. Profile
Earthgrains, just to set the stage for the readers?
Mr. Beracha: Earthgrains is one of the leading manufacturers and
marketers of
