Snak King Appoints Michael Axelrod as CEO, Succeeding Longtime Leader Barry Levin
City of Industry, Calif. — U.S. snack manufacturer Snak King has named Michael Axelrod as its new Chief Executive Officer, succeeding Barry Levin, who is stepping down after more than four decades leading the California-based company.
Levin, who transformed Snak King from a small, single-machine pork rind operation into a diversified national snack producer, will continue to serve on the company’s board of directors. The leadership transition comes roughly a year after the business received investment backing from Falfurrias Management Partners, a private equity firm headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Axelrod brings more than 25 years of experience in the consumer-packaged goods sector. He most recently served as CEO of Del Real Foods, a leading Hispanic food company, where he oversaw significant growth and expansion since 2019.
Before joining Del Real Foods, Axelrod held senior leadership roles at Passport Food Group and TreeHouse Foods, both prominent players in the private-label space. Earlier in his career, he served in executive positions at Kraft Foods and later as Vice President of Innovation at McCain Foods. He began his professional journey as a consultant at Boston Consulting Group.
In a statement announcing his appointment, Axelrod expressed admiration for Levin’s legacy and the company’s longstanding reputation for quality and customer trust.
“Barry has built an exceptional company with a reputation for quality, customer trust, and innovation,” Axelrod said. “It is an honor to follow in his footsteps, and I look forward to working with the Snak King team to build on that foundation as we pursue the next phase of growth and value creation.”
Levin reflected on his tenure and voiced confidence in Axelrod’s ability to guide the company forward.
“Building Snak King over the last four decades with so many remarkable teammates has been a great privilege,” Levin said. “I am proud of the business we have grown together, and I am confident that Mike is the right leader to continue delivering for our customers, employees, and partners.”
Founded in 1978 and headquartered in City of Industry, California, Snak King produces a wide range of salty snacks, including tortilla chips, popcorn, potato crisps, and nut clusters. The company operates as both a branded and private-label manufacturer, supplying major retailers and foodservice customers across the U.S. Its portfolio includes well-known in-house brands such as El Sabroso, The Whole Earth, Granny Goose, and Jensen’s Orchard.
In August 2024, Falfurrias Management Partners made an undisclosed investment in Snak King through its Falfurrias Capital Partners IV and V funds, a move intended to support the snack maker’s continued growth and innovation strategy.
With Axelrod at the helm, Snak King is expected to focus on expanding its footprint in the competitive U.S. snack market and driving product innovation in both branded and private-label categories.
