Meet Brandon Barnholt, Longtime KeHE CEO, Founders’ Gala Honoree
KeHE is one of the most remarkable success stories in the rapidly growing natural products sector. In less than two decades, KeHE rose from its status as a Midwestern specialty distributor to become the largest pure-play distributor of natural & organic, specialty, and fresh products across the nation and Canada.
Brandon Barnholt is the leader who is most responsible for KeHE's meteoric growth. He also is one of three co-founders of Naturally Chicago who will be honored at our Founders' Gala on Thursday, October 10 at The Dalcy event space in Chicago's Fulton Market District.
The company was founded in 1953 as a tiny startup operating out of founder Art Kehe's basement. It grew quite a bit over the following half century, but was still relatively small and limited to the Midwest in 2007 when Barnholt became CEO and president.
Barnholt — who came to KeHE after leading the White Hen Pantry convenience stores — pursued his vision of a much bigger KeHE with vigor. By 2010, KeHE had made its first big acquisitions under his watch, absorbing the Tree of Life and Peter's Imports companies. In 2014, KeHE greatly expanded its distribution capabilities by purchasing Nature's Best. Just two years later, Monterey Provisions joined KeHE's portfolio.
By the time Barnholt decided to step aside from day-to-day operations in 2023, putting the company in the capable hands of current CEO/President Deb Conklin, KeHE had grown to 19 distribution centers in the United States and Canada serving 40,000 retail and online stores with 75,000 SKUs of natural products across more than 100 categories.
But there is more to the Brandon Barnholt story than just sheer business growth. Rooted in a stated spiritual mission to make lives better, KeHE under Barnholt:
Became a certified B Corporation while maintaining the company's status as employee-owned since 2000.
Created the KeHE Cares Foundation, which enables employee-owners to help underprivileged individuals in the U.S. and around the world.
Launched its CAREtrade® initative to identify and promote a set of brands that advance a higher purpose.
Established its Diversity Council in 2019, the same year that the company launched its DIVERSEtradeTM program, which identifies and helps grow women, minority, disabled, Veteran, & LGBTQ+ certified suppliers within KeHE's portfolio to help them better navigate distribution and remove barriers.
Launched the KeHE ELEVATE™ program in 2020 to support retail partners by continually foraging for early-stage brands and curating a dynamic brand portfolio. The program enables brands to partner with KeHE to develop and reach their full potential and better serve the demanding marketplace.
Launched the KeHE ECO Trade™ program to pursue the company's stewardship role of caring for our planet, making meaningful progress towards our four main climate action commitment areas of transportation, energy, waste, and refrigerants.
Naturally Chicago is grateful for the opportunity to honor Brandon Barnholt for achieving legendary business success while steering a course toward KeHE's vision of a better world.
