New Leadership

Bauducco, the Brazilian baked goods brand that commands an 86% value share in the U.S. panettone category, has named Jean-Pierre Comte as Chief Executive Officer, North America, effective immediately. Comte brings more than 30 years of FMCG leadership to the role, most recently as President of Rana Meal Solutions overseeing U.S. and Canadian operations.

Before Rana, Comte spent nearly a decade at Barilla leading the company's entire Americas region across multiple countries and brands, and also held significant tenure at Procter & Gamble. His appointment signals a deliberate push to professionalize Bauducco's North American commercial structure as the brand scales distribution in mainstream U.S. retail and convenience channels.

Plant Investment Backs the Hire

The leadership move coincides with Bauducco's opening of its largest U.S. manufacturing facility — a 160,000-square-foot production center in Zephyrhills, Florida projected to employ more than 600 workers at full capacity. The plant expands domestic production capacity and, for the first time, brings panettone manufacturing stateside. That shift is strategically significant: localizing panettone production reduces lead times and supply chain exposure for the brand's highest-profile SKU, and positions Bauducco to respond faster to seasonal demand spikes in retail and foodservice accounts.

For c-store buyers and category managers tracking the premium baked goods shelf, Bauducco's domestic footprint expansion means more consistent in-stock availability on wafers, cookies, toasts, and the panettone line — categories that have shown steady velocity in impulse-buy formats.

Executive Structure

Concurrent with Comte's appointment, Stefano Mozzi — who previously led Bauducco's International Business Unit — moves into the role of CEO of Pandatura Group, the parent entity encompassing Bauducco, Casa Bauducco, Visconti, and Tommy brands. Mozzi, who brings 16 years with Bauducco and more than 30 years in consumer goods, will oversee the next phase of global expansion while Comte focuses exclusively on accelerating the North American business.

"Jean-Pierre is exactly the leader Bauducco needs at this critical juncture in our North American journey," Mozzi said. "His track record demonstrates consistent excellence in brand building, portfolio innovation, customer relationships, and team development."

Founded in Brazil in 1952, Bauducco has operated in the U.S. for more than 20 years and exports to more than 50 countries. Its wafer line holds the leading national producer position in the U.S., and its baked goods appear in most major retailers. The brand's expansion into more domestic production capacity aligns with broader foodservice and packaged-food investment trends as international CPG brands compete for shelf space against domestic incumbents in convenience and grocery channels.

Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.