Izzio Artisan Bakery Names Kafadar President as Retail Sales Jump 40%

Sara Kafadar has been elevated to president and chief commercial officer at izzio artisan bakery, formalizing a co-leadership structure alongside founder and CEO Etai Baron as the Colorado-based sourdough specialist posts its second consecutive year of 40%-plus retail sales growth.

Kafadar, who joined izzio as CCO in 2015, will retain oversight of sales, marketing, R&D and brand development while adding responsibility for strategic revenue generation and operational efficiency. Baron continues to guide overall company direction and long-term strategy. The peer structure formalizes what the two leaders describe as a longstanding working partnership built on complementary skill sets.

Growth Behind the Promotion

The leadership announcement lands against a meaningful growth backdrop. Izzio now distributes through more than 15,000 retail locations and was named to Bain & Company's Insurgent Brands list in both 2025 and 2026 — a designation tracking outperforming independent brands reshaping fast-moving consumer goods categories. Earlier this year the company opened a second production facility in Thornton, Colo., expanding baking capacity to keep pace with retail and foodservice demand.

"Sara has been an integral partner in building izzio into the business it is today, helping consumers rethink what they expect from their food," Baron said. Kafadar brings prior leadership experience from IAWS Foods and ARYZTA businesses including La Brea Bakery and Cuisine de France, giving the company a commercial chief with deep bakery supply-chain fluency relevant to both retail and foodservice buyers.

New SKUs and Channels

Izzio is broadening its format mix alongside the leadership change. The company earlier this year launched Organic Artisan Sourdough Sandwich Breads to address mainstream retail shelving — a move that shifts the brand from in-store bakery perimeter positioning toward the packaged-bread center aisle. A direct-to-consumer subscription program now ships product to households across the contiguous U.S., adding a channel outside traditional grocery and foodservice.

Three SKUs hitting retail this month extend seasonal and flavor range: a limited-edition Cranberry Orange Sourdough Batard, a Super Sour Sourdough, and a French Sourdough sliced loaf. The company also signaled it will enter sourdough categories outside bread for the first time in coming months, though no specific formats have been disclosed.

For foodservice operators and c-store bakery buyers, the izzio growth story is a useful demand signal. Artisan and clean-label bread formats have outpaced the broader packaged-bread segment as consumers scrutinize ingredient lists — a dynamic that also shapes in-store bakery and grab-and-go assortment decisions at convenience chains investing in fresh food programs. Izzio's heat-and-serve line in particular has obvious application for operators building morning-daypart or sandwich programs without full back-of-house baking capability.

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.