Natural food brands face unique challenges in the marketplace. To address those needs, Natural Goods, LLC offers relationships with retailers, manufacturers, distributors and brokerages to natural food brands with the goal of building brands and getting products on and off grocery store shelves.

The firm offers individualized, streamlined service from an experienced team that understands natural foods and the complications of getting products to grocery store shelves. In addition, Natural Goods specializes in strategic management, consulting, communication and marketing. The Natural Goods team consists of:

Irene Sherman – With more than 30 years of experience in sales, marketing and consulting, Sherman is a corporate leader with a history of brand building in natural and specialty industries. Most recently, she worked as a member of the national sales management team focused in the natural and specialty marketplace, bringing new and growing brands, as well as established ones, to the retail trade. Previously, she served as chief operating officer at Matrix Marketing Group, a natural and specialty food brokerage.

Ray Wolfson – Wolfson has been a business management and sales professional for more than 40 years. Throughout his career, he has led many natural foods companies, including Nature’s Gourmet, Inc., one of the first natural/gourmet retail stores in New Jersey. Most recently, he served as president and CEO of Matrix Marketing Group, where he managed, developed and guided food programs since 1984.

Allan Becker – Becker offers more than 40 years of experience in the food industry. He specializes in mass market, specialty and natural channels and has proven success with crossover programs between the natural and mass markets.

Leila Bakkum – Bakkum has been working in the natural products industry for more than 22 years. She most recently served as national sales director at Great Eastern Sun, importer of organic and natural Asian products. As the leader of the sales team, Bakkum works with small, independent brands new to the market. She hires and manages broker teams, develops marketing strategies and oversees distribution and placement of products.

Alan Linder – Linder spent 25 years with the United Natural Foods, Inc. (UNFI) and was responsible for the growth and success of the company’s supermarket division. In 2002, he was given the additional task of expanding UNFI’s distribution into the Asian market. Linder retired from UNFI in 2004 and founded ARL & Associates in 2006.

Barbara McFadden – McFadden is the co-owner/president of McFadden/Gavender Advertising/Marketing, Inc. The agency is an international advertising/marketing agency that delivers creative solutions to meet national and international clients’ goals and objectives in advertising, marketing, design/packaging, branding, public relations, websites, digital, social/online and traditional media planning to include negotiating and buying.