About Udi's Gluten Free Foods
The People of Udi's Gluten Free Foods
Udi Bar-on
Founder
Udi Bar-on, our founder, grew up on a farm in Israel, surrounded by fresh, naturally-grown foods. Among other influences, this experience instilled in Udi a keen appreciation for high-quality, great-tasting foods, which is why he has always loved finding, making, and sharing great food with others. The common ingredient in each one of our family of food businesses is fresh, flavorful, all-natural foods--foods made with joy that are a joy to eat.
Etai Bar-on
Co-Founder
Surrounded by wholesome food at a young age, it's fitting that entrepreneur Etai Bar-on now leads his family's collection of food companies in Denver, Colorado. The family business, named for Etai's father Udi, started with a little sandwich shop in 1994 and now includes an artisan wheat bakery, five restaurants, a catering division, and a gluten-free bakery. Family owned and operated, Udi's Foods operates by a very simple principle: food made with joy is a joy to eat. Back in 1994, Etai's first job in the family business was making sandwiches and running the espresso machine, which gave him a unique perspective on the industry. After taking time off to travel and earn a liberal arts degree from New York's New School University, Etai returned to the family business in 2000. A unique entrepreneurial tale out of Udi's took place in 2008 with a marriage proposal to Udi's master gluten-free baker Chadwick White from a customer who was overjoyed to eat bread again. After seeing how moved people were by Udi's experimental gluten-free recipes, the company dove into the industry and opened a 100% dedicated gluten-free bakery in 2009. Since launching at Expo West in 2009, Udi's delicious gluten free Whole Grain Bread is now the number one selling gluten free bread in the country.
Rich Clark
VP of Sales
Rich comes to Udi's with 24 years of sales experience in the consumer packaged goods industry with companies like Mighty Leaf Tea, Celestial Seasonings, Sara Lee Bakery, and Smithkline Beecham. At his most recent company, Mighty Leaf Tea, he helped build it into the #1 fastest growing premium tea in the U.S. Through Rich's leadership, Udi's Gluten Free will continue to expand into large consumer driven markets and help fulfill demand for good tasting gluten free products.
Chadwick White
Director of Product Development, Certified Master Baker, Partner
Chadwick White's passion for baking began at the age of fifteen, a time when he quickly learned that baking was more than just a kitchen chemistry experiment. Chadwick has worked in every facet of the pastry industry from Executive Pastry Chef for the Ritz Carlton in Phoenix, to Plant Manager for the Il Fornaio Panificio in Denver. His talent and artistic expression brought him to Udi's where he created a secret recipe solely for Udi's Gluten Free. Chadwick is devoted to creating breads and pastries that taste like traditional baked goods. Interesting factoid: Chadwick has received two marriage proposals from fans for his delicious gluten-free creations.
Heather Collins
Marketing Coordinator
Heather goes "against the grain" everyday at Udi's Gluten Free Foods and coordinates efforts for social media, community relations, marketing and communications. Diagnosed with a gluten intolerance, Heather shares her passion for delicious gluten-free food and brings more than 15 years of public relations and communications experience within the food industry to the Udi's Gluten Free team. Contact Heather if you are a member of the press or interested in writing a product review of our baked goods for your blog.
