Vanguard Food appoints industry veteran and former Costco executive Frank Padilla to Board of Managers

Frank Padilla, Board of Managers

In December, Vanguard Food LP, a privately held produce industry joint venture among Kennedy Lewis Investment Management, Sweat Equities and Village Farms International, announced the appointment of Frank Padilla to its Board of Managers.

A 35-year veteran of Costco Wholesale, Padilla brings experience in global produce sourcing, brand development and large-scale food retail operations to Vanguard’s growing leadership team.

Padilla, who is from the San Francisco Bay Area, began his career in the fresh produce industry after graduating from the University of California, Berkeley. He worked as a supplier to Costco Wholesale in the mid- to late 1980s while at Richmond Produce Company before joining Costco Wholesale in 1989 as the company’s first field buyer.

During his tenure at Costco, Padilla pioneered the development of club pack produce, building direct relationships with growers across the United States and in 28 countries worldwide. In the mid-stage of his career, Padilla played a key role in developing and expanding the Kirkland Signature brand, overseeing product innovation across dry grocery, frozen, chilled and deli categories.

In his final leadership role, Padilla oversaw Costco’s fresh meat department, in-house bakeries, service delis and the company’s food courts — home of the legendary $1.50 hot dog and soda. His strategic insights and deep understanding of consumer expectations helped shape Costco’s global reputation for quality, value and consistency in food offerings.

Beyond his corporate career, Padilla has been an active leader in the produce and food industries, serving on the United Fresh Produce Association and Produce Marketing Association boards. He has also served on the board of Heritage University in Toppenish, Washington.

Padilla retired from Costco Wholesale in 2024 and now enjoys golf and spending time with his wife Maureen, two daughters, granddaughter and extended family.

“I am thrilled to join Vanguard Food LP on its recently announced transaction," said Padilla. "The joint venture between Kennedy Lewis, Sweat Equities and Village Farms aligns with my lifelong passion and career in the food business. I am excited to be part of the foundation of what will be the start of many CPG-branded companies in the health food business. I support the vision of Charlie Sweat to continue to build a platform of fresh food companies to the market at scale.”

Charlie Sweat, founder and managing principal of Sweat Equities and chairman of Vanguard’s Board of Managers, commented: “Frank’s experience and perspective are invaluable as we expand Vanguard’s platform. He has spent decades driving innovation and operational excellence in food retail and produce sourcing, and his leadership will help guide our mission to build a next-generation CPG foods company focused on health, sustainability and value creation.”