Simply Good Foods Appoints Joe Scalzo as President and Chief Executive Officer
Rhea-AI Summary
Simply Good Foods (NASDAQ: SMPL) announced that Joe Scalzo has been appointed President and Chief Executive Officer effective January 20, 2026, succeeding Geoff Tanner. Scalzo previously served as CEO until July 2023 and as Executive Vice Chairman until August 2024 and will join the Board on January 28, 2026 after the annual meeting. The company said Scalzo will focus on reigniting growth and improving profitability, leveraging his past role leading the company's 2017 public debut and the acquisition and integration of Quest Nutrition. The company reaffirmed its Fiscal Year 2026 outlook as unchanged.
Positive
- Return of Joe Scalzo with prior CEO experience and board appointment on Jan 28, 2026
- Scalzo led the company’s 2017 public debut and oversaw the Quest Nutrition acquisition
- Company reaffirmed Fiscal Year 2026 outlook, signaling guidance stability
Negative
- Immediate CEO change may signal leadership instability or short-term execution risk
- Former CEO/executive transitions (departure July 2023; Executive Vice Chairman through Aug 2024) highlight prior turnover
News Market Reaction – SMPL
On the day this news was published, SMPL gained 0.38%, reflecting a mild positive market reaction.
Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.
Key Figures
Market Reality Check
Peers on Argus
SMPL was down 1.04% while peers showed mixed moves: declines in FLO, JJSF, and NOMD, but gains in FRPT and CENTA. No peers appeared in the momentum scanner and there were no same-day peer headlines, pointing to a company-specific narrative around the leadership change.
Historical Context
| Date | Event | Sentiment | Move | Catalyst |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 15 | Clinical partnership news | Positive | +0.8% | Atkins–Heather Gay partnership and GLP-1 nutrition pilot trial results. |
| Jan 08 | Earnings update | Negative | +6.6% | Q1 FY26 results with lower profitability but reaffirmed full-year outlook. |
| Jan 05 | Product launch news | Positive | -3.7% | Quest launches new high-protein chips flavors expanding flavor portfolio. |
| Dec 17 | Earnings date notice | Neutral | +2.9% | Announcement of timing and access details for Q1 FY26 results call. |
| Oct 23 | Earnings and outlook | Negative | -17.4% | FY25 results with Atkins impairment and FY26 outlook with margin pressure. |
Recent news shows mixed reactions: strategic and clinical/brand updates sometimes sold off despite positive tone, while an earnings report with weaker profitability but reaffirmed outlook drew a strong positive move.
Over the last few months, SMPL has balanced brand initiatives, financial updates, and capital allocation actions. A GLP-1-focused Atkins partnership on Jan 15, 2026 and Quest product launches on Jan 5, 2026 underscored innovation in nutritional snacking. Q1 FY26 earnings on Jan 8, 2026 showed margin pressure but reaffirmed the FY26 outlook. Earlier, FY25 results on Oct 23, 2025 highlighted an OWYN acquisition and a sizeable Atkins impairment. Today’s CEO return slots into this broader strategic repositioning effort.
Market Pulse Summary
This announcement highlights the return of a longtime former CEO to lead a new growth chapter while the company’s Fiscal Year 2026 outlook remains unchanged. In context of recent margin compression, an Atkins impairment, and ongoing brand and clinical initiatives, the leadership change underscores a renewed focus on profitability and execution. Observers may watch how future earnings, integration progress, and product performance track under the reinstated leadership team.
AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.
Key Architect and Longtime Former CEO and Executive Vice Chairman of Simply Good Foods Returns to Lead New Chapter of Growth
DENVER, Jan. 20, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Simply Good Foods Company (NASDAQ: SMPL) (“Simply Good Foods” or the “Company”), a leader in the Nutritional Snacking category, today announced the return and appointment of longtime former executive Joe Scalzo as President and Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Scalzo will oversee a new chapter at Simply Good Foods focused on reigniting growth and improving profitability across the business.
Mr. Scalzo, who previously served as Chief Executive Officer of the Company until July 2023 and as Executive Vice Chairman until August 2024, succeeds Geoff Tanner, effective immediately. Mr. Scalzo will be appointed as a member of the Board of Directors on January 28, 2026 following the Company’s Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be held on that date. Mr. Scalzo brings immediate familiarity of the Company, its brands and infrastructure, as well as the vision required to lead a modern nutritional snacking platform, supported by a deep understanding of industry trends and consumer preferences. During his decade-long tenure as CEO and as Executive Vice Chairman at Simply Good Foods and its predecessor Atkins Nutritionals, Inc., Mr. Scalzo presided over a period of substantial value creation, overseeing the Company’s debut in the public markets in 2017, fueling significant growth, and executing its transition into a multi-brand, category-leading platform via the successful acquisition and integration of Quest Nutrition.
James Kilts, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Simply Good Foods, commented, “Joe is a visionary in our industry widely admired by our team and partners alike for his role as the key architect of the business over the course of the last decade. We are pleased to welcome him back as we embark on a new chapter of driving growth and creating value for our stockholders.”
Mr. Scalzo said, “I am energized to be returning home to Simply Good Foods at this critical moment. Together with our exceptional team, we have a clear view of the mission in front of us to secure Simply Good Foods’ leadership in innovation and product quality while ensuring best-in-class execution. I have tremendous belief in the proven power of this platform and in its potential to stay on the leading edge of the nutritional snacking landscape.”
Mr. Kilts concluded, “We greatly appreciate Geoff’s contributions in helping Simply Good Foods navigate a dynamic operating environment while keeping the Company positioned for success. We wish him all the best in his future endeavors.”
The Company’s Fiscal Year 2026 outlook, which it reaffirmed in connection with its Fiscal First Quarter 2026 financial results on January 8, 2026, remains unchanged.
About The Simply Good Foods Company
The Simply Good Foods Company (Nasdaq: SMPL), headquartered in Denver, Colorado, is a consumer-packaged food and beverage company with ambitious goals to raise the bar on what food can be with trusted brands and innovative nutritious snacking products. Within our portfolio of trusted brands (Quest™, Atkins™, and OWYN™), we offer a wide variety of nutritional snacks and beverages, including high protein chips, bars, ready-to-drink (RTD) shakes, and powders, and low sugar, low carb sweets and baked goods. We are a leader of the nutritious snacking movement, poised to expand our healthy lifestyle platform through innovation-driven organic growth and external investment opportunities. To learn more, visit www.thesimplygoodfoodscompany.com.
Investor Contact
Joshua Levine
Vice President, Investor Relations and Treasury
The Simply Good Foods Company
jlevine@simplygoodfoodsco.com
FAQ
Who is the new CEO of Simply Good Foods (SMPL) as of January 20, 2026?
When will Joe Scalzo join the Simply Good Foods board after his CEO appointment?
What experience does Joe Scalzo bring to Simply Good Foods (SMPL)?
What is Simply Good Foods' Fiscal Year 2026 outlook after the leadership change?
Who did Joe Scalzo replace as CEO of Simply Good Foods (SMPL)?
