Veetee USA has named Kevin Stitt as its U.S. Executive, a move that signals the company's commitment to scaling its presence in the American ready-rice market. Stitt brings a career spanning such major CPG names as Flora Food Group, BodyArmor, Coca-Cola, and Jack Link's, and will be tasked with leading the company's push into Walmart and Publix. The appointment is a strategic step in Veetee USA's broader CPG expansion, which is anchored by a new manufacturing facility in Selma, North Carolina, targeted for full production by February 2028.
Stitt's background includes senior roles at Flora Food Group, the plant-based foods business backed by KKR that operates the Upfield portfolio, as well as time at BodyArmor, Coca-Cola, and Jack Link's. These positions required managing large-scale retail relationships, distribution complexity, and growing shelf presence in competitive categories. This experience positions him to engage directly with buying teams and supply chain requirements at major retailers, a critical skill for advancing Veetee's retail ambitions.
Central to Veetee's retail pitch is its 10-Stage Steam Filtration cooking process, which uses open steam cooking rather than the retort pouch method common in the ready rice category. Retort processing, where the product is sealed and heat-treated in its final packaging, can alter texture and flavor; Veetee's approach cooks the rice first and then packages it, preserving the grain's natural characteristics. The product is shipped in transparent clear trays ranging from 9.9oz to 10.6oz, allowing consumers to see the product before purchase. This visual transparency is a deliberate departure from opaque or foil-based packaging that dominates the shelf, designed to communicate quality at a glance in fast-moving retail environments like Walmart and Publix.
The timing of the appointment is tied directly to Veetee's domestic production investment. The Selma, North Carolina facility is being developed as the operational backbone of the company's U.S. strategy, enabling supply from a domestic location rather than relying on imports. Full production targeted for February 2028 would give Veetee greater control over lead times, logistics costs, and the ability to meet retailer replenishment demands at scale. Selma, located in Johnston County in eastern North Carolina, is near major distribution infrastructure serving the Southeast and mid-Atlantic, regions where Publix has a dense footprint and Walmart operates numerous supercenters, making the site strategically chosen.
Stitt's immediate focus will be advancing conversations with Walmart and Publix buyers, a process that requires demonstrating both product performance and supply chain readiness. His experience within organizations that manage national retail distribution at volume, including logistics and compliance requirements set by large-format grocery and mass merchant retailers, is considered central to his role. The Veetee USA CPG expansion represents a broader effort to establish a foothold in the U.S. ready rice market by leveraging domestic manufacturing, a differentiated cooking process, and a distinctive packaging format as competitive advantages.
As Veetee moves toward its 2028 production milestone, the success of this expansion will depend on Stitt's ability to translate the company's product advantages into shelf space at two of the most influential retailers in the country. The implications for the industry are significant: if Veetee can secure distribution and meet demand, it could challenge established players in the ready rice category by offering a product that stands out in both preparation and presentation.
