Veetee USA Names Kevin Stitt to Lead Walmart and Publix Expansion from Selma, NC Facility

Veetee USA has appointed Kevin Stitt as its US Executive, a move that underscores the company's commitment to expanding its presence in the American ready rice market. Stitt, whose career includes senior roles at Flora Food Group, BodyArmor, Coca-Cola, and Jack Link's, will lead the company's retail expansion efforts, with a focus on securing distribution at Walmart and Publix. The appointment is part of a broader strategy that includes full localized production at the company's Selma, North Carolina facility, targeted for February 2028.

Stitt's background in consumer packaged goods (CPG) is marked by experience in managing large-scale retail relationships and navigating complex distribution networks. At Flora Food Group, a plant-based foods business backed by KKR that operates the Upfield portfolio, he dealt with national retail distribution at volume. His time at BodyArmor, Coca-Cola, and Jack Link's further honed his skills in growing shelf presence in competitive categories. This combination of experience positions him to engage directly with buying teams and supply chain requirements at major retailers, a critical aspect of the Walmart and Publix push.

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 product is sealed and heat-treated inside its final packaging, can affect texture and flavor. Veetee's approach cooks rice before packaging, 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 the opaque or foil-based packaging formats that dominate the shelf, designed to communicate quality at a glance in fast-paced retail environments like Walmart and Publix.

The Selma, NC manufacturing hub is being developed as the operational backbone of Veetee's US strategy. Full production at the facility, targeted for February 2028, will allow the company to supply retail customers from a domestic location rather than relying entirely on imported inventory. This gives Veetee greater control over lead times, logistics costs, and the ability to respond to retailer replenishment demands at scale. Selma's location in Johnston County, eastern North Carolina, is strategically positioned near major distribution infrastructure serving the Southeast and mid-Atlantic regions, where Publix has a dense store footprint and Walmart operates numerous supercenters. The geographic positioning was a key factor in site selection.

Stitt's immediate focus will be advancing conversations with Walmart and Publix buyers, a process that requires demonstrating product performance and supply chain readiness. His experience working within organizations that manage national retail distribution at volume is considered central to his role. The Veetee USA CPG expansion represents the company's broader effort to establish a foothold in the US ready rice market using domestic manufacturing as a competitive lever alongside its differentiated cooking process and packaging format.