Anthony Zolezzi

Recycling business built around tracking and collecting precious packaging materials such as plastic/aluminum for reprocessing and reuse, built around a system of incentives/rewards and education to increase recycling rates. (The Pepsi Dream Machine is an example of the GreenOps Recycling System.)

Zolezzi Consulting -- Has performed a wide range of consulting for businesses ranging from start-ups to Fortune 500 companies, specializing in crisis management, turnarounds and innovation. Has worked directly with CEOs to help change their corporate culture and reposition their marketing programs or product selection, and, more recently, to address sustainability issues. Clients have included HRH Prince Charles, Paramount Pictures and Nestle. (See anthonyzolezzi.com for additional info.)

Zolezzi Enterprises has consulted for Fortune 500 companies working directly with CEO's to change their culture, reposition their marketing programs and new product development. In addition we have formed new cause related companies like Pet Promise Inc. when there was a significant void in the market. Agricultural Sales and Marketing, Inc. -- This company was a lot of fun because it created new opportunities from gaps in the produce business. Originally focused on organic produce

This company was a lot of fun because it created new opportunities from gaps in the produce business. Originally focused on organic produce, it came to include sustainable produce (Eco Terra), with a focus on high-quality tomatoes for fast food operations.

Developed to change the economics of the organic and natural cattle industry, this company went on to become the leader and number one brand in the Natural Channel for pet food. Sold the business to Nestle-Purina in 2004, where my partners continued to run it as a quasi-independent entity until 2007. (In 2009, the parent company shut it down after shifting the key attributes to its core brands.)

Conceptualized the branded and restaurant concept from the movie “Forrest Gump,” licensing the name from Paramount Pictures/Viacom first to Meridian Products for frozen shrimp and then to Paragon Restaurants (Rusty Pelican) for the restaurant chain itself, which staged its grand opening in 1995 in Monterey with a great deal of fanfare and publicity. (Stayed on with Paramount Pictures as their food expert until 2004.)

This company was one of the first to market organic food for mainstream consumers, and the first to ship organic products to WalMart. Its product line included 180 SKUs, 16 of which were products marketed for kids under the name Richard Scarry, the author of children’s books. (The book “Chemical-Free Kids” was originally written to support this effort and, together with an organic sequel, is still being sold today in conjunction with the Web site chemicalfreekids.com.)