WALNUT CREEK − President and Chief Executive Officer Mark Coblentz, founder of Walnut Creek Foods, a thriving food distributor and manufacturer based in Walnut Creek, feels the time is right to pass the baton to the next generation of leadership in the family business.

Julian Coblentz, who most recently served as the chief operating officer and vice president of business development for Walnut Creek Foods, has been appointed president and CEO, effective Jan. 1.

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“I am handing over my responsibilities as president and CEO to Julian. We are in good hands with strong leadership in place as I relinquish my day-to-day responsibilities," Mark Coblentz said. "Julian has been part of the company for 20 years, as part of the leadership team. He has been responsible for our daily operations at the distribution center, which is the largest portion of what we do here.

"It's not so much that I need to slow down, but there is a good man with a good team in place," he continued. "When you have that in place, it's time to look around and make this move."

All three divisions (distribution, manufacturing and retail) will report to Julian Coblentz, and he will meet regularly with Mark Coblentz to keep him up on progress of the business.

Mark Coblentz will continue to be engaged in the business through his responsibilities as board chairman. Those duties include visiting customers and interacting with employees. He adds "the family is excited to continue ownership of Walnut Creek Foods, and further integrate their family into the business.”

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No changes coming; just keep improving

Julian Coblentz is Mark's nephew. He looks forward to carrying on the tradition he has been a part of for 20 years.

"We're thankful that things have gone as well as they have. We're grateful for the opportunities we've had. We feel very fortunate; very blessed. But there are always opportunities to improve in every aspect of life, and our business is no different," Julian Coblentz said. "I don't see any significant changes that need to be made. I think we're in a good place for a hand-off. We can continue to do a lot of things the way we are doing them... but there is always room for improvement."

Julian Coblentz said he accepts his new role and the responsibility that comes with it.

"It's a big responsibility, but I'm thankful for the foundation that's been laid here, and I feel I have the opportunity to build something great here, and take what we have and make it even better. Our vision is, we're in the food industry to make life better for each other, and those less fortunate," he said. "It's great that we've gotten bigger, but we're really more concerned about getting better."

Mark Coblentz noted he was fortunate to be in the food industry.

"There is no substitute for food, and for sure there is no substitute for good food," he said. "We've been fortunate that people need our product, but most of all that they want it product; that we're their product of choice."

Humble beginnings with a pickup truck and big dreams

Walnut Creek Foods began with a small cheese route in 1977. It was basically a pickup truck with a refrigerated box, an assortment of about 20 foods and a list of about 60 potential customers. From his first order of two wheels of Baby Swiss and three rings of Trail Bologna, Mark Coblentz began peddling an assortment of cheese and other items to retail customers in Northeast Ohio.

The original warehouse was a couple of refrigerated truck beds and a shed on his father's farm. He built his first warehouse in Walnut Creek in 1984, which included a small retail store.

In 1987, Mark Coblentz and his brother, Jason, started Coblentz Chocolates, which piqued Mark's interest in manufacturing more of his own foods. Jason Coblentz kept the Coblentz name and went forward with the chocolate company, and Mark Coblentz went with the Walnut Creek Foods brand.

With the purchase of Snyder Foods in 1994 and Holmes Distributing in 1995, Walnut Creek Foods expanded.

"Those acquisitions in the 1990s tripled our size," Mark Coblentz said. "And three years ago we had another acquisition that helped quite a bit. Then, with COVID, and changes in the industry, the last three years have been a big growth period for us."

Operating under the same trio of core values they began with 45 years ago, (respect, stewardship and growth), the company continues to grow its customer base and geographic reach throughout the Midwest.

Wholesale distribution serves 2,500 customers, 27 states

"You always dream big, but there's a lot of moving parts," Mark Coblentz said. "And that's all taken care of by the people − our team members. We've had people who have been given responsibility, and they have taken it to the next level. They have done a better job of it than I would've done. I'm grateful to see that continue."

The wholesale distribution end of the company now serves in the neighborhood of 2,500 customers in 27 states. There are also two retail stores, one in Berlin and one in Walnut Creek, and the production continues to grow, feeding into the distribution center.

"You're only as good as the fingertips of your organization that are out making deliveries, picking orders, talking to customers, and we've been blessed with very good and capable leaders who have been flexible and able to adapt; to hire and increase staff as needed," Julian Coblentz said. "We've had a lot of change that they've managed, and that's when good leadership sets itself apart. We're fortunate to have good people who adapted very well during those times of rapid change."

Privilege to be part of community

Julian Coblentz said it is a privilege to be part of the Holmes County community and they are happy to be based here.

"I consider myself as a hired leader, and it is a privilege to work in a family-owned organization that is committed to being part of this community and serving the community," he said. "That is important to me, and it gives meaning to my work to be part of such an enterprise."

This article originally appeared on The Daily Record: Coblentz family still at helm, but new face to lead Walnut Creek Foods