LOS ANGELES — Lorenza Pasetti, chief executive officer of Volpi Foods in St. Louis, Mo., was recently named the Mindful CEO of the Year during the 2024 Mindful Awards program.

The mission of the Mindful Awards program is to honor conscious CPG companies and products that offer transparency to consumers, pay workers fair wages, ensure sustainable business practices, use recycled or recyclable materials, and create healthier products using natural or organic ingredients.

“Volpi is leading the industry with their mindful efforts under the leadership of a CEO who believes in creating a more sustainable future for generations,” said Travis Grant, managing director of the Mindful Awards. “Sustainable packaging as well as sourcing from local farms translates to environment-friendly practices, better lives for animals and better quality products. Congratulations to Lorenza Pasetti, our ‘Mindful CEO of the Year,’ as she and her family deliver on their promise of better quality foods from better sourced ingredients, crafted by best-in-class artisans, every time.”

“What an amazing honor to receive this Mindful Award; however, I’d be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge the hard work my family put in before me and the work they continue to deliver,” Pasetti said. “I like to say after 122 years, we’re an overnight success. That success comes from our heritage of taking the time it takes to do things the right way and never compromising.”

The fourth-generation meat company has grown over the century from a single location to a nationally known specialty cured meat processor.

“My goal with Volpi is to create a better future for generations to come,” said Pasetti, who is the great-niece of Volpi’s founder Giovanni Volpi. “My goal with Volpi is to create a better future for generations to come. We remain committed to making sure that we’re as sustainable as we can make ourselves, and let our consumers know that we care about their future.”

Volpi’s animal welfare standards include allowing natural free movement, no gestation crates and no added hormones. The meat company works with nearby farms that employ these practices and uses suppliers to enact additional restrictions to ensure animal welfare.

In 2021, Volpi introduced its first version of the Eco-Pack, which reduced plastic use by 70%, in its pre-sliced line. During 2023, another version of the Eco-Pack reduced plastic by 80%.