NEW YORK — Premium, cat-focused brand Made by Nacho announced it has appointed new leadership on May 23. Tom Morton has been appointed to chief executive officer and Oliver Fickes has been appointed to chief operating officer.

Made by Nacho was founded by Celebrity Chef Bobby Flay and Elly Truesdell, a Whole Foods Market veteran, and inspired by Flay’s Maine Coon, Nacho.

Morton has more than 20 years of executive experience and worked at Blue Buffalo since its founding in 2002. During his time with the pet food brand, he led brand marketing and product development, supporting the company through its expansive growth and its acquisition by General Mills in 2018. At General Mills, Morton served as officer and vice president for its pet nutrition business, accelerating its consumer experience, household penetration, acquisition and loyalty, and enabling Blue Buffalo to double in size. He also has experience working for other multinational companies like Nestlé Waters and startups like SoBe Beverage Company.

As Made by Nacho’s new chief executive officer, Morton will oversee the company’s operations, commercial, retail and omnichannel strategies, and marketing. He will leverage his extensive experience in pet nutrition to drive the company’s growth.

“I'm excited to join the Made by Nacho family, and to help elevate the cat food category, by pairing Bobby’s culinary expertise with his inspiration for the brand, Nacho, to deliver a better kind of cat food,” Morton said.

Prior to joining Made by Nacho, Fickes served as chief operating officer for Nulo Pet Food, where he led the company’s supply chain. He also worked for Blue Buffalo for 11 years, directing the company’s demand planning, customer operations and supply chain during periods of significant expansion.

In his new position at Made by Nacho, Fickes will lead all operational functions to help scale the company while also addressing supply chain inefficiencies and customer opportunities. He will also provide cross-functional guidance by serving on the company’s senior leadership team.

“We could not be more delighted to bring in such industry talent by welcoming Tom and Oliver to the brand's executive team,” Truesdell said. “Both were critical players in building Blue Buffalo, one of the pet industry's most revered brands and product lines. We're thrilled to lean on Tom and Oliver's expertise through this next phase of Made by Nacho's growth.”

Read more about personnel changes throughout the industry.