Lorenza Pasetti, MBA 1982, named Mindful CEO of the Year

Volpi Foods CEO Lorenza Pasetti, MBA 1982, was named Mindful CEO of the Year by the 2024 Mindful Awards Program.

Founded in 1902, Volpi is a family-owned and operated producer of specialty cured meats based in St. Louis. Italian immigrant Giovanni Volpi started the company, which has evolved from a small specialty meat store to a national brand that connects farmers, growers and crafters.

Pasetti, Volpi’s great-niece, is the architect of the company’s Raised Responsibly program, a culmination of work with family farmers, harvesters, meat scientists and academics. Its standards ensure animals have free movement, no gestation crates and no added hormones, according to a press release.

Under Pasetti, Volpi also has converted its entire pre-sliced line to Eco-Pack, which uses 80% less plastic than a standard deli pack. By chopping the ends of their pepperoni and chorizo, Volpi has been able to reduce food waste  and created a new product: Pepperoni & Chorizo Crumbles. Volpi also donates ends of products to local food pantries.

Pasetti grew up in the business, wrapping salami and waiting on customers. She has grown Volpi from a handful of employees to more than 200.

“What an amazing honor to receive this Mindful Award,” Pasetti said in the press release. “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.”

The mission of the Mindful Awards program is to honor “conscious” consumer packaged goods 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.

This year’s program attracted thousands of nominations from companies. An independent panel of experts evaluated the nominations.

“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,” Travis Grant, managing director of the Mindful Awards, said in the release.

This is the third year that Volpi has won a Mindful Award. In 2023, it won Mindful Company of the Year, and in 2022 it received the award for Ready-to-Eat Product of the Year for its pre-sliced line of products.