Chelten House Products, a family-owned food manufacturer with more than 80 years of history, has named Jason Dabrow CEO, ushering in the company’s fourth generation of family leadership. His father, Steve Dabrow, will continue as chairman.
The planned transition comes as the Swedesboro, New Jersey-based company builds on its position as a manufacturer of premium and organic private label sauces and dressings, employing more than 500 people and operating more than 500,000 square feet of production and warehousing space. Chelten House develops, manufactures and distributes custom recipes nationwide for grocery retailers and restaurant brands, with products sold in more than 30,000 U.S. stores, all under its customers’ own brand names.
Jason Dabrow steps into the CEO role after serving as president and COO since 2020, a period in which the company grew more than 50 percent. He first joined the family business more than 20 years ago, beginning his career on the plant floor, and has held leadership responsibility across manufacturing, supply chain, quality, sales and people operations, including leading the build and launch of the company’s first major expansion, a greenfield operation in Nevada.
“My father’s leadership shaped Chelten House into the company it is today and instilled in us a mindset to run through walls for our customers while building our quality reputation one day at a time,” Jason Dabrow said. “As CEO, my focus will be on building on that foundation by continuing to invest in our people, expanding our culinary and manufacturing capabilities, reaching new levels of operational and supply chain excellence, and helping our customers respond to changing consumer tastes.”
Evolution based on vision
Founded by Martin Dabrow in the 1940s and later led by Alan and Steve Dabrow, Chelten House evolved from a food distributor into a manufacturer before entering organic foods in the 1980s, ahead of the broader market. That early move helped forge partnerships with many of the country’s leading natural grocers as they emerged, relationships that remain among the company’s strongest today.
“Chelten House has always been built for the long term, and this transition reflects that same thoughtful approach,” Steve Dabrow said. “Jason has spent his career learning every dimension of the business, earning the trust of our employees and customers and helping lead the company through a period of remarkable growth. He understands the values that have sustained Chelten House across four generations, and he has the vision and discipline to guide its next chapter.”
Sorensen named COO
The company also appointed Chris Sorensen as chief operations officer. Sorensen, who has spent a decade in senior operational leadership at Chelten House following an executive role at a publicly traded decorative packaging company, will lead manufacturing, quality and warehouse functions.