Laurette Rondenet

CEO & Owner

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Laurette is the CEO and Owner of Edlong. Under her leadership, Edlong has experienced unprecedented growth in the highly competitive flavors category by honing the company’s focus in on the taste of dairy. She has also fearlessly led the company to receive multiple Best Places to Work awards, both regionally and nationally, through her passion for making sure that every employee has a voice in our company’s work and future.

The Edlong core mission, “To enrich the lives of everyone we touch,” is seen in action every day through the foods and beverages that benefit from using Edlong flavor solutions, and the positive impact our organization has on the communities we serve.

Laurette leads the organization with a commitment to nurturing long-term, integrated relationships with both customers and employees which brings value to food and beverage industry brands large and small through innovative solutions and attentive service that truly differentiates Edlong. She is widely recognized as an exceptional leader who is passionate about bringing people together through the shared experience of delicious foods and beverages.

With a Bachelor of Science in Food and Nutrition from Purdue University, she began her career in consumer affairs with the Ball Corporation followed by positions with several food manufacturers prior to joining Edlong.

In 1993, she heeded the call to join her family business and started her journey at Edlong through customer service and sales positions followed by leadership roles that expanded her experience across multiple functions. She was named President in 2001 and, subsequently, CEO in 2008.

As a F&B industry leader, Laurette is an active member of the:

• Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association (FEMA), VP Board of Governors
• President’s Forum
• Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC)
• Culinary Institute of America (CIA), Society of Fellows
• International Women’s Forum (IWF)
• National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO), Recipient of the NAWBO Chicago’s Woman Business Owner of the Year Award
• Female Strong, YEA! Chicago
• Chicagoland Food and Beverage Network
• University of Illinois at Chicago’s (UIC) Chicago Area Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame
• EY Entrepreneur of the Year, Midwest Regional Finalist

Owning Your Legacy | The Laurette Rondenet Brand

After launching her new brand in March of 2022, Laurette’s glow as a beacon of light for future leaders has grown to reach beyond our industry. From her podcast on leadership calling future leaders to own their legacy to her inspiring and engaging posts on LinkedIn and Instagram that are building a community of like-minded professionals, she is truly kicking down doors. Make sure follow Laurette for more because she’s just getting started!

Owning Your Legacy Podcast