Tony Bello Named Chief Innovation and Commercialisation Officer at Matna Foods

Raheem Akingbolu

As part of efforts to strengthen its agro-industrial strategy following the recent acquisition of Matna Foods, Cavista Holdings has appointed Dr. Tony Bello as Chief Innovation and Commercialization Officer at Matna Foods Limited.

Dr. Bello is an internationally recognized food scientist and industrial transformation executive with more than three decades of experience across the United States, Europe, Asia, and Africa.
He previously held senior innovation and commercialization roles at global food companies including PepsiCo Frito-Lay, The Kellogg Company, and Kraft (General Foods), where he led major product development initiatives and secured patents in food processing and formulation in both the United States and Europe.
Dr. Bello has also advised international development organizations and public institutions including the UN Development Programme, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, AGRA (formerly the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa), and Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security on agribusiness development and agricultural value chains.
He is widely recognized for pioneering work in advancing cassava as a scalable industrial and food ingredient with strong global market potential.

Commenting on the appointment, Chairman of Cavista Holdings and Agbeyewa Farms, Niyi John Olajide said:
“We are delighted to welcome Dr. Tony Bello to the Cavista Holdings family. He brings world-class scientific expertise and deep commercialization experience that will strengthen our ambition to build globally competitive food businesses from African agriculture. His leadership will help unlock the full potential of cassava and accelerate the transformation of local crops into high-value products that can serve both Nigerian and international markets.”

At Matna Foods, Dr. Bello will lead innovation strategy, product development, and commercialization, with a focus on expanding cassava-based products for both domestic and international markets.
The appointment reflects Cavista Holdings’ continued commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s agricultural value chains and accelerating value addition across the food sector.