Joan Menke-Schaenzer
Chief Quality Officer
Van Drunen Farms

Joan Menke-Schaenzer serves as Chief Quality Officer at Van Drunen Farms and FutureCeuticals, where she leads quality and food safety efforts across a diverse portfolio from organic and conventional vegetable and herb operations to nutraceutical ingredients used in functional foods, cosmetics, and dietary supplements. She also champions the company’s sustainability initiatives, helping shape a more responsible future for the industry.

With a career spanning manufacturing, food service, and retail, Joan has served as a passionate advocate for safety and compliance across the food system. Her leadership journey includes roles such as:


• Vice President, Safety & Compliance, Global Supply Chain & Sustainability at McDonald’s
• Chief Global Quality Officer at ConAgra Foods
• Vice President of Food Safety & Security at Walmart
• Vice President of Quality at Kraft Foods North America

Joan currently serves on the NSF International Board of Directors and has previously contributed her expertise to the FDA Food Advisory Committee and the CDC’s FSMA Implementation Working Group.

She holds a Bachelor of Science in Food Science from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Joan is married with two children and one grandchild, and finds joy in sailing, fishing, and yoga on the beach.