Patrice Radden Leaves Red Bull for Califia
Red Bull’s longtime director of corporate communications Patrice Radden left the post she held since 2002 this summer, making the jump to Califia Farms in July. In her new post, Radden serves as the vice president of communications for the company, which markets a variety of coffee, juice and dairy-free milk products.
At Red Bull, Radden helped to build the brand’s U.S. media reach, leading marketing efforts across multiple platforms. In 2016, she took the title of senior director of activations and communications, which she held until her departure in July.
Radden was not immediately available for comment Wednesday.
Soylent’s Executive Shakeup Continues
Following the departure of co-founder and chief technology officer John Coogan this summer, Rosa Foods, maker of Soylent, announced Wednesday that Charath Ranganathan has joined the company with the new title of vice president of technology.
Ranganathan will lead the Soylent’s direct e-commerce business, which paved the path to the brand’s early success with consumer subscription programs, in addition to handling IT management, securities policies, and other tech related responsibilities.
Ranganathan’s previous experience includes time in both the beverage and technology sectors. He most recently served as the vice president of product development at e-commerce wine startup DRINKS, and prior to that was vice president of engineering at Playtika Santa Monica.
“Soylent is an outstanding company, and I am thrilled to join the team at such an important and exciting time in its history,” said Ranganathan in a press release. “The team is working on solutions to some of the world’s most complex issues regarding food insecurity and sustainability, and I look forward to playing a key role as we work to meet the needs of the community we serve.”
Ranganathan officially joins the Soylent team only a week after the company announced the addition of Melody Conner in the newly created position of vice president of sales. Conner’s previously served as executive vice president of DRY Soda Co. where she developed North America growth strategies, helping to quadruple revenue for the Washington-based craft soda maker in just under three years.
Conner was also an early member of the CytoSport sales team, where she helped build the nascent Muscle Milk brand to $450 million in sales.
“We are embarking on an aggressive mission to provide better and more sustainable nutrition, and we needed a growth-minded and creative sales executive that shared our core values to help us bring our brand to stores across North America,” said Soylent President Bryan Crowley in a press release. “Melody is a consummate sales executive who has the led the charge on exceptional brands throughout her esteemed career, and we are thrilled to have her on the team.”
Amy’s Kitchen President Joins Lavit Board
Xavier Unkovic, president of Amy’s Kitchen and former Mars Drinks Global president, has joined the board of directors of Lavit, LLC, which has developed a disruptive water cooler in an effort to challenge the bottling industry.
Currently focused on on-premise sales, Lavit uses recyclable pods to produce flavored still and sparkling waters instantly. Lavit’s board also includes former Keurig head of sales and marketing Chris Stevens.
“Lavit is the real deal in the cold single-serve beverage space,” said Unkovic in a press release. “I welcomed this Board appointment because the company has only scratched the surface of its potential. I look forward to collaborating with Lavit management and supporting the company’s development and planning efforts.”