Health-Ade’s Justin Trout Exits, David Yarmoff Named COO
Health-Ade Kombucha co-founder and longtime COO Justin Trout has left the company. The California-based kombucha brand announced his departure this week as newly appointed COO David Yarmoff slides into the role.
In a statement sent to BevNET, Trout — who co-founded Health-Ade in 2012 alongside his wife Daina Trout and friend Vanessa Dew — called his time with the company “an honor and an adventure” but said he had decided to step aside to “make time for my other passions.”
“While I am moving on, I do it with confidence knowing that Health-Ade remains in the very capable hands and under the leadership of Health-Ade’s CEO Jack Belsito, and newly appointed Chief Operations Officer, David Yarmoff,” Trout said in the statement. “It has been a privilege to be part of the journey that brought Health-Ade from the farmers’ market to almost 50,000 retail doors. In all that we’ve accomplished, what I cherish most is the time spent working alongside the incredible individuals that have made Health-Ade the vibrant brand and product that it is today. I’ll continue to cheer on the Bubbly Team from the sidelines.”
Trout’s departure is part of a leadership shakeup at the company, with former CEO Daina Trout moving into the role of Chief Mission Officer in August and giving way for investor Jack Belsito — a partner at First Bev and former VOSS CEO — assumed the chief executive position. That month, private equity fund First Bev took a controlling stake in the company, buying out stakes held by The Coca-Cola Company and CAVU Venture Partners.
Yarmoff now joins Health-Ade as it aims to significantly scale operations while Belsito is tasked with leading a new chapter of growth for the brand. Daina Trout told BevNET in August that the company is eyeing international expansion and working to transition Health-Ade into a platform brand, with M&A opportunities being considered as a way to bring new brands into its portfolio.
Yarmoff brings with him over two decades of operations and supply chain experience, having held multiple leadership roles at food and beverage companies. He most recently served as senior VP of operations for Cholula Food Company and previously worked at Apple & Eve, The Switch Beverage Group, Cadbury Schweppes and Snapple Beverage Group.
In an email to BevNET, Yarmoff said he is currently working to have a “complete understanding” of Health-Ade’s business and will spend much of his early time with the brand meeting teammates, but added that he is “privy to some long-range strategic thinking” that will help support the brand’s growth strategy.
“Joining Health-Ade was an easy decision,” Yarmoff told BevNET. “The brand is shining in a category that is experiencing sustained growth, and the team has identified many long-term avenues to even greater growth. I’ve had some spectacular brand and company experiences in the past and I’m looking forward to replicating that at Health-Ade and honored to be a part of this next exciting chapter.”
Sproud Names Sara Berger as Global CEO
Swedish plant-based milk maker Sproud named Sara Berger as its new Global CEO this week. Berger, a veteran of the food and beverage industry in Sweden, assumes the role from co-founder Maria Tegman, who will remain with the brand as its marketing director.
Berger brings over 20 years of experience to the startup company, having most recently served as CEO of SydGrönt, a Swedish fresh produce supplier, and has previously held senior positions at Unilever and 7-Eleven. She joins the four-year old company as it works to expand its presence in the U.S. market where it launched in 2020.
“Sara’s vast experience in fast-moving consumer goods combined with her knowledge about the food industry and passion surrounding the sustainability movement makes her a perfect fit to lead Sproud,” said Tegman in a press release. “We are confident she will help Sproud become the world’s leading pea-forward dairy company.”
Sproud produces a line of plant-based milks made from yellow split pea protein and has quickly emerged as one of several European dairy alternative brands (alongside fellow Swedish company Oatly and the U.K.’s Minor Figures) working to establish itself in the U.S. In January, Sproud closed a $6.5 million capital raise led by VGC Partners and in May the company named Bill Lange, who has held positions at Zico and KeVita, as its General Manager for North America.
In an email to BevNET, Berger said she plans to focus on building the brand’s awareness in the U.S. and increasing distribution. As the plant-based milk category continues to grow, she said the company hopes to see non-dairy products “own 50% of the milk market in the next 10 years.” As it seeks to raise recognition with American consumers, Sproud is now launching a new multi-facted marketing campaign built around the message “Born in Sweden. Tasty as ***k,” (‘***k’ meaning ‘milk’ in this case).
“At the root of it all, I, and all of Sproud, are both committed to making a positive change in the world,” Berger said via email. “We are proud to make a delicious plant-based product that tastes really good with as little a carbon footprint as possible. Working for Sproud was a very easy choice as I want to be with a company that is sincere and honest when it comes to making the planet a better place.”