Jones Soda Names Eric Chastain President of New Beverage Division
Longtime Jones Soda Co. COO Eric Chastain has been promoted to the role of president of the newly formed Jones Soda Beverage Division.
According to a press release, the position was created as the company restructures its operations to prepare to launch cannabis-infused beverages and edibles.
Chastain, who has been with the company since 2001 and in the COO role since 2014, will now be in charge of the core Jones beverage portfolio, including “running all operations, supervising all functional areas, and executing the three-year strategic plan adopted last year for the craft soda side of the business.” Chastain will also aid the newly formed Jones Cannabis Division in tapping the company’s brand equity to create synergies across product lines.
“Eric has been involved in every aspect of our craft soda business for 20 years, from the smallest operational detail to management of key house accounts and implementation of strategic growth initiatives,” said Mark Murray, president and CEO of Jones Soda, in the release. “With his long experience and deep knowledge of the brand, I am fully confident that our new Jones Soda Beverage Division will thrive under his leadership.”
The move signals a significant shift in the publicly traded company’s corporate structure as it charges forward with its expansion in the cannabis industry. In 2019, cannabis investment firm SOL Global took a minority stake in Jones and earlier this year the company acquired Canadian reporting issuer Pinestar Gold Inc. According to Murray, Pinestar will play a pivotal role in facilitating the brand’s production of cannabis products, which will also include flower and vapes.
Speaking to BevNET in September, Murray said the company expects to begin production by the end of the year.
Golden Grail Technology Hires Industry Veteran Erin Heit
Golden Grail Technology Corp. announced this week that it has hired Erin Heit, a beverage industry veteran who has held roles at Glaceau Vitaminwater and CELSIUS, to help develop its growing brand portfolio,
Based in Florida, Golden Grail is a new portfolio company focused on acquiring brands in emerging beverage categories “that need fiscally responsible new management.” In September, the company acquired licensing agreements for energy drink brand Spider Energy and in October established a beverage advisory board.
According to a press release, Heit will aid Golden Grail in developing a strategic marketing strategy to support trade, consumers, and investors.” Her official title was not announced.
According to LinkedIn, Heit has served as VP of business development for California-based shot brand Qurb since 2016 and is also the founder and principal of 3 Rings Marketing. She began her beverage career around 2000 as part of the marketing and communications team at Glaceau Vitaminwater and later held positions at Fuze and CELSIUS, where she served as VP of marketing from 2007 to 2008.
“It is time beverage innovation is focused on the business of beverage, not just the brands,” Heit said in the release. “I have seen too many great brands fail due to poor management. Golden Grail has a unique business model to identify and acquire those brands and manage their portfolio with more financial responsibility, which ultimately is the only way any beverage brand can survive. I am looking forward to help recognize emerging categories and advancing the brands with my extensive distribution network and 20 years experience in consumer, trade and investor marketing.”
Flow Beverage Corp. Announces Leadership Shakeup
Alkaline water company Flow Beverage Corp. announced the exit this week of president and COO David Mock amid a restructuring of the brand’s leadership team. His departure comes alongside the promotion of Kevin Helfand to chief legal and human resources officer and the appointment of former Campbell Soup Company director Adrian Ross as SVP of operations.
In a press release, the publicly traded company said it had eliminated Mock’s position as a way to streamline its corporate structure.
“Flow continues to implement a more streamlined and simplified structure to execute on its profitable growth plans,” said Flow CEO Maurizio Patarnello. “This reorganization will empower decision making, reduce management layers, streamline communication and allow Flow to better execute its 2022 strategic framework. We would like to thank David Mock for his leadership and strong commitment to Flow.”
Mock came to the company in 2019 and previously held c-suite roles at The Vitamin Shoppe and Earth Fare.
According to the release, the executive leadership team at Flow now consists of Patarnello, Helfand. CFO Devan Pennell, CMO Krissie Millan, chief revenue officer Tim Dwyer.
Seth Teply Named President and CEO of Tetra Pak U.S. and Canada
Tetra Pak announced this month that Seth Teply has been named president and CEO of Tetra Pak U.S. and Canada.
A 20-year veteran of the company, Teply joined Tetra Pak in 2001 as an engineering intern, officially joining the packaging manufacturer as a process automation engineer in 2003. He later held positions in sales, improvement and training services, and most recently served as VP of services.
“I am thrilled to lead our U.S. and Canada business as we continue to drive innovative solutions in food processing and packaging and deliver transformative change on our journey to create the world’s most sustainable food package,” Reply said in a press release.