SUMMER 2020 | JUNE 10+11 | NYC
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OWYN and Halen Brands on Dialing In Brand and Channel



According to Mark Olivieri, president of plant-based protein brand OWYN, the best brands all have one thing in common: great storytelling. Brands shouldn’t be in the business of simply solving problems -- there will always be someone who can do it better and faster -- but instead must zero in on a “social mission with an opposition.”

In this video recorded at BevNET Live Winter 2019 in Santa Monica, California, Olivieri and Jason Cohen, founder and co-CEO of Halen Brands, which acquired OWYN in 2017, discuss how a brand can create not just a transaction, but a movement. The two also discuss bringing new consumers into the protein beverage category, scaling OWYN with a data-based approach and why brands shouldn’t be afraid to have enemies.

Beverage Industry All-Stars Have Spoken at BevNET Live

  • Mark Olivieri, President, OWYN - POSTPONED - BevNET Live Summer 2020

    Mark Olivieri

    President, OWYN

  • Jason Cohen, Founder/Co-CEO, Halen Brands - POSTPONED - BevNET Live Summer 2020

    Jason Cohen

    Founder/Co-CEO, Halen Brands

    Jason Cohen, Founder/Co-CEO, Halen Brands - POSTPONED - BevNET Live Summer 2020

    Jason Cohen

    Founder/Co-CEO, Halen Brands

    Jason Cohen, Founder/Co-CEO, grew up in Northern NJ where his parents were prodigies of immigrant parents that came over to America seeking refuge. Jason attended the University of Maryland at College Park where he earned a BS in Marketing and Minor Finance. After college Jason went on to work for Northwestern Mutual Life where he quickly became one of the top producing insurance salesmen in the country. Utilizing his interpersonal skills Jason networked with his clients in effort to find his true passion. Eventually leading him to create a better way to eat without sacrificing taste and style. In 1999 Jason founded Mamma Says, a food manufacturing company that produced biscotti and cookies in a plant he built in upstate NY with the money he saved from his insurance sales. Working insurance by night and plant by day... In a few years, the company was able to establish a national brand where Jason partnered with Kellogg’s to grow the brand even further.. In 2005, the business was sold to NONNIS Inc., a portfolio brand of Windpoint Partners for 4x revenue. In 2005, Jason co-founded World Gourmet Marketing, creating better-for-you snacks under the flagship brand Sensible Portions, which included snacks such as Nationally recognized Veggie Straws,.. Under his management, the company achieved double-digit growth and became one of the fastest rising snack food industry purveyors. The company grew to just under $100MM in 4yrs. In 2010, World Sensible Portions brand sold for $110MM to The Hain Celestial Group, one of the leading providers of organic and natural foods. While at Hain Celestial, Jason served as President of the Club and Snack Division. In 2011, Jason founded Rickland Orchards, the first shelf stable Greek yogurt brand. In October 2013, after sales soared to $50 million in just 18 months, the company was sold for $57.5 million to B&G Foods, a public company. In 2013, Jason partnered with the founders of SkinnyPop Popcorn an early stage better for you play on popcorn. In 2014, Jason received the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award in the Excellence in Emerging category in the New Jersey region. in 2015 after enormous success SkinnyPop went public for 1.4 billion in shareholder value through Goldman Sachs and was recently acquired by Hershey’s. In January 2015, Jason co-founded Halen Brands, Inc., which quickly funded Chef’s Cut Real Jerky a premium jerky brand in March 2015. In July 2015 Halen Brands, Inc partnered with Core and most recently acquired OWYN. Which stands for ONLY WHAT YOU NEED. A simple clean approach to plant-based protein without compromising taste or style. In 2015 Jason and his wife Jamie created an Entrepreneurship Endowment at the University of Maryland to assist the Dingman Center of Entrepreneurship at the University of Maryland. In 2017 Jason was nominated to the University of MD Smith School Advisory Board and Mass Eye & Ear Advisory Board. In addition, Jason set up a foundation for Traumatic Brain Injury & Concussion Research at the University of Miami in 2017. In 2018 CORE HYDRATION, one of Halen Brands' strategic investments, sold to Keurig Dr. Pepper for $525mm In 2018 Halen Brands launched REAL FOOD FROM THE GROUND UP, utilizing cauliflower as its main ingredients to create a full line of snacks, crackers and chips. In 2019 Jason was nominated to University of Maryland Board of Trustees Jason currently resides in Northern NJ with his wife Jamie and two beautiful daughters Jordan and Hailey.

  • GT Dave, Founder & CEO, GT’s Living Foods - POSTPONED - BevNET Live Summer 2020

    GT Dave

    Founder & CEO, GT’s Living Foods

    GT Dave, Founder & CEO, GT’s Living Foods - POSTPONED - BevNET Live Summer 2020

    GT Dave

    Founder & CEO, GT’s Living Foods

    GT Dave is the category creator of the Kombucha industry with his line of #1 selling products known as GT's Kombucha & Synergy. Over 20 years ago while he was barely a teenager, GT started brewing and bottling his authentic organic raw Kombucha in his parent's kitchen in Los Angeles.  Since then, he has expanded his company's portfolio beyond Kombucha and has once again become a pioneer of cutting-edge wellness offerings including non-dairy kefirs, non-dairy raw coconut yogurts, probiotic shots, adaptogenic teas, and much more.   GT continues to be the creative and visionary force behind all of GT's Living Foods while allowing the company to remain family-owned and operated. 

  • Kara Goldin, Founder & CEO, Hint Inc. - POSTPONED - BevNET Live Summer 2020

    Kara Goldin

    Founder & CEO, Hint Inc.

  • Katie Paul, VP, Category Management & Growth Solutions, KeHE Distributors - POSTPONED - BevNET Live Summer 2020

    Katie Paul

    VP, Category Management & Growth Solutions, KeHE Distributors

    Katie Paul, VP, Category Management & Growth Solutions, KeHE Distributors - POSTPONED - BevNET Live Summer 2020

    Katie Paul

    VP, Category Management & Growth Solutions, KeHE Distributors

    Katie is currently Vice President, Category Management & Growth Solutions at KeHE Distributors, where she develops supplier and retailer category management solutions based on analytics, consumer insights, and category trends. Katie has been serving at KeHE for ten years and has held positions in Analytics, Pricing, Integration, Category Management, and Smart Growth Solutions. Katie received her Bachelor of Business Administration in Food & Consumer Packaged Goods Marketing from Western Michigan University. In 2015, Katie was named one of Griffin Report’s Food Marketing “40 Under 40” in 2015. She received her EMBA degree in Food Marketing at Saint Joseph’s University in June 2017 and is currently applying that knowledge back into the industry.

  • Tom First, Founder, TF Ventures - POSTPONED - BevNET Live Summer 2020

    Tom First

    Founder, TF Ventures

  • Sarah Alderson, Divisional Merchandise Manager, Chilled Packaged Goods, Walmart - POSTPONED - BevNET Live Summer 2020

    Sarah Alderson

    Divisional Merchandise Manager, Chilled Packaged Goods, Walmart

    Sarah Alderson, Divisional Merchandise Manager, Chilled Packaged Goods, Walmart - POSTPONED - BevNET Live Summer 2020

    Sarah Alderson

    Divisional Merchandise Manager, Chilled Packaged Goods, Walmart

    Sarah has spent the last 10 years in the food business at Walmart. During this time she has held roles in private brands, sustainability as well as various buying roles in merchandising. She’s currently leading the refrigerated buying teams to cultivate a new shopping experience. She is passionate about growing American entrepreneurs and creating new models for growth.

  • Greg Steltenpohl, Co-Founder & CEO, Califia Farms - POSTPONED - BevNET Live Summer 2020

    Greg Steltenpohl

    Co-Founder & CEO, Califia Farms

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Next Event: BevNET Live Summer 2020 in NYC

The next BevNET Live conference takes place at the Metropolitan West on June 10 and 11 in New York City. More than 800 beverage industry founder and executives will come together to discover what's next for the industry and move their businesses forward. Plan ahead and secure your seat at the two-day conference. Early registration savings of $200 per ticket ends May 1st.

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