EMERYVILLE, Calif. & SAN RAFAEL, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Former PepsiCo and Diageo executive Sheila Stanziale has been appointed chief executive officer of Mighty Leaf Tea. Stanziale, a 20-year premium beverage brand and foodservice executive, will lead the overall Mighty Leaf Tea business which will continue to operate as a stand-alone company owned by Peet’s Coffee and Next World Group, a privately-held investment firm.
“Mighty Leaf Tea is an exceptional brand, and I’m a long-time fan of the company’s dedicated passion to crafting the finest quality teas from around the world,” said Sheila Stanziale, chief executive officer of Mighty Leaf Tea. “It’s an honor to join Mighty Leaf’s talented team and work with them to further build upon the brand’s great success and momentum in the specialty tea category.”
Stanziale brings to the position 20 years of foodservice and premium beverage brand experience with various senior leadership positions at Nabisco, General Mills, Kraft, PepsiCo, Diageo-Guinness USA, and most recently as president and general manager of organic category leader Hain-Celestial. As CEO of Mighty Leaf Tea, Stanziale will have responsibility for the company’s global business with all functions reporting to her. Also, Stanziale will serve on and report to Mighty Leaf Tea’s board of directors comprised of executives from both Peet’s Coffee and Next World Group.
“Sheila is an accomplished executive in the premium beverage and foodservice industries, and we’re proud to have her on board as Mighty Leaf’s new CEO,” said Dave Burwick, president and CEO of Peet’s Coffee. “With her strong leadership background at some of the world’s largest iconic beverage brands, we know she’s the right person to lead the way for Mighty Leaf’s continued growth and acceleration over the next several years.”
“Mighty Leaf’s successful heritage is in the foodservice channel, and we’re fortunate to have many loyal distributors here in the U.S and globally. Our distributors will have an even greater opportunity to build our mutual businesses with the addition of Peet’s special tea varieties within the greater Mighty Leaf Tea portfolio,” Stanziale added.
Mighty Leaf Tea Debuting in Peet’s Stores + New Products
Beginning this month and throughout the summer, Mighty Leaf’s hot, iced, and bagged teas will be available at all Peet’s retail locations. Also, Mighty Leaf will rollout a series of new tea products over the next few months starting with four 15 count packaged teas ($8.95/per box), available today (April 22), in all Peet’s retail stores, wholesale channels and major grocery stores, including:
- Green Tea Tropical – smooth green tea leaves blended with tropical fruit notes.
- Chamomile Citrus – sweet, apple-like chamomile with a citrus finish.
- Organic Breakfast – robust, malty blend of organic black teas.
- Organic African Nectar – rich organic rooibos with tropical flavors.
Mighty Leaf Tea will announce more new products and beverages in the coming months.
ABOUT MIGHTY LEAF TEA
Based in San Rafael, CA, Mighty Leaf blends a broad range of artisan specialty teas from the finest ingredients from around the world and distributes its brand primarily through specialty retailers, high-end restaurants and premier hotels and resorts across North America and globally. Its proprietary handcrafted manufacturing process and its distinctive packaging combine to make it a key premium brand with a strong affinity among loyal consumers. The company’s superior customer services and comprehensive customer support programs make Mighty Leaf a one-stop solution for retailers, food services distributors and hospitality providers. For more information about Mighty Leaf Tea, visitwww.mightyleaf.com. Connect on Facebook at facebook.com/mightyleaftea, on Twitter attwitter.com/mightyleaf, and on Instagram at instagram.com/mightyleaftea.
ABOUT NEXT WORLD GROUP
Next World Group is a privately held, global investment firm focused on building great brands over the long-term. Our passion is for enduring brands that have emotional content driven by their authenticity and unique story. To our partners, we bring hands-on consumer retail experience as well as financial resources needed to support growth over decades. Next World Group is based in San Francisco with offices in London, Brussels and Paris. For more information, please visit www.nextworldgroup.com.
ABOUT PEET’S COFFEE
Peet’s Coffee is a U.S. specialty coffee company founded by Alfred Peet in 1966 in Berkeley, CA. By 1969, Peet’s Coffee in Berkeley became a gathering place for coffee devotees (known as ‘Peetniks’) and other artisan food crafters, and the area soon became known as ‘The Gourmet Ghetto.’ Alfred Peet’s influence of the artisan coffee movement inspired a new generation of coffee entrepreneurs, including the founders of Starbucks. Today, Peet’s Coffee upholds its commitment to high quality and freshness by sourcing the world’s best beans, roasting in small batches, and maintaining a strict standard of freshness through its unique direct store delivery network. Peet’s continues to grow its business through its retail, grocery and e-commerce channels while maintaining the premium quality of its coffee. Peet’s is a private business owned by JAB Holding Co. For more information visitwww.peets.com. Connect on Facebook at facebook.com/peets, Twitter at twitter.com/peets_tweetsand Instagram at instagram.com/peetscoffee.