Owl’s Brew Expands Leadership Team as Business Growth Accelerates

New York — Owl’s Brew, makers of Owl’s Brew Boozy Teas and Owl’s Brew Cocktail Mixers, announced today the appointment of two industry veterans to its leadership team.  Rick Roth joins the firm as the company’s Chief Strategy Officer, and Eric Franco as its new Vice President of Sales. Together, with co-founders Jennie Ripps and Maria Littlefield, Roth and Franco will help guide the rapid growth of Owl’s Brew’s business at a time when the hard seltzer category is experiencing dramatic expansion.

Ripps and Littlefield founded Owl’s Brew believing that consumers deserved better beverage options for their social occasions – delicious drinks crafted with care, transparency and real ingredients.  They believe that we should all be able to fully celebrate our social occasions without worrying about what we are drinking.

Earlier this year, the brand launched its newest product, Boozy Tea, a line of hard tea seltzers, made from unique blends of fresh brewed organic tea and botanicals and 100% real ingredients.

According to the co-founders, “the brand, and category as a whole, is seeing considerable growth with a constant flow of new entries. In just 8 months, our case sales into retailers has grown 450%.  We’re excited to work alongside Rick and Eric.  Each bring invaluable expertise from their respective fields and will help accelerate our growth.”

Roth joins Owl’s Brew with decades of advertising and marketing experience. He has overseen communications for brands across many categories of business, particularly beverages and beer. A veteran of Ogilvy & Mather, he served as Worldwide Managing Director, President of Ogilvy Los Angeles, member of the Ogilvy Worldwide Board of Directors and Global CEO of OgilvyAction.  Following Ogilvy, Rick founded Roth Partners, a boutique brand advisory firm. He’s most recently been engaged with private equity, focused on accelerating the growth of purposeful business, and serves as on the Advisory Boards of several organizations. “It’s not every day one gets the chance to help build a brand that genuinely deserves to challenge the beverage market. Owl’s Brew is that brand. We have enormous opportunity and I’m delighted to be joining Jennie Ripps and Maria Littlefield in their mission,” Roth said.

Eric Franco was formerly the Senior Director of U.S. Business and Chain Development (2015-2019) at Founders Brewing, where he developed Founders’ chain organization and business-model while also leading and driving some of the strongest growth seen in the Craft Industry during his tenure.  After Founders, Eric was the CCO of RAYO. Eric worked for 12+ years with MillerCoors/SABMiller in multiple leadership roles both Domestically and Internationally. “I’m very pleased to join the Owl’s Brew team. I am excited about the quality of the brand, the differentiation we bring to the segment and the solutions our brand will represent to retailers across the country. Owl’s brew is leading an evolution in the RTD category and I am proud to represent Jennie and Maria’s brand and vision” said Franco.

For more information, please contact:

Courtney Dolan
courtney@thedfm.com
917.951.9027