Waterloo Names Three New Hires as the Brand Shifts Focus
As Austin, Texas-based sparkling water brand Waterloo turns its focus to e-commerce and alternative channels, it has announced the addition of three new members to its team: Adam Kost, VP of marketing, Nate Bernstein, VP of alternate channels and Darin Lee, director of shopper marketing and e-commerce.
Bernstein joins the Waterloo team after serving as VP of alternate channels at Amplify Snack Brands and will focus on expanding the brand’s presence in “away-from-home” channels. Lee, who worked with emerging food and beverage brands such as Beyond Meat and Caulipower during his time at News America Marketing, will work to increase brand awareness through the brand’s shopper marketing and e-commerce divisions.
For Kost, Waterloo marks his first venture into the non-alcoholic beverage space after previously serving as VP of marketing at alcoholic beverage portfolio company Milestone Brands. In his new role, Kost will lead Waterloo’s marketing, e-commerce and innovation. According to Kost, his time in the alcoholic beverage space taught him the importance of a product delivering a “unique value proposition” as something that easily fits into a consumer’s lifestyle.
“Being on the spirit side, we started seeing larger movement toward healthier drinking, both out of alcoholic and non-alcoholic,” he said. “I got approached by Waterloo to join the team and I thought it was the perfect time to join a brand that I loved and was also executing on consumer trends that are really driving growth in that category for the future.”
Kost said he joined the brand in March just as shelter-in-place orders began going into effect, with Waterloo closing its offices on his first day of work. Amid changing consumer behaviors over the last two months, Kost said he’s been working to capitalize on the brand’s e-commerce business on platforms such as Instacart and Amazon. Due to these shifting shopping behaviors during pandemic, he said the Waterloo team believes “there’s going to be a much bigger omni-channel opportunity for CPG brands like ours.”
“You tend to learn a lot more during challenges than you do during the easy times,” he said.
Though marketing partnerships with companies such as Austin-based concert and event producer C3 have been affected by the pandemic, Kost said the brand will still work to be a part of “digital concert ecosystems.” Going into summer, the brand aims to connect with consumers digitally through contests and other “socially engaging activities.” Kost has also been working with Waterloo’s events team on efforts to give back, as the brand has donated approximately 250,000 cans to organizations and food banks locally and in cities like New York and Chicago.
“We’re really trying to show we’re all going through this with consumers,” he said. “We’re really trying to take an empathetic approach to how we market and also how we can have fun in this challenging environment.”
The Alkaline Water Company Names Director of Operations
The Alkaline Water Company announced last week the addition of Nicholas Salimbene as director of operations. In this role, Salimbene will oversee the brand’s co-packing facilities and support expansion into new channels such as foodservice and hospitality along with “innovative packaging initiatives,” for its Alkaline 88 and Alkaline Infused line, according to a press release.
Prior to this role, Salimbene held several leadership positions across several manufacturing companies including bottled water manufacturers Ice River Springs Water Co. and Primo Water Corporation.
“Nick is a seasoned supply chain veteran that brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to our growing team,” said president and CEO Richard Wright in a press release. “With strong demand for our products, which are driving record revenues, it is essential to have a leader with Nick’s experience driving our strategic goals and objectives.”
Regatta Craft Mixers Adds to Marketing and Sales Teams
Premium mixer brand Regatta Craft Mixers announced today it has added four new members to its sales and marketing departments: Jay Li, marketing director; Max Shlansky, national sales manager liquor channel; Julie Zarou, field marketing manager; and Sean Chalker, area sales manager for the Southeast region.
Li previously worked with Anheuser-Busch InBev as senior associate brand manager working with craft and imported beer brands including Hoegaarden, Shock Top and Cerveza Patagonia. Shlansky was formerly on the sales team for Abita Brewing Company, where he managed distribution and worked with wholesalers in New York and New Jersey. Zarou joins with experienced managing events at The Institute of Culinary Education while Chalker has been promoted from a sales coordinator role.
“We are thrilled to welcome these amazing and accomplished professionals to the Regatta Craft Mixers team,” Regatta CEO Sam Zarou said in a press release. “Each brings their own mix of enthusiasm, determination and unique skills to the table as we work our way through this unprecedented time and create the framework for success that will extend well into the future.”
Alan Murray Named Chairman of the Board at Sambazon
Alan Murray has taken on the role of chairman of the board at açaí food and beverage company Sambazon after joining the board in 2015. Murray stepped down as CEO of probiotic snack and drinker maker Goodbelly in late December after assuming the role in 2011, and was previously CEO of Tetra Pak North America. In December, Murray told NOSH that after stepping down from Goodbelly, he planned to continue his work with “public and private equity sponsored companies in the natural foods space.”
Brian Pear Joins PUSH Agency as CMO
Brian Pear has been named CMO at PUSH Agency, a promotional event staffing agency for beverage brands. Pear will lead business strategy at PUSH Agency, which works with beverage brands such as Celsius, LaCroix and Glanbia. Pear, former CEO of Balance Water Company, was most recently president of Nevada-based spirits distributor Good Spirits Distributing and has also held positions at The Coca-Cola Company and Nestlé USA.