Health-Ade has named former PepsiCo executive Chris Lansing as its permanent CEO as co-founders Daina Trout and Vanessa Dew prepare to step away from the kombucha company early next year.
In a statement today, the California-based brand highlighted Lansing’s achievements in the food and beverage industry, including leadership positions at Procter & Gamble and Hershey’s, as well as “smaller, high-growth, mission-driven brands” such as Nature’s Bakery.
Lansing’s career also includes nearly five years as CMO at Peet’s Coffee and seven years in various VP and general manager roles at PepsiCo where she oversaw brands such as Naked Juice and IZZE. She also helped to identify and lead PepsiCo’s minority investment in, and eventual acquisition of, sparkling probiotic drink and kombucha brand KeVita.
“I am delighted to be joining the Health-Ade team as we continue our journey as the foremost gut-health beverage brand,” Lansing said in a statement. “Health-Ade is focused on an important and growing consumer need, enjoys the strongest category growth and is much-loved by consumers. At the heart of our success is the amazing culture and winning team spirit that will continue to keep Health-Ade a phenomenal place to be.”
Lansing joined Health-Ade last month and will work with founders Trout and Dew over the course of Q1 to “ensure a smooth transition.”
Last year, private equity group First Bev – a longtime investor in the company – took a controlling stake in Health-Ade, partnering with investment group Manna Tree Partners to buy out the stakes previously owned by The Coca-Cola Company and CAVU Venture Partners. Trout, who had served as the brand’s CEO since its founding in 2012, moved into the newly created role of Chief Mission Officer, handing the chief executive title over to First Bev partner Jack Belsito.
In September, Dew, previously the brand’s chief sales officer, was announced as interim CEO following Belsito’s departure this summer.
The announcement comes a little more than a year after co-founder and former COO Justin Trout left the company.
In a statement sent to BevNET, Trout, BevNET’s 2019 Person of the Year, said she and Dew have opted to leave the brand to focus on other ventures and backed Lansing as the right leader to take the reins.
“Vanessa and I have been living and breathing Health-Ade for more than a decade,” Trout said. “After careful consideration and seeing the incredible track record that Chris brings to Health-Ade, we have the confidence to know that our baby is in the right hands and that now was the time to step away. Health-Ade will always be very close to our hearts, and we plan to stay involved however the team needs us. We will always be the founders.”
After she leaves this spring, Trout said she intends to “enjoy some free time for the first time in a while” before exploring new entrepreneurial opportunities. She will continue to “stay closely connected” with the Health-Ade team and will “advise, mentor and sit on boards in the better-for-you CPG space.”
Dew is currently an investor in and advisor for a number of CPG startup brands, including Fly By Jing, Partake Foods, Ghia, Haven’s Kitchen and Nguyen Coffee, and intends to focus on mentoring women and Asian-American owned brands, including work with nonprofit group Gold House.
Last year, Health-Ade debuted refreshed packaging with a focus on mainstreaming its message around gut health. The kombucha brand has continued to grow its presence in retail, with dollar sales up 23.5% to $105.2 million in the 52-weeks ending October 2, according to IRI.