NOSH Notables 2023
NOSH Notables 2023
We get asked certain questions a lot: Who can fund my business? Who should I hire to lead sales, to direct marketing, to ask for advice? Who are retailers I can work with, which celebrities are worth my time, how do I put together my D2C stack? Who is a good role model for me as a values-oriented leader?
Who, in other words, is worth knowing, or at least knowing about?
We’re answering these questions – and many others – with our first-ever NOSH Notables List. The 50 people here (and shall we say icons as well – there are a couple of curveballs) are influential not just in the Instagram sense of the world, but in their ability to move companies, brands and products, not to mention shape industries. Their ability to motivate teams, to make concepts real, to find and combine ingredients and to bring mission to the forefront can make a difference in the food business.
They know things, and that makes them Notable.
Now, to head off the inevitable “why is x not on here,” of course this isn’t a complete list of all of the big company leaders or success stories in CPG. Nor is it necessarily the top money makers … or loudest voices. Instead they are the people with the experience, backgrounds and knowledge to set them apart, to elevate them as subject matter experts, strong leaders, rising stars, brilliant changemakers, and effective teammates. And no, they aren’t ranked – they’re just important, each in at least one of six different ways, as you’ll see below. .
They’re 50 to know – and why you should know them. In the weeks to come we’ll be hosting discussions with some of them on our podcasts, in print, at events, to plunge even deeper into their skills and views. But to get the notes on the NOSH Notables, click on their names.
Categories
- 💸 Backers
- 🤝 Connectors
- 🔑 Gatekeepers
- 🏈 Quarterbacks
- ⚡️Spark Plugs
- 🦸 Superheroes
Primary categories are listed first. Secondary categories are noted with the corresponding emoji.
💸 Backers
Though the current economic climate can be gloomy, these are the deal-makers and investors who can help you gain access to capital. But it’s not just about cold hard cash, these execs are about setting up partnerships where they can bring value (and not just their wallet) to the table, so approach these backers only if you want more than their money.
Peter Burns, Managing Partner, Sunrise Strategic Partners 🏈
Bing Chen, Executive Chair, CEO, Founder, Gold House 🤝
Kiva Dickinson, Founder & Managing Partner, Selva Ventures 🤝
Shayna Harris, Managing Partner, Supply Change Capital
Franklin Isacson, Managing Partner, Coefficient Capital 🤝
🤝 Connectors
Need an intro? Want to get into a new retailer or meet an investor? Make friends with a connector. CPG leaders in their own right, these folks have the little black book you’d kill to get your hands on. Hot tip: Make sure to observe how connectors network if you want to build your own Rolodex.
Ali Berman, Partner, United Talent Agency 🦸
Sara Brooks, Co-Founder, Goldilocks
Cassie Burr, Talent Partner, VMG Partners; Executive Director & Cofounder, Women On Boards Project ⚡️
Alex Duong, CEO, Fair & Square 🦸
Janica Lane, Managing Director, Piper Sandler 💸
Mia Medina, CEO & Founder, Gather Brands
Brandon Ng, Vice President, Houlihan Lokey 💸
🔑 Gatekeepers
That intro, it’s only step one. Next up, you need to impress the gatekeeper. Win them over and who knows where you can go, be it a national pickup in retail or access to media exposure. Turn to Gatekeepers when you’re ready to take that next step in your company’s development.
Holly Adrien, Natural and Organics Strategy and Innovation Manager, Kroger 🤝
Kim Coffin, Chief Forager, Sprouts Farmers Market
Deb Conklin, President & CEO, KeHE
Dan Epley, Vice President, Dry Grocery, Whole Foods
Kabir Jain, Chief Growth Officer, Erewhon
Lina Khan, Chairperson, Federal Trade Commission
Dariush Mozaffarian, Dean, Friedman School of Nutrition, Tufts University
Subriana Pierce, SVP, West Grocery, Navigator Sales & Marketing; Founder, Navigator Lighthouse Foundation ⚡️
James Ren, Director of Merchandising, Food Thrive Market 🏈
Dwight Richmond, Director, Center Store, Town and Country Markets 🦸
🏈 Quarterbacks
These executives know how to rally a team behind them, be it to celebrate a win or push forward through adversity. But it’s not just about platitudes, these leaders aren’t afraid to jump into the trenches with their team and get their hands dirty. If you want to develop a team that will ride or die for you, these are your new role models.
Diana Frost, Chief Growth Officer, The Kraft Heinz Company
Douglas Lamont, CEO, Tony’s Chocoloney ⚡️
Chris Lansing, CEO, Health-Ade
Miguel Leal, Co-Founder & CEO, SOMOS Foods
Maura Mottolese, Executive Advisor, Gryphon Capital
Craig Shiesley, CEO, Yasso
Dirk Van de Put, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, Mondelēz International 💸
Anton Vincent, President at Mars Wrigley North America; Head of Mars Ice Cream Globally Mars 💸
Denise Woodard, Founder & CEO, Partake Foods 🤝 ⚡️
⚡️Spark Plugs
Tell a changemaker “that’s just the way it’s done” and they’ll ask why. These individuals don’t stick to the status quo, be it regarding brand building, mission or culture. Look to Changemakers for the future of how food businesses may be run.
Jing Gao, Founder & CEO, Fly By Jing 🤝
Sana Javeri Kadri, CEO & Founder, Diaspora Spice
Marion Nestle, Professor of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health, Emerita, New York University
Nick O’Flaherty, Director, UNSTUCK, Tent Partnership for Refugees 🦸
Ryan Pintado-Vertner, CEO & Founder, Smoketown Strategy 🤝
Errol Schweizer, Board Member & Consultant, Natural Products Retail & CPG 🤝
Dario Wolos, CEO & Founder, Tacombi, Vista Hermosa 🏈
Margarita Womack, Founder & CEO, MasPanadas
Il Yeon Kwon, Founder & CEO, H-Mart
🦸 Superheroes
Need someone with a special set of skills to rescue someone from a burning building… err build your company? Turn to a superhero for some help, they’re subject matter experts for when you need to fly through an issue.
Nathan Allebach, Creative Director, Allebach Communications
Barbie, Icon, Mattel
Elliot Begoun, Founder, Brand Champion, TIG Brands ⚡️
Kendall Dickieson, Founder, Flexible Creative 🤝
Gum.E.Bear, Ubiquitous Candy Shape
Chris Moe, Founder & CEO, Cartograph
David Paul Miller, Chief Sales Officer, The New Primal and Noble Made 🤝
Justin J. Prochnow, Attorney & Shareholder, Greenberg Traurig LLP
Ryan Williams, Founder, FABID (The Food & Beverage Investor Database)
About NOSH
NOSH covers the world of entrepreneurial packaged food companies and services that are expanding rapidly due to interest in Natural, Organic, Sustainable and Healthy (NOSH) products and businesses. NOSH aims to become the leading source of informed, comprehensive coverage and context in regard to this growing community of businesses and the larger trends affecting it, both internally and externally.