Monte's Appoints CPG Leader Chris Crowe as First President, Strengthening Leadership Team

Monte's Fine Foods, the cult-favorite, NY-based sauce brand, today announced the appointment of Chris Crowe to the newly created role of President. Effective immediately, Chris will join Monte's leadership team, supporting Founder & CEO PJ Monte as the brand prepares for its next phase of growth and evolution. In his new role, Chris will oversee day-to-day operations for the business including sales, finance, and supply chain, allowing PJ to focus on building the brand through strategic partnerships, collaborations, marketing efforts, and innovation across the product line.

"Monte's is more than a brand, it's my family's legacy, so we've built our team slowly and cautiously over the years. But we're now at an inflection point and critical moment of growth. Not only does Chris understand our commitment to quality and the brand's heritage, he has an appreciation for the creativity and innovation behind Monte's, and is a trailblazer with a proven track record growing brands," said Monte. "Following our first real funding round earlier this year co-led by Night and Shrug Capital, it's now the right time to build our leadership team as we hit the gas on growing our retail presence and product line."

Chris joins Monte's following a six-year stint at Recess, a pioneer in the relaxation beverage space. As its Chief Sales Officer and CFO, Chris was integral in the brand's explosive growth from young start up to being on shelf at over 15,000 retailers nationwide while also playing a key role for the brand in closing its Series A and most recent Series B funding rounds. He brings over two decades of leadership experience in the consumer packaged goods space, specifically with food and beverage brands, overseeing finance and accounting infrastructure, sales and distribution, among others things. Prior to Recess, Chris held top finance and sales positions with Procter & Gamble, Heineken, Kendall-Jackson Wine Estates, and Constellation Brands.

"I was drawn to Monte's for three primary reasons. The authenticity of the brand, the quality of the product, and the people," said Crowe. "Brands today need to be authentic, consumers demand it, and Monte's is as real as it gets. The products are clean, consciously produced, and backed by a compelling story and family legacy. PJ is someone I immediately wanted to partner with - I understood his vision from the start. We have a natural 'yin/yang' that will accelerate the company forward and capitalize on the ripe opportunities across the category."

Chris' experience with early stage organizations, paired with his strategic expertise across the food and beverage space, positions him as an ideal leader to move Monte's forward in its continued mission to reinvent Italian-American home cooking with clean-label, uncompromisingly authentic products.

This news comes on the heels of further expansion across the East Coast and California for Monte's, now appearing on shelf at North Shore Farms, Shop Rite, King Kullen, Gelson's, Lazy Acres, Bristol Farms, Central Market and Lunardi's Markets, following the $2M early-stage investment the brand secured earlier this year, co-led by top consumer venture studio, Night and early stage VC Shrug Capital.

"As a New York brand thru and thru, our goal this year was to saturate that market and we did just that - unlocking all the key retailers that represent New York and setting us up for further growth across the country. Building this brand in our own backyard truly embodies what makes Monte's unique as a meeting point between heritage and innovation," added Monte.