REDWOOD CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--California-based Impossible Foods today announced that it has hired top consumer goods industry leader Sherene Jagla as its first Chief Demand Officer. Jagla will join the food and climate company this month to bring its sales, marketing, insights and product development teams into one integrated function under her leadership as it prepares for its next phase of growth.
Jagla’s appointment follows a year of record sales for Impossible Foods. The company continues to be the fastest growing plant-based meat brand in U.S. retail stores, where it experienced more than 50% dollar sales growth in 2022. In the food service sector, its flagship Impossible™ Beef product has been the best-selling product by volume of any plant-based meat brand in the U.S.
Named one of the Top Women in Grocery by Progressive Grocer, Jagla joins Impossible with more than 25 years of sales, marketing, and general management experience at Fortune 500 companies across the CPG and food and beverage industries. Most recently, Jagla served as the Senior Vice President and General Manager at Newell Brands, where she was responsible for a $2 billion business across 50 brands in 18 categories. There, she set the strategic direction for the brand’s top customer partnership and created a framework for collaborative growth that combined seven independent operating companies into one scaled organization.
“Our next phase of growth requires tight integration across teams and disciplines, and Sherene knows how to do that and build organizations that scale,” said Peter McGuinness, president and CEO of Impossible Foods. “She’s transformed complex organizations into high-performing businesses, and she has a deep understanding of the food and CPG space. I’ve no doubt her leadership will help transform Impossible into a household name.”
Prior to Newell, Jagla led sales at Kellogg’s with the world’s largest retailer, where she drove brand innovation in the U.S. and internationally. Jagla first joined the food company in 2019 to oversee sales of its Kashi cereal brand, expanding the brand’s capabilities to deliver both category and market share growth.
Jagla previously held senior leadership positions at personal care corporation Kimberly-Clark, where she led the commercial sales strategy across brands; retail strategy and execution firm Crossmark, where she built creative solutions for major CPG companies; and beverage company MillerCoors, where she developed breakthrough sales and marketing solutions for their largest brands and customers.
“One of the reasons I was drawn to Impossible is the company’s focus on leading the category and commitment to creating delicious, nutritious, and sustainable food,” Jagla said. “Impossible has created a compelling brand with a strong product portfolio that’s primed for growth. I look forward to working closely with Peter and the Impossible team to build on this foundation.”
Jagla serves on the board of directors for the American Heart Association in Northwest Arkansas and as a guest lecturer at the University of Arkansas Business School.
Jagla’s hire follows several key executive appointments for Impossible Foods in the past three months as it looks to significantly increase consumer awareness and trial in 2023. In November, the company announced its first Chief Marketing and Creative Officer, Leslie Sims, as well as its new Senior Vice President of International, Noel Clarke.
The brand also launched a suite of new plant-based products in 2022, including Impossible™ Sausage Links, Impossible™ Wild Nuggies, Impossible™ Chicken Patties and Impossible™ Bowls, as well as a new version of its flagship Impossible™ Beef product with 33% less saturated fat than beef from cows (6 grams v. 9 grams). Impossible Foods continues to be the fastest growing plant-based meat brand in retail across nearly every new product category it has entered, including ground meat and beef patties, chicken nuggets, and meatballs.
About Impossible Foods
Impossible Foods is on a mission to positively impact people and the planet by making delicious, nutritious meat from plants with a fraction of the environmental footprint of meat from animals. The privately-held food company was founded in 2011 to combat climate change by taking a scientific approach to making the world’s best meat — from plants. Every nugget, burger, and patty we sell uses less land and water and generates less greenhouse gas emissions compared to the animal version. We make plant-based chicken, beef, and pork products for every meal — breakfast, lunch and dinner — with a goal of replicating the flavors, textures, and cooking characteristics that meat eaters crave.
Impossible Foods products are designed in California, produced in California and the Midwest, and are available in the United States, Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Macau, New Zealand, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom. For more information, please visit impossiblefoods.com and follow us on Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn for updates.