Steve’s breakdown: This beverage company is actually a business-to-business play. Sounds like a great way/place to get in the bev-biz if that’s your goal.

PHOENIX, AZ: Shadow Beverages and Snacks recently appointed Bob Shafer as Chief Marketing Officer reporting directly to George Martinez, President, Shadow Beverages and Snacks. In this newly created position, Mr. Shafer will lead the company’s national brand and retail sales strategies while supporting key customer and distributor expansion plans.

Mr. Shafer brings 30 years of CPG experience to Shadow having started his career at Procter and Gamble in the food products division. After four years at P&G, Mr. Shafer moved to Pepsico, Inc. where he held various U.S. and international sales, marketing and general management roles for 28 years. Mr. Shafer started his PepsiCo career in the food service organization, delivering consistent results in sales and general management roles managing key Pepsi bottlers and customers in the Midwestern U.S. He then moved to PepsiCo’s international organization and led businesses in both Spain and Poland, directing the Polish business to profitability. Mr. Shafer returned to the U.S. and held headquarters’ leadership positions as Vice President of Marketing and Vice President of Retail Sales. He oversaw the development of annual operating plans and managed key national customers. Mr. Shafer retired from PepsiCo in March 2011.

“Bob’s extensive career in the CPG industry is exemplary, and we couldn’t be more thrilled to have him join our team in a significant leadership role,” said George Martinez, President, Shadow Beverages and Snacks. “Bob’s experience in successfully developing channel and customer strategies and creating annual operating plans for Pepsico will be a tremendous asset in accelerating Shadow’s growth in the nutritional and functional products space.”

About Shadow Beverages and Snacks, LLC
Shadow’s mission is to build an innovative portfolio of nutritional and functional products in the beverage and snack industry while providing a range of services from design and formulation to consumer positioning and marketing.   With its team of seasoned industry experts, Shadow has created a distribution network of direct-to store and direct-to-customer relationships ensuring best-in-class execution to consumers and retail partners.  Shadow’s beverage and snack brands include GNC Beverages (DRINKGNC), WheyUP, No Fear Energy, and The American Outdoorsman.  To learn more about Shadow Beverages and Snacks, visit www.shadowbev.com.   For information about Shadow’s brands, visitwww.drinkgnc.com, and www.wheyup.com.

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