RIDGEWOOD, N.J., April 4, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Cascadia Consulting Group, owned by beverage veteran Bill Sipper, and Managing Brands, led by beverage veterans Robert Corsaro and Robert Sipper, have merged to form Cascadia Managing Brands.  Cascadia Managing Brands will offer sales and marketing services including sales and distributor management with a proven network of over 300+ DSD distributors nationwide including independents, Coca Cola, Pepsi Cola, Dr. Pepper/Snapple, Miller Coors, Budweiser, etc.  In addition, the Cascadia distribution network includes natural food distributors, specialty distributors, convenience store, grocery, and food service wholesalers, as well as direct chain accounts.  Cascadia will also manage regional and national broker networks as well as key accounts.

While Managing Brands was a sales and distributor management-focused company, Cascadia Consulting Group specialized in marketing, operations, logistics, and finance.  As a result of the merger, Cascadia Managing Brands will offer a bevy of services in all of these areas, serving as a veritable one-stop-shop for their clientele.  

"We are an outsourced network for small companies entering the industry or an incubator for larger companies who have struggled launching smaller brands," says Robert Corsaro, Managing Partner at Cascadia Managing Brands.

Past experience includes representation for Zico™ Coconut Water, Hint™, Sanfaustino Calcium Water™, Volt ™, Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s Keeper Springs™, and more.  As individuals, Cascadia Managing Brands' founding partners have held senior management positions with Nabisco™, Snapple™, Nantucket Nectars™, Clearly Canadian™, Naked™ Juice, Fresh Samantha™ (now owned by Coca Cola's Odwalla™), Zeigler's™ Cider, Evian™, and Carvel™.  Their collective experience includes shelf stable, short shelf life refrigerated products, and frozen foods.

"We manage process for companies without them adding incremental overhead," says Bill Sipper, Managing Partner.  "We don't provide advertising or public relations services, but work in tandem with our clients and their agencies or recommend our own contacts to insure marketing campaigns are pragmatic, efficient, affordable and effective.  We bring real world perspective to all of our sales and marketing services."

Cascadia Managing Brands is made up of food and beverage veterans with deep expertise across all key functions and areas of the industry. They have been directly responsible for strategies and programs that helped brand leaders become brand leaders. Cascadia Managing Brands can help brands reach critical mass faster, cheaper, better, and smarter.

Their current lineup of clients includes: Balance Water™, Borojo™, Diversapack, Gianni New York Gourmet Ice Cream and Italian Ices™, h2O™, Iceland Spring™, Java Pop™, Kona Red™, Made™, Noyu™, Tynant™, Vivaloe™, and Wat-aah™.

"There's no substitute for experience, and the Cascadia principals have expertly met and solved every challenge that a growing company can possibly face," said beverage visionary Jim Stevens, former Chief Operating Officer at Coca Cola Enterprises and former Chief Executive Officer at Evian and Co-Founder of the Perrier Group. "They'll make an invaluable partner, providing proven expertise that their clients can always rely on for increased stability and brand growth."

"I think this is a perfect merger," said Mark Rampolla Founder and CEO of ZICO. "Both firms bring a unique set of capabilities and together they should deliver substantial value and impact for brands looking to build or expand across multiple channels."

"The greatest predictor of future success is past success, and the Cascadia principals have long records of proven success," said SoBe founder and beverage visionary John Bello. "I'm convinced that their expertise increases the odds for success for those companies with the foresight to seek their counsel and partnership."

In addition to sales and marketing expertise, Cascadia Managing Brands will offer consulting services, including strategic planning, business plan development and execution, new product development, manufacturing, operations, and logistics consulting, as well as budgetary and financial forecasting consulting.

For more information about Cascadia Managing Brands or to arrange an interview with a company spokesperson please contact Bsipper@cascadiamanagingbrands.com.

SOURCE Cascadia Managing Brands