Cholula Announces Senior Executive Appointments

NEW YORK, June 17, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Cholula, a leading producer and distributor of premium branded hot sauce, today announced that it has appointed a new senior leadership team to drive the next chapter of the brand's growth story.

• Maura Mottolese has been appointed Chief Executive Officer. She brings more than two decades of experience in the food and beverage industry, most recently having served as the CEO of Tate's Bake Shop, where she oversaw the brand's exceptional growth and sale to Mondelez.
• Mike Nathenson has been appointed Chief Financial Officer. He previously served as CFO of Blue Buffalo, where he oversaw the brand's IPO and growth which culminated in the subsequent sale to General Mills.
• Miguel Leal has been appointed Chief Marketing Officer. He previously served as EVP of Marketing at KIND where he played a key role in the brand's dramatic expansion and transaction with Mars.
• David Yarmoff has been appointed SVP of Operations. He previously served as SVP of External Manufacturing at Lassonde Pappas, whose beverage brands include Apple & Eve.
• Clay Lichterman has been appointed VP of Foodservice Sales. He previously served as Director of Sales at Talking Rain Beverage Company.

"Cholula is a beloved and powerful brand, and I'm thrilled to join the Company at this exciting time in its evolution," said Mottolese. "I have tremendous respect for Cholula's authenticity and heritage, and I see enormous potential for growth in the years to come. I look forward to working alongside the exceptional leadership team we have assembled to realize the significant opportunity inherent in this unique and iconic brand."

About Maura Mottolese - Chief Executive Officer

Mottolese recently served as Chief Executive Officer of Tate's Bake Shop, where she helped triple the size of the business before it was acquired by Mondelez International Inc. in 2018. Prior to joining Tate's Bake Shop, she served as President of The Switch Beverage Company, a leader in sparking fruit juices, for eight years. She started her career in various branding and marketing roles at beverage companies including Cadbury Beverages, Labatt USA, Snapple Beverages Group and Cadbury Schweppes. Mottolese holds a Bachelor's degree in business and marketing from University of Buffalo and an MBA from Cornell Johnson Graduate School of Management.

About Mike Nathenson - Chief Financial Officer

Nathenson brings deep financial expertise in the food and beverage industry. He has most recently served as Chief Financial Officer of Varsity Tutors and before that was Chief Financial Officer of Blue Buffalo Pet Products, a leading pet food company, from 2012 to 2018, overseeing its IPO and growth leading to the eventual acquisition by General Mills. Nathenson also served in leadership roles at Dean Foods, as SVP & CFO, Dean Foods Dairy Group and as SVP & CFO, Fresh Dairy Direct Division. He worked at PepsiCo for almost 14 years, including his role as SVP, Investor Relations. He has also worked for AT Kearney/EDS and Price Waterhouse Management Consultants in managing positions and began his career at Procter & Gamble as a product development engineer. Nathenson holds a Bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from Washington University in St. Louis and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

About Miguel Leal - Chief Marketing Officer

Leal is an industry veteran with extensive marketing experience in the food and beverage space. He most recently served as EVP, Head of Marketing at KIND, where he oversaw numerous consecutive quarters of double-digit growth and worked on the management team that negotiated the MARS investment in KIND. Prior to that, he held leadership roles at Diamond Foods, most recently serving as SVP, Chief Marketing Officer and previously as VP, GM Snack Business Unit. He has also served as Director, Customer & Shopper Marketing at the Dannon Company and as LAY'S^® Brand Manager at Frito-Lay North America. Leal also founded and served as Vice President, Sales & Operations from 2002 to 2007 at Select Product Group LP (now part of Georgia-Pacific LLC), a food service paper goods company. Leal holds a Bachelor's degree in industrial engineering from Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey and an MBA from the Wharton School.

About David Yarmoff - SVP of Operations

Yarmoff brings significant experience in operations, supply chain, finance, IT and sales in the beverage industry. He most recently served as SVP, Co-Pack Corporate Development at Lassonde Pappas, a North American leader in beverage manufacturing, where he served as the corporate lead for external manufacturing. He previously served as SVP, Operations for over eight years at Apple & Eve, a producer and supplier of fruit juice products. Prior to joining Apple & Eve, Yarmoff served as SVP, Operations and Procurement at The Switch Beverage Company, Director of Operations Strategy at Cadbury Schweppes Americas Beverages, and VP, Product Commercialization and Director, Supply Chain at Snapple Beverage Group. Yarmoff holds a Bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from Lehigh University and an MBA from Pace University.

About Clay Lichterman - VP of Foodservice Sales

Lichterman is a proven sales specialist with a tremendous knowledge of foodservice and the beverage industry. He most recently served as Director, Immediate Consumption of Talking Rain Beverage Company, the makers of zero sugar Sparkling Ice®. Prior to joining Talking Rain Beverage Company, he served as Regional Manager of Foodservice at The Switch Beverage Company, Apple & Eve, and Spindrift Beverage. He began his career at Sysco as a Marketing Associate and Certified Foodservice Consultant. Lichterman holds a Bachelor's degree from Johnson and Wales University in Culinary Arts.

About Cholula

Cholula's delicious hot sauce is created from a generations-old recipe featuring carefully selected arbol and piquin peppers and a secret blend of signature spices. Its unique recipe delivers a robust flavor with just the right amount of heat, with versatility far beyond the everyday condiment. Cholula's distinctive wooden cap and artistic yellow label are testaments to the quality tradition of Mexican artisanship, and each bottle of Cholula is crafted with care in Jalisco, Mexico. Introduced into the U.S. in 1989, Cholula's hot sauce now comes in six varieties and is enjoyed around the world.

Contacts:
Andi Rose / Andrew Squire
Joele Frank, Wilkinson Brimmer Katcher
212-355-4449

SOURCE Cholula