Once Upon a Coconut Promotes Matt Merson to President

Veteran Beverage Executive Elevated to Lead Operations and Growth as Brand Enters Its Most Ambitious Chapter

ORLANDO, Fla., March 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Once Upon a Coconut (OUAC), the premium coconut water brand known for clean ingredients and purpose-driven hydration, today announced the immediate promotion of Matt Merson to President of the company. The appointment reflects the organization's confidence in Merson's strategic leadership and recognizes the central role he has played in scaling the brand from a regional challenger into a nationally recognized better-for-you beverage platform.

Merson joined Once Upon a Coconut as Chief Sales & Strategy Officer in 2024, bringing with him a decorated track record built at some of the most iconic brands in beverage history, including Vitamin Water and Zico. Known for his ability to build category-defining distribution networks and forge lasting partnerships with major retail partners, Merson has been instrumental in accelerating OUAC's retail expansion, including the brand's recent launch in Costco warehouses across the Southeast and Texas and its growing presence across more than 6,000 retail locations nationwide. In his expanded role as President, Merson will take on broader responsibility across the company's commercial, operational, and strategic functions at a pivotal moment of growth, including the integration of newly acquired Punch'd Energy into the OUAC portfolio.

"Matt has been a force for this organization from the moment he walked in the door," said John Chiorando, CEO of Once Upon a Coconut. "He brings the rare combination of big-brand experience and founder-level urgency, and he's earned every bit of this. Promoting Matt to President is the right call for where we are and where we're going. I couldn't be more confident in his leadership to take us to the next level."

"Once Upon a Coconut is one of those rare brands where everything matters: the product, the mission, the people, and the partnerships," said Merson. "I'm honored to step into this role at a moment when we have so much momentum. We're in the right retailers, building the right relationships, and now expanding into new categories. The best is genuinely ahead of us, and I'm committed to making sure this team has everything it needs to deliver on that."

The promotion signals Once Upon a Coconut's continued investment in leadership infrastructure as the company scales across retail, e-commerce, and its growing portfolio of better-for-you consumer brands.

About Once Upon a Coconut

Once Upon a Coconut is a premium coconut water brand redefining hydration with bold flavors, clean ingredients, and a mission-driven approach. Launched in 2020, the brand sources young green coconuts from Vietnam and packages them in eco-friendly slim aluminum cans. Available nationwide in over 6,000 retail stores, on Amazon, and through its official website, Once Upon a Coconut donates 10% of profits from each case sold to nonprofits including the Down Syndrome Foundation of Florida and the Tunnel to Towers Foundation. Once Upon a Coconut is backed by prominent investors including Shark Tank's Daymond John, NFL stars Rob Gronkowski and Ronnie Stanley, St. Louis Cardinals Manager Oliver Marmol, and Health and Wellness Board members Gary Brecka and Ben Greenfield.

For more information, visit www.onceuponacoconut.com and follow @onceuponacoconut on social media.

Contact:
Destiny John
919-605-2116
[email protected]

SOURCE Once Upon A Coconut