Tropical Cheese Industries Appoints Vic Mehren as Chief Executive Officer

PERTH AMBOY, N.J., Aug. 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Tropical Cheese, a leading producer of Hispanic dairy products in the U.S., today announced the appointment of Vic Mehren as Chief Executive Officer, effective September 2, 2025.

Mehren brings more than two decades of leadership experience in the consumer goods industry, most recently serving as CEO of Second Nature Brands, where he led a bold transformation that significantly increased revenue, expanded the brand portfolio, and delivered strong investor returns. Prior to that, he held senior executive roles at Mars and Wrigley, including U.S. Chief Operating Officer and General Manager roles across multiple business units.

"Tropical Cheese is an iconic brand built on authenticity, quality, and deep cultural roots," said Mehren. "I'm honored to be part of the next chapter, building on the foundation and success of Rafael Mendez and his family. I see tremendous opportunity to scale the Tropical Cheese platform nationally while staying true to what makes the business so special."

Founded in 1982, Tropical Cheese has become the category leader in Hispanic cheeses across the Eastern U.S., serving retail channels through an integrated network that includes direct-store delivery. Backed by Avance Investment Management and AUA Private Equity, the company is focused on expanding its reach, growing its portfolio, and becoming the undisputed leader in Hispanic dairy and adjacent food categories.

"With a strong track record of leading transformational growth for a number of iconic consumer goods brands, Vic brings the right mix of strategic vision, operational expertise, and cultural leadership to position Tropical as the market-leading producer and provider of Hispanic dairy products," said Luis Zaldivar, Managing Partner of Avance.

"We are extremely pleased to have Vic join the team. Having spent my career immersed in the unique dynamics of family-owned businesses, notably during my time as COO at Goya Foods, the nation's largest Hispanic-owned food company, I recognize how effective and transformative leadership can be to value creation," said Andy Unanue, Managing Partner of AUA Private Equity. "It is clear to us that Vic brings the kind of strategic ambition and operating experience to accelerate growth and build upon the strong culture Rafael Mendez, his family, and the Tropical team have created."

About Tropical Cheese
Tropical Cheese is a family-run premium brand for an assortment of Hispanic cheese, meat and other food products. As the market leader in the Hispanic cheese category on the East Coast, Tropical Cheese has established itself as a trusted brand among Hispanic households, driving differentiated value to its customers through its authentic flavors, superior product quality and direct-store-delivery and logistics.

About Avance Investment Management
Avance is a private equity firm with a passion for building great businesses in partnership with talented founders and management teams. Avance focuses primarily on thematic investments within the Services, Technology and Consumer areas in the U.S., seeking attractive opportunities with catalysts for growth and fragmented spaces with consolidation opportunities. Avance's team has a long history of partnering with founder-owned businesses, industry executives, and management teams and aims to add value to each investment through the application of its STAGE™ value creation framework. Avance has offices in New York and Miami. For more information, please visit www.avanceinv.com.

About AUA Private Equity Partners, LLC
AUA Private Equity Partners is an operationally focused, lower middle-market investment firm providing strategic capital to companies in the consumer products and services sectors with a particular focus on family-owned businesses or companies benefiting from the growth of the U.S. Hispanic population. AUA Private Equity invests in companies in their core sectors that generate in excess of $10 million in EBITDA. For more information on AUA Private Equity Partners, please visit www.auaequity.com.

Avance Media Contact
Woomi Yun / Erik Carlson / Madeline Jones
Joele Frank, Wilkinson Brimmer Katcher
212.355.4449

AUA Media Contact
David Benyaminy
561.851.9530

SOURCE Tropical Cheese