NEW YORK,–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Oct 17, 2019–
The Meatless Farm Co, the plant-based food company known for its meat-free burgers, ground and sausage products, today announced the appointment of Lone Thomsen as new Global Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) and Mark Cook as VP of Sales, North America. Thomsen and Cook will be instrumental to the plant-based company’s international expansion, with an emphasis on its continued foray into the North American market. Thomsen will be at the forefront of driving market awareness while Cook will build North American distribution in key retail, food service and other sales channels.
The executive team expansion closely follows Meatless Farm’s August 2019 launch into more than 450 Whole Foods Market stores in the U.S. The UK-based company has also recently established its U.S. headquarters in New York City, and plans to open production and distribution facilities stateside in support of its North American expansion in 2020.
Thomsen previously served as Head of Media and Communications for The Coca-Cola Company, where she was integral to launching a number of emerging products to the Western European market, including Coca-Cola Energy, Fuze®, Honest Tea and Coca-Cola Signature Mixers. Now, she aims to make The Meatless Farm Co. a household name, globally, with a specific focus on leveraging Meatless Farm’s role as a challenger brand in the U.S. market. Thomsen served as a strategic advisor to Meatless Farm before joining as a full-time executive.
Cook is Meatless Farm’s second hire in North America, filling one of the company’s core leadership roles. He will be critical to the company’s ability to gain market share, not only in North America, but in the global plant-based protein market, which is expected to reach $5 billion by 2020.
Cook joins Meatless Farm after serving as VP of Sales for National Sales Associates, a national broker specializing in natural, organic, and specialty products. Throughout his career, Cook has driven the growth of many top U.S. brands and successfully launched brands from Europe and Asia into the U.S. market and grown them into market leaders.
“It’s a pivotal time for Meatless Farm in North America. Not only is there a growing consumer appetite for and awareness of plant-based meat alternatives; our launch with Whole Foods Markets in the U.S. has created demand from the retail and restaurant trade as well,” said Kasper Vesth, General Manager, North America at The Meatless Farm Co. “We’re looking forward to building on the current momentum with Lone and Mark at the forefront.”
Thomsen is based in London, England and will report directly to Meatless Farm CEO Morten Toft Bech. Cook is based in New York and reports to Kasper Vesth, General Manager, North America.
About The Meatless Farm Co
The Meatless Farm Co is a plant-based protein company known for its meat-free burger patties, meatless ground and sausage products. Almost indistinguishable from meat in terms of taste and texture, Meatless Farm’s products are 100% plant-based, gluten-free and made using the highest-quality, non-GMO ingredients available. The company launched in the UK in 2018 and has since expanded into Europe, Canada and the UAE. In 2019, it entered the U.S. market via a partnership with Whole Foods Market that spans more than 450 locations. The company was founded by Morten Toft Bech after he and his wife discovered the difficulty of preparing quick and easy protein-filled meals for their family, who follow a predominantly plant-based diet.
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SOURCE: The Meatless Farm Co
Copyright Business Wire 2019.
PUB: 10/17/2019 09:32 AM/DISC: 10/17/2019 09:32 AM
Copyright Business Wire 2019.