Impossible Foods Appoints First Chief Demand Officer, CPG Industry Executive Sherene Jagla, Following Record Year of Growth
California-based Impossible Foods today announced that it has hired top consumer goods industry leader Sherene Jagla as its first Chief Demand Officer. Jagla will join the food and climate company this month to bring its sales, marketing, insights and product development teams into one integrated function under her leadership as it prepares for its next phase of growth.
Veteran sales, marketing and general management executive brings more than two decades of leadership to Impossible Foods
Impossible Foods
Jagla’s appointment follows a year of record sales for Impossible Foods. The company continues to be the fastest growing plant-based meat brand in U.S. retail stores, where it experienced more than 50% dollar sales growth in 2022. In the food service sector, its flagship Impossible™ Beef product has been the best-selling product by volume of any plant-based meat brand in the U.S.
Named one of the Top Women in Grocery by Progressive Grocer, Jagla joins Impossible with more than 25 years of sales, marketing, and general management experience at Fortune 500 companies across the CPG and food and beverage industries. Most recently, Jagla served as the Senior Vice President and General Manager at Newell Brands, where she was responsible for a $2 billion business across 50 brands in 18 categories. There, she set the strategic direction for the brand’s top customer partnership and created a framework for collaborative growth that combined seven independent operating companies into one scaled organization.
“Our next phase of growth requires tight integration across teams and disciplines, and Sherene knows how to do that and build organizations that scale,” said Peter McGuinness, president and CEO of Impossible Foods. “She’s transformed complex organizations into high-performing businesses, and she has a deep understanding of the food and CPG space. I’ve no doubt her leadership will help transform Impossible into a household name.”
Prior to Newell, Jagla led sales at Kellogg’s with the world’s largest retailer, where she drove brand innovation in the U.S. and internationally. Jagla first joined the food company in 2019 to oversee sales of its Kashi cereal brand, expanding the brand’s capabilities to deliver both category and market share growth.
Jagla previously held senior leadership positions at personal care corporation Kimberly-Clark, where she led the commercial sales strategy across brands; retail strategy and execution firm Crossmark, where she built creative solutions for major CPG companies; and beverage company MillerCoors, where she developed breakthrough sales and marketing solutions for their largest brands and customers.
“One of the reasons I was drawn to Impossible is the company’s focus on leading the category and commitment to creating delicious, nutritious, and sustainable food,” Jagla said. “Impossible has created a compelling brand with a strong product portfolio that’s primed for growth. I look forward to working closely with Peter and the Impossible team to build on this foundation.”
Jagla serves on the board of directors for the American Heart Association in Northwest Arkansas and as a guest lecturer at the University of Arkansas Business School.
Jagla’s hire follows several key executive appointments for Impossible Foods in the past three months as it looks to significantly increase consumer awareness and trial in 2023. In November, the company announced its first Chief Marketing and Creative Officer, Leslie Sims(opens in a new tab), as well as its new Senior Vice President of International, Noel Clarke(opens in a new tab).
The brand also launched a suite of new plant-based products in 2022, including Impossible™ Sausage Links(opens in a new tab), Impossible™ Wild Nuggies(opens in a new tab), Impossible™ Chicken Patties(opens in a new tab) and Impossible™ Bowls(opens in a new tab), as well as a new version of its flagship Impossible™ Beef(opens in a new tab) product with 33% less saturated fat than beef from cows (6 grams v. 9 grams). Impossible Foods continues to be the fastest growing plant-based meat brand in retail across nearly every new product category it has entered, including ground meat and beef patties, chicken nuggets, and meatballs.
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