Today's roundup covers executive appointments at Coca-Cola and Diageo, a protein line extension from Cheez-It, a major retail expansion for Caliwater, and a distribution milestone for THC beverage brand Cann.
Coca-Cola has named Rob Gehring as president of its North America business unit, returning the executive to the company after roughly two years at Monster Energy, where he served as Chief Growth Officer. The appointment puts a Monster veteran at the helm of Coke's largest region at a time when energy and functional beverages continue to pressure traditional carbonated soft drink volume. Gehring's familiarity with both legacy scale and fast-growing challenger brands could prove useful as Coke manages an increasingly fragmented beverage landscape. The announcement also confirmed the departure of the Capri-Sun CEO, adding a second leadership change to an already notable day for the company.
Diageo has hired Joanne Wilson as its new CFO, with CEO Sir Dave Lewis citing her track record at companies undergoing transformation as a key factor in the selection. The spirits giant, home to Guinness and Johnnie Walker, has been navigating a challenging stretch marked by softening demand in key markets and pressure to tighten costs. Bringing in a CFO with demonstrated cost discipline signals that financial restructuring remains a priority even as Diageo works to stabilize its top line. Wilson's appointment is among the more consequential finance hires in the beverage alcohol sector this year.
Cheez-It is launching a protein-loaded cheese cracker, making the Mars-owned snack brand the latest mainstream player to add elevated protein content to a familiar product. The move follows similar line extensions from Goldfish, Eggo, and Doritos, reflecting how broadly the high-protein trend has moved beyond fitness-focused channels into the center store. For CPG operators, the pattern is clear: protein is now a standard reformulation lever in salty snacks, not a niche positioning. Cheez-It's scale and retail distribution give the new product meaningful reach from day one, setting a high bar for smaller snack brands attempting similar pivots.
Caliwater, the cactus water brand led by CEO Blair Owens, has nearly tripled its presence at Walmart, posting 198% dollar sales growth year-over-year as the expansion takes hold. Landing deeper shelf placement at Walmart is a meaningful inflection point for any emerging beverage brand, given the retailer's ability to move volume at a scale that most specialty or natural channels cannot match. The growth figures suggest Caliwater has cleared the difficult transition from early-adopter retail into mass. Sustained sell-through at Walmart, rather than just expanded placement, will determine whether this momentum holds through the next reset cycle.
Cann, the microdosed THC tonic brand, has secured a partnership with the Austin City Limits Music Festival, marking the first time a microdosed THC beverage will be sold on-site at the annual event. Live music festivals have become a proving ground for alternative beverage brands, and a high-profile placement at ACL offers Cann direct access to a large, experiential consumer audience outside of traditional retail. The partnership also signals growing acceptance of low-dose THC beverages in mainstream event settings, a channel that has historically been off-limits. For the broader THC beverage category, the deal represents a concrete step toward normalized, occasion-based consumption.
Sources: BevNet · Food Dive · Food Dive · BevNet · BevNet
More on CPG Careers
- All roles at Coca-Cola
- All roles at Diageo
- All roles at Cheez-It
- All roles at Caliwater
- All roles at Cann
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