Remilk appoints industry executives from Danone, Nestlé, and PepsiCo to Board of Directors
Israeli animal-free dairy protein producer Remilk has announced the appointment of three food and drink executives from Danone, Nestlé, and PepsiCo to its Board of Directors.
Former Chief Marketing Officer at Nestlé USA, Alicia Enciso, recent President of Danone Europe, Floris Wesseling, and Pedro Padierna, previously CEO and Chairman at PepsiCo Mexico, have been selected by the start-up to provide essential ‘access, insight, and expertise’, to help it succeed in the global food market.
Tomer Harpaz, Executive Chairman of the Board of Remilk said in a statement: “In pursuit of ambitious aspirations and purpose, there comes a responsibility to anticipate challenges. The addition of Alicia, Floris, and Pedro to the Board of Directors provides Remilk valuable perspective and expertise with which to navigate the complex global food landscape. The aligned aspirations and shared strategic priorities of this remarkable Board further bolsters Remilk’s ability to become a driving force within the dairy industry.”
The latest Board appointees are C-suite level industry leaders. Global marketing executive Enciso has spent several decades building brands. She has experience in developing high growth strategies and innovation pipelines, encouraging the adoption of sustainability-focussed practices, and directing international digital and e-commerce transformations. While working for Nestlé USA, she held marketing leadership roles in the United States and Mexico and was President of the company’s beverages division. She also sits on the Board of the Association of National Advertisers and its Alliance for Inclusive and Multicultural Marketing, and recently joined the Board of Directors at international spirits company, Bacardi.
With 25 years of experience in the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector, Wesseling has led businesses through different phases of growth, and has developed a strong understanding of the consumer demand for traditional and alternative dairy through his role as President for the European region on Danone’s Executive Committee. Danone has developed a growing interest in animal-free protein this year, purchasing a minority stake in animal-free whey and casein producers Imagindairy in March. That same month, the company also contributed $2 million in a strategic investment round with cultured animal and human breast milk developers Wilk.
Padierna comes to Remilk’s Board following a career of over 30 years at PepsiCo, where he worked in senior roles in R&D, marketing, government affairs and public policy. His experience with government decision makers and influential public opinion leaders will be useful for Remilk as it works towards securing more regulatory approvals.
The start-up has so far received approval for the sale of its products in Israel and Singapore. Earlier this year it also received a No Questions Letter from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which means the FDA accepts an expert panel’s view that Remilk’s animal-free protein can be safely used in food products under Generally Recognised as Safe (GRAS) standards.
“We are thankful for the incredible commitment Alicia, Floris and Pedro are making to Remilk and gratified that decorated global leaders from across the food and beverage category are aligned with our mission,” said Aviv Wolff, co-founder and CEO of Remilk.
“With guidance from this outstanding Board of Directors, Remilk’s transformative vision can become a global on-shelf reality at the scale and speed required to address a pressing need. It is a true privilege to work alongside the leaders who helped build some of the largest food and beverage companies in the world.”
