Olipop names Electrolit CEO Christian Patiño Webb as next chief executive
Olipop has named Christian Patiño Webb, currently CEO of Electrolit, as its next chief executive, effective later this month. Founder Ben Goodwin will move into a research and strategy position, the company announced via LinkedIn on Tuesday. The leadership change comes as Olipop faces intensifying competition in the functional soda segment and seeks to scale past the half-billion-dollar sales milestone it reached last year.
Dive Brief:
- Olipop has appointed Christian Patiño Webb, chief executive of Electrolit, as its next CEO, as the prebiotic soda brand seeks to expand growth after surpassing the $500 million sales mark last year.
- Patiño Webb will assume the top role later this month. Current CEO and founder Ben Goodwin will transition to a position focused on research and strategy, according to a LinkedIn post published Tuesday.
- Patiño Webb will be responsible for guiding Olipop's next growth phase, aiming to "help drive the business in a mission-aligned way," while Goodwin intends to "double down" on areas such as innovation, he stated in the post.
Dive Insight:
Olipop's leadership transition arrives as the company contends with heightened competition in the better-for-you soda market. As more consumers seek functional attributes from beverages, industry incumbents including Coca-Cola and PepsiCo are expanding their functional offerings to compete with newer entrants such as Olipop and Poppi.
Last year, Olipop reached a $1.85 billion valuation following a funding round led by Growth Equity Partners. The company has also deliberately increased its research into gut health to substantiate its health claims and differentiate itself amid mounting rivalry.
"As OLIPOP has surpassed the half-billion mark and professionalized, I’ve been reflecting on where I can have the greatest impact going forward," Goodwin said in the post. "I want to focus my energy where I have the most passion and can contribute most meaningfully, while bringing in a counterweight to strengthen the areas I’m stepping away from—adding horsepower rather than simply reallocating focus."
As the soda brand prepares for its next phase of growth, it is recruiting an executive with extensive consumer packaged goods (CPG) experience.
Before leading Electrolit, Patiño Webb served at Unilever as vice president of marketing for SmartyPants Vitamins, according to his LinkedIn profile. He also previously worked at Day One, a sparkling water and CBD company.
In his own LinkedIn post, Patiño Webb said he would prioritize scaling the business for the future, strengthening execution, and building on the company's existing foundation.
"The opportunity to help scale that impact while preserving what makes OLIPOP PBC special is what made this role so compelling to me," Patiño Webb said.