Sparkling Ice Manufacturer Appoints Former Starbucks Exec to Lead Brand’s Growth
Talking Rain Beverage Co., manufacturer of the Sparkling Ice brands of sparkling water beverages, has appointed its first chief growth officer to support an aggressive strategy for future growth of the brand. Rich DePencier will step into the role, bringing extensive CPG leadership experience in brand management as well as innovation in marketing, product development and retail.
He will lead Talking Rain’s largest-ever investment in marketing and innovation around Sparkling Ice, with bold creative campaigns, new product launches, brand collaborations and partnerships, and new channel expansion, an announcement from the company stated.
DePencier has built and led consumer brands for Fortune 100 companies in the past, including Procter & Gamble and Starbucks. At Starbucks, he built the ready-to-drink coffee line into a global business, the release said. He also led the P&L of the U.S. retail beverage business and the creation of the company’s first global product portfolio pipeline. At P&G, where DePencier began his career, he worked on the Tide and Charmin brands before leading a beauty care portfolio that included Pantene, Olay and Cover Girl.
