Evolved Chocolate Brand Appoints New CEO, Refreshes Brand

April 9, 2024

Joe Serventi, credited with successful brand scaling projects over the years, joins the company, bringing more than two decades of food and beverage industry experience with him.

Andy Hanacek

Premium chocolate brand Evolved has appointed Joe Serventi to be its new CEO, according to a release from the company. In addition, Evolved is unveiling a brand refresh in conjunction with the new leadership aimed to elevate the customer experience and drive growth in the premium chocolate marketplace.

Serventi brings more than 20 years food and beverage experience to the Evolved team, including demonstrated success in scaling brands from inception to mainstream prominence. He previously served as former CEO of Hippeas and also played a pivotal role at BarkThins, according to the Evolved release, steering the brands toward substantial growth and BarkThins’ eventual acquisition by Hershey’s.

Serventi has served as strategic advisor to brands such as Dreampops, Hop Wtr, Recess and Vitacoco. He also is credited for rejuvenating Pirate’s Booty (which was sold to B&G Foods) and played a crucial role in evolving Glaceau’s Vitaminwater and Smartwater brands (which were acquired by Coca-Cola).

Serventi is enthused by the opportunity to officially lead the company alongside its co-founders Rick Gusmano and Christine Cusano.

The company’s refreshed packaging, meanwhile, features chocolate imagery rooted in a modern, premium aesthetic, reinforcing the brand’s core identity.

About the Author

Andy Hanacek | Senior Editor

Andy Hanacek has covered meat, poultry, bakery and snack foods as a B2B editor for nearly 20 years, and has toured hundreds of processing plants and food companies, sharing stories of innovation and technological advancement throughout the food supply chain. In 2018, he won a Folio:Eddie Award for his unique "From the Editor's Desk" video blogs, and he has brought home additional awards from Folio and ASBPE over the years. In addition, Hanacek led the Meat Industry Hall of Fame for several years and was vice president of communications for We R Food Safety, a food safety software and consulting company.