Press Release
Beverage Industry Professional Lars Nilsen Joins Executive Team at DESIGNER WHEY®
Nilsen to Utilize International Experience to lead DESIGNER WHEY Sales Team
CARLSBAD, CA – (August 14, 2008) – DESIGNER WHEY®, America’s #1 Selling Protein*, announces longtime veteran of the beverage industry Lars Nilsen has joined their team as Senior Vice President of Sales. Nilsen brings a wealth of successful worldwide sales and marketing experience from soft drink powerhouses Coca-Cola and Jones Soda, and nutritional juice company Nutri-Fruit.
David Jenkins, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of NEXT Proteins, the makers of DESIGNER WHEY said, “The addition of Lars Nilsen to the DESIGNER WHEY senior management team puts our competition on notice. His experience in the cola wars will prove priceless as we prepare to introduce innovative new products like our PROTEIN Water and PROTEIN Blitz™ lines to consumers.”
Nilsen added, “My goal is to blend my domestic and international experience to preserve DESIGNER WHEY’s heritage while growing its new division of DESIGNER Drinks. I am excited to be at the leading edge of the protein water category. Our protein waters are not only good for you but taste great as well.”
Another recent addition to the DESIGNER WHEY Team, Chief Operating Officer, Tom Oliver, looks forward to “working with Lars Nilsen to develop and execute a global sales and marketing strategy that will take our brand to the next level. Lars will work on adding new distributors and retail partners to ensure DESIGNER WHEY products remain the #1 selling protein*. Lars and I, along with the rest of the team will work together toward our vision, which is to change the “whey” America feels about protein.”
Nilsen joins NEXT Proteins from Jones Soda Co. where he served as EVP of Sales, more than doubling case sales during his tenure. Jones Soda Co. is a leading premium soft drink maker with annual sales of approximately $45 million. Lars led the national launch of Jones Soda’s new 12-pack can line and successfully acquired shelf space in approximately 14,500 stores in grocery, club and mass merchant markets. Nilsen personally led the sales effort to gain Jones Soda distribution at Wal-Mart, Sam’s Club, Safeway, Kroger, Albertson’s, Supervalu and K-Mart.
Prior to his tenure at Jones Soda, Nilsen spent eight years in Europe with The Coca-Cola Company in various senior management positions, most recently as Director On-Premise, Nordic Region where he was responsible for directing corporate strategy across the five Nordic countries with sales of $300 million. Nilsen established several new Coca-Cola business units in Scandinavia focusing on untapped markets resulting in significant market share gains and a decisive leadership position.
*Based on AC Nielsen sales monitoring for 52 weeks ending February 23, 2008, DESIGNER WHEY brand is #1 in Unit Sales for high protein powder in US-FOOD for 148 weeks straight.
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