SANTA MONICA, Calif. -- Joe Serventi, former general manager of Hippeas, maker of Organic Chickpea Puffs, has been promoted to global CEO of the company. Livio Bisterzo, founder of Hippeas, will become chairman for the organic snack brand.
Since joining Hippeas in March 2017, Serventi has helped drive cross-channel distribution among traditional, natural and club retailers. The brand is stocked at nearly 100,000 retail locations and has seen triple-digit growth since Serventi’s hiring, according to the company.
"When Joe joined Hippeas last year, we knew he would play a key role in driving the brand forward, rapidly increasing distribution and building out an industry leading team,” said Bisterzo. “His strategic leadership and brand building expertise has helped the U.S. business achieve incredible success over the past 18 months.”
Serventi will oversee Hippeas’ global operations as new CEO. As chairman, Bisterzo will manage the company’s brand marketing, innovation and charitable work.
"I have seen this company go from a disruptive startup, to a fierce and fast-growing force within the industry,” said Serventi. “Hippeas has the potential to become a household name. Since we launched, Hippeas has seen incredible velocity growth and expansion, and I'm looking forward to taking the brand to the next level."
Before joining Hippeas, Serventi was executive vice president of barkThins, which he led toward its eventual acquisition from The Hershey Co. Prior to barkThins, he worked with Pirate Brands (Pirate's Booty) and Glaceau, a vitamin-water and smart-water label.
Besides founding Hippeas, Bisterzo has created multiple businesses spanning across several industries, including Kyoku men's grooming and super juice brand Little Miracles.
Santa Monica, Calif-based Hippeas' Organic Chickpea Puffs come in five flavors: Vegan White Cheddar, Bohemian Barbecue, Sriracha Sunrise, Pepper Power and Far Out Fajita, each containing 4 grams of protein and 130 calories per 1-ounce serving. The puffs are USDA organic, gluten-free and non-GMO. They are found in select retailers nationwide.
Photograph courtesy of Hippeas
Members help make our journalism possible. Become a CSP member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.