Don Robinson, a consumer-packaged goods industry veteran who served as CEO and President of Mars Canada from 1998-2006 has joined Eat Beyond’s board of directors
Vancouver, B.C. – July 9, 2020 – Eat Beyond Global Holdings (“Eat Beyond”), a fund focused on investing in companies that are developing and commercializing innovative and plant-based food products, is pleased to announce that Don Robinson, the former CEO and President of Mars Canada, has joined its board of directors.
Mr. Robinson has spent over three decades in the consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry, including roles with Nabisco/Kraft and Mars Incorporated. His work has spanned four continents and three decades. As CEO and President of Mars Canada, he transformed the business from an unprofitable operation losing $20M annually to a business with $25M in profit with sales of over $500M. Most recently, he served as Chairman, CEO and President of CARA Operations Ltd. (2006-2013), where he was responsible for successfully leading a $1.8B business with an EBITDA of $70M for a period of 7 years, this included 700 restaurants, 35,000 people and 5 restaurant chains.
“Having spent so many years in the CPG and food industries, and having gone vegan myself about a year ago, I am excited by the opportunity that Eat Beyond brings. Seeking out the early ventures that need funding in this emerging area of plant-based and alternative foods is fascinating to me,” said Mr. Robinson. “The investment committee is impressive, and I believe that I can provide additional insight with my experience. At the heart of consumer packaged goods is being consumer-driven, and at the heart of being consumer-driven is looking at research and insights, knowing how to interpret them, and determining what will work and what won’t.”
Eat Beyond is the first fund of its kind in Canada that is solely focused on investing in global companies that are developing and commercializing innovative food products including alternatives to meat, seafood, eggs, and dairy. Eat Beyond was created to provide retail investors with the opportunity to participate in the growing sector and plans to list on the Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE) in 2020.
“Inviting Mr. Robinson to join Eat Beyond as a director made perfect sense to our team. We are constantly evaluating a broad cross-section of companies throughout the growing alternative food sector, including consumer packaged goods,” said Patrick Morris, CEO of Eat Beyond.
Mr. Robinson points to several trends driving the increased demand for plant-based and alternative protein.
“Recently, we’re seeing more awareness around doing what’s good for the planet, and the footprint that the animal protein industry has is devastating on the environment. We’re also seeing more data demonstrating the health benefits of eating a plant-based diet,” added Mr. Robinson. “And with all the products available now – and the new products we will be helping bring to market, you don’t need to sacrifice taste to eat a plant-based diet.”
In addition to his executive roles with CARA, Mars and Kraft/Nabisco, his previous roles included: Director, Queens School of Business Advisory Board; Director, Ryerson Business School Advisory Board; Director, University of Guelph Business School Advisory Board; and Director, Canadian Food and Restaurant Association.
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About Eat Beyond Global Holdings
Eat Beyond Global Holdings (“Eat Beyond”) identifies and invests in global companies that are developing and commercializing innovative food products including alternatives to meat, seafood, eggs, and dairy. Led by a team of food industry experts, Eat Beyond is the first fund of its kind in Canada, providing retail investors with the unique opportunity to participate in the growth of the alternative food sector and access to the companies that are leading the charge toward a smarter, more secure food supply.
Learn more: https://eatbeyondglobal.com/
