Laura Kuykendall

Provide marketing services and leadership for CPG brands including innovation, research, consumer trend analysis, channel development, team building, marketing strategy, resource assessment, agency evaluation.

Built multi-disciplined marketing team in one year and put processes in place to support brands through project management systems and cross-functional support teams. Contributed more than $2.5M of brand value in year one through in-house marketing services. Negotiated enterprise agreements with external partners to support brands (i.e. SPINs, ibotta). Created new product development process, including stage gate timeline and P&L evaluation. Established Factory as a community partner and industry leader. - Created internship program with local colleges and universities, providing paid experience opportunities for more than 20 students in the first two years. - Hosted Global Pet Innovation Summit, hosting global entrepreneurs and pet industry leaders. - Planned and executed grand opening of $50 million Stuffed Puffs plant that featured appearance by DJ Marshmello. Included outdoor/print/radio campaign to recruit 130+ employees. - Organized two innovation summits to introduce Sprouts Markets to more than eighty emerging brands. Brand accomplishments: - Honey Stinger: Developed new brand strategy that shifted to a broader target audience. New packaging and in-store merchandising to support strategy. Conducted multiple quantitative and qualitative studies to confirm new strategy and to guide new product development initiatives. Hive Community grew from 3,700 to more than 80,000 participants in the first year. - Mikey’s: Developed brand strategy and led packaging redesign to align with strategy. Conducted quantitative research to validate brand messaging. Launched eCommerce platform on Shopify. - Pipcorn: Developed brand strategy and marketing plan to support strategy. - Stuffed Puffs: Launched brand in 2019 and became the #2 selling marshmallow at Walmart. Garnered more than 250 million media impressions in less than eight months. Conducted quantitative pricing study to validate price changes and optimize P&L. Created eCommerce site on Shopify.

Private-equity owned consumer packaged goods company that markets snacks under the Popcorners brand. Led for brand marketing and new product development. Responsibilities included brand strategy, consumer marketing, trade marketing, shopper marketing, innovation, and pricing. Built first-ever marketing team and determined outside agency support needs. Reviewed and appointed agencies for public relations, brand strategy, package design, social and digital media, and syndicated data. Developed umbrella brand strategy to support current Popcorners products and map out future innovation pillars in multi-channel environment. Conducted extensive research to validate brand strategy, positioning and pricing using quantitative, qualitative and sensory analysis. Restaged product portfolio (13 products and more than 65 SKUs) in five months to include package design enhancements, formula improvements, non-GMO verification, pricing analysis and marketing support. Leveraged successful sampling program and partnership with JetBlue to build meaningful experiential/sampling plan to surprise and delight our target consumers. Delivered over one million targeted samples in first six months to yoga studios, microbreweries, outdoor concert venues and YMCAs. Established public relations outreach program that garnered over 440 million impressions and more than 20 top- tier placements in first five months of outreach, exceeding goal by 300%. Executed digital and social program to build community and promote engagement among consumer target. Launched brand in Europe including identification of distribution partner, consumer research to determine messaging differences, in-country package design and in-country public relations support.

Direct brand marketing and new product development activities with P&L ownership. Responsibilities include brand strategy, innovation, research, pricing and forecasting. Established gluten-free strategy to support unique brand positions for Udi’s and Glutino, the #1 and #2 gluten free brands in North America. Strategy included quantitative and qualitative research to establish a clear and distinct brand vision for Udi’s and Glutino and to clarify their individual reason for being and distinct role in the portfolio. Participated with sales in top to top retailer meetings to educate and build optimized free-from destinations. Key presentations with Costco, Walmart, Target, Kroger, Ahold, Safeway, Whole Foods and Sprouts. Increased Glutino sales by 71% in the two years post acquisition through aggressive distribution push with key retailers. Average number of items in grocery and mass channels increased 111%. Managed digital marketing platform to support more than 1.8 million community members and brand ambassadors. Renovated core items to improve quality and margins. Yielded sales improvement of almost 300%.