JustFoodForDogs Appoints Eric Kufel as Chairman, Chief Executive Officer

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Press release: JustFoodForDogs

JustFoodForDogs, a leader in the fresh human-grade food movement for pets, recently announced that Eric Kufel has been appointed chairman and chief executive officer. Kufel succeeds Julian Mack, who will remain a member of the company’s board of directors.

Kufel brings more than 25 years of executive leadership experience and a proven track record of delivering significant growth for a wide range of consumer-focused brands. Since 2018, Kufel has been a member of the board of directors of Leslie’s, the leading direct-to-consumer pool and spa care brand, and supported the Company’s successful public offering in 2020. He has also served as CEO of several L Catterton portfolio companies including Van’s Natural Foods and Corepower Yoga. Previously, Kufel served as CEO of Inventure Foods for more than 10 years after various roles in brand management at The Coca-Cola Company, Kellogg’s and Henkel.

Since L Catterton first partnered with JustFoodForDogs (JFFD) in 2017, the company has benefitted from the firm’s deep experience in the pet category, including through enhancing its partnerships with key retailers and broadening its distribution. Under Mack’s leadership, JFFD has continued to build out its omnichannel platform across owned multi-unit retail as well as through e-commerce and wholesale partners, leading to significant topline growth.

Kufel commented, “As a lifelong dog owner, I admire JFFD’s dedication to improving and extending the lives of our trusted companions through the power of fresh, better-for-you food and am honored to join an organization whose values align so closely with my own. My passion for health and wellness has made an instrumental impact on my personal life, and just as I do with myself, I’ve been highly focused on ensuring that my pets receive the proper nutrition. I’m pleased to be working with L Catterton in this role and look forward to benefiting from its extensive industry expertise as we work together to harness the opportunities ahead for the brand. I can’t wait to get started and do my part to help as many dogs as possible live longer, healthier lives through our scientifically-backed, nutritious offering.”

Mack said, “We are pleased to have someone with Eric’s proven history in leading high-growth businesses step in as CEO at this point in JFFD’s growth trajectory. I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished over the past three years, and I thank our talented team for their hard work and dedication to pets and pet parents. Our team is what makes JustFoodForDogs special, and I look forward to spending more time on Unconditional, the senior and special needs dog shelter I co-founded with my wife Amy, and continuing to support Eric and the team as a member of the company’s board.”

“Eric is a highly strategic and respected leader, with significant multi-channel, multi-unit, and brand marketing expertise. His successful track record of building best-in-class businesses gives us confidence that he’s the right next leader to continue the strong momentum at JFFD,” said Matt Lischick, a partner at L Catterton. “We thank Julian for his dedication to the brand and its customers and are pleased that we will continue to benefit from his insights as a member of our Board. Over the past few years, JFFD has accelerated sales, broadened its product assortment, and deepened relationships with key retailers and other partners. As we continue to see pet adoption increase and pet parents prioritize high-quality, better-for-you fresh ingredients, there are numerous opportunities for us to leverage Eric’s expertise to capitalize on the compelling opportunities ahead.”