BOULDER, CO — Quinn, a natural foods company reimagining classic snacks, has announced a new chief visionary officer and chairwoman of the board in addition to a new CEO.
Kristy Lewis, the founder of Quinn, will be assuming the new chairwoman and chief visionary officer position. Since 2010, Lewis has been shaking up the snack industry by delivering several industry firsts including microwavable popcorn with compostable paper, gluten-free and whole grain pretzels, and several filled pretzel nuggets that are also gluten-free.
After rapidly building the brand’s strength in the pretzel and overall snack categories, Lewis is transitioning into the new role so she can exclusively focus on innovation and the mission and vision of the company. Quinn launched its “Farm-to-Bag” transparency policy in 2012 and its “Be Better. Do Better.” mission in 2019. The initiative aims to make a critical impact in the food industry by supporting and helping farmers take first steps toward a more regenerative farming approach.
“After 11 years of leading Quinn, this is a chance for me to lead where my heart is and to exclusively focus on turning Quinn into a company that stands for the greater common good,” Lewis said. “I am beyond grateful to be in a position where my job is to help build Quinn with a primary focus on being and doing better in everything that we do.”
Mike Keown, the former CEO at Honey Stinger, will be assuming the role of CEO for Quinn. After being at the helm of the fast-growing sports nutrition brand, he brings 30 years of CPG leadership experience to the position with a track record at Farmer Brothers, WhiteWave Foods and Minute Maid. He started his career at Proctor and Gamble in sales and marketing and has consistently driven sustainability, often starting with farmers.
“When I first met Kristy, it was clear we shared many of the same values, and I was excited to see her vision for the future,” he said. “I could not be more excited to help bring that vision to life, lead the terrific team she put together, and do so in beautiful Boulder, Colorado, a town we love.”
