LEMON PERFECT APPOINTS JEFF POPKIN AS CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

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Oct 16, 2024, 09:00 ET

Gui Weaver also joins the company as Chief Sales Officer amid exciting leadership changes.

ATLANTA, Oct. 16, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Beyoncé-backed Lemon Perfect announced today the hiring of former Vita Coco President Jeff Popkin as Chief Executive Officer and Guillaume "Gui" Weaver, a yearslong Monster Energy sales executive, as Chief Sales Officer.

On track to surpass $100 million in retail sales in 2024, Lemon Perfect is fast approaching its next phase of rapid growth. The appointment of seasoned executive leadership with significant experience in beverage is a strategic move to further accelerate the company's momentum.

Lemon Perfect Founder Yanni Hufnagel, who will transition to a full-time Executive Chairman role, praised Popkin as an exceptional, people-first leader and expressed his pride in welcoming him as CEO. "Today is a monumental day for Lemon Perfect," said Hufnagel. "Jeff is a best-in-class executive and passionate leader whose beverage experience is unsurpassed. He will drive revenue and profit while accelerating Lemon Perfect's rise toward our goal of becoming the number-one brand in the multibillion-dollar Flavor-Enhanced Water category by market share. Anytime you can land the top recruit on your board, it's a great feeling, and Jeff was that for us. This is a grand slam CEO hire, and I'm looking forward to working with Jeff daily as this exciting new era for Lemon Perfect begins."

Popkin brings over 30 years of beverage experience — building and leading top brands — to Lemon Perfect. His leadership roles include six years as the President of Vita Coco Company during its high-growth expansion years and six and a half years as the CEO of Mast-Jägermeister US, where he returned the iconic spirits brand to growth and launched a strategic partnership with Teramana Tequila. Popkin also served as CEO of Red Bull Distribution and held several executive sales roles at MillerCoors, where he worked for over a decade. "I've spent the last few weeks getting to know the team behind Lemon Perfect, and I couldn't be more pleased with the people at the foundation of this brand," said Popkin. "Lemon Perfect is well positioned to dominate the Flavored-Enhanced Water category and become a household beverage name. With over 100 million bottles sold to date, the brand's remarkable success is a testament to its team, product-market fit, and big total addressable market. I look forward to leading Lemon Perfect in its next evolution of growth."

Alongside Popkin, Weaver joins the Lemon Perfect C-Suite with over 32 years of comprehensive CPG experience. Most notably, Weaver spent 15 years at Monster Energy Company, where he excelled in various senior management roles across sales and marketing. Throughout his tenure, Weaver has demonstrated the ability to drive growth, develop strategic initiatives, and lead high-performing teams in a fast-paced, competitive environment.

"I've had the privilege of knowing Gui Weaver for many years, and I can say with full confidence that he is truly best in class when it comes to driving sales and building high-performing teams," said Dan Morad, Founding Partner at Terpsi Capital and Board Vice Chairman. "I have long sought the opportunity to bring Gui into an emerging beverage company, and I am thrilled to have him join Lemon Perfect. His expertise and passion for the industry will be instrumental as we continue to grow and elevate our brand."

Earlier this year, Lemon Perfect announced major retail expansion with partners like 7-Eleven and Whole Foods Market, unveiled new, larger bottles, and sold its 100-millionth bottle. The company plans to soon announce exciting innovations for 2025.

About Lemon Perfect:

Lemon Perfect is a delicious and refreshing flavor-enhanced lemon water with zero sugar and no artificial flavors or sweeteners. Powered by half a squeezed organic lemon in every bottle, Lemon Perfect contains only five calories, is high in immune-boosting vitamin C, and is proudly bottled using recycled plastic.

Lemon Perfect is widely considered one of the most innovative emerging beverages in the marketplace. The company's mission is to sustainably reimagine bottled water by promoting great-tasting, healthy hydration — anytime, anywhere, and for everyone. Lemon Perfect is available at retailers nationwide, on Amazon, and on lemonperfect.com. The Lemon Perfect company is headquartered in Atlanta, GA. For more information, visit lemonperfect.com and follow @lemonperfect on social media.

SOURCE Lemon Perfect