Executive reshuffles and category bets dominated mid-September. Beauty players made notable leadership moves (Glossier’s next chief, Unilever’s new CFO), Gap doubled down on category expansion via seasoned advisors, and Gen-Z beauty darlings explored aging-up strategies. In beverage, Wandering Bear pushed into high-protein coffee with a Whole Foods exclusive, while Stoli Group deepened its stake in zero-proof via The Pathfinder. On the enablement side, Iris raised fresh capital to build AI-native finance tooling for CPG operators. Together, these moves point to a market prioritizing operational discipline, diversified growth engines, and products that speak to function as much as flavor or fun.
Bubble, the colorful, affordable skincare line, is widening its target beyond teens and early-20s shoppers. It tapped actress Leighton Meester (39) as its first celebrity ambassador to broaden generational appeal while rolling out products aimed at adult skin concerns (e.g., a moisturizing eye cream) and emphasizing clinical claims in merchandising and packaging.
The brand reportedly hired an investment bank to evaluate future options and is balancing playful branding with efficacy messaging as Gen Z ages into “serious skincare.” Comparable youth-centric peers are also evolving: Byoma’s sale to Bansk are cited as markers of the trend.
Protein snack brand Khloud appointed Jeff Rubenstein (former Poppi president & CGO) as CEO five months after launch, aligning leadership with an aggressive retail rollout. The company announced upcoming launches at Walmart, Kroger, Albertsons, and Ahold this fall.
Coverage notes the appointment is intended to accelerate retail expansion and portfolio growth as the brand scales distribution.
Unilever named Srinivas Phatak (53) as CFO on Sept. 16, elevating a 25-year company veteran who had served as acting CFO since February. The appointment follows leadership shifts in which Fernando Fernandez moved from CFO to CEO. Unilever highlighted Phatak’s mandate during an organizational refresh, including the planned ice cream spinoff this year and a push for volume growth and margin expansion.
Gap Inc. enlisted Reed Krakoff (executive director, accessories) and John Demsey (executive director, beauty) as consultants to drive new growth categories. Plans include launching beauty at Old Navy this fall in 150 stores, a Gap-branded beauty line in 2026, and phased accessories rollouts (handbags, jewelry, leather goods) across the portfolio. Deb Redmond (GM, beauty) and Michele Parsons (GM, accessories) will oversee execution.
Iris Finance (AI-native FP&A/CFO platform for physical-goods brands) raised $6.2M seed led by Glasswing Ventures (with Founder Collective, HPA, and existing backers). The company says it surpassed seven figures in ARR within its first year and has onboarded hundreds of CPG brands; funds will accelerate product development and go-to-market.
Additional trade coverage underscores the CPG-specific positioning and automation ambitions for forecasting, margins, and working-capital decisions.
Wandering Bear debuted its first canned drink, a dairy-based cold brew latte with 11g of protein per 8-oz can, sold exclusively at Whole Foods Market. The national rollout launched Sept. 16 with an MSRP around $3.99 per can, per the company’s announcement.
Trade and social posts highlight the “first canned product” milestone and confirm the functional positioning (protein + coffee). Whole Foods’ product search pages list Vanilla, Double, and Mocha High-Protein Cold Brew Latte variants.
The Pathfinder (non-alcoholic “Hemp and Root” elixir and RTDs) closed a $3.6M Series B led by Stoli Group (news dated Sept. 10). Proceeds will expand US distribution and team; the brand targets availability in 41 states by year-end and cites Whole Foods, Total Wine & More, and Sprouts as retail partners. Recent innovation includes 200ml RTDs (Spritz and a non-carbonated Negroni), with a coffee-based RTD coming this fall. The company reports 82% velocity and 181% sales dollar growth in the latest quarter (NIQ/IRI, 13 weeks ending June 14).
Unilever’s permanent CFO appointment signals a return to execution basics—margin, volume, and portfolio clarity—as it readies the ice cream spin-off. Glossier naming a seasoned operator in Colin Walsh suggests founder-era darlings want grown-up P&L stewardship to scale beyond a hero SKU or aesthetic. Both moves underscore operational discipline as the macro backdrop stays choppy.
Gap’s beauty/accessories push at Old Navy (150 stores this fall) and a Gap-branded line for 2026 captures the need for basket-builders that travel across channels. Expect more private-label-adjacent beauty, accessories, and wellness offerings at mass apparel retailers as they chase new margin pools and gifting adjacency.
Bubble’s Meester campaign shows youth brands are reframing for older skin concerns while keeping playful DNA. The takeaway: efficacy + joy beats either/or, and celebrity nostalgia can bridge demographics—useful for brands confronting cohort maturation.
Wandering Bear’s protein latte and The Pathfinder’s zero-proof RTDs reflect a function-forward wave: caffeine with protein for satiety or non-alc cocktails with credible flavor builds. Look for hybrid benefits (energy + macros, ritual + sobriety) and increasing space for better-for-you RTDs in grocery and specialty retail.
Iris’s raise speaks to the rising demand for real-time, AI-assisted FP&A in brands with complex omni-channel data. Expect mainstream adoption of tooling that surfaces pricing, inventory, and cash-flow calls weekly—not just at month-end—especially as retailers tighten terms and tariffs/inputs stay volatile.
Mid-September’s moves centered on execution and expansion: install the operators, widen the categories, grow with generational cohorts, and ship products that deliver utility (protein, zero-proof) as much as delight. For CPG leaders, the playbook is clarifying—professionalize the org, diversify the mix, and use AI-native tooling to make faster, better decisions. The brands that match disciplined operations with consumer-centric innovation will be best positioned heading into Q4.