Dive Brief:
- Adding another new face to its leadership team, Grove Collaborative has appointed John Replogle, previously the CEO of Burt's Bees and Seventh Generation, to serve as chairman of its board of directors, the company announced on Thursday.
- Replogle is credited with establishing partnerships with Walmart and Target to distribute Seventh Generation and Burt's Bees natural products. He also steered Seventh Generation and Burt's Bees through their exits to Unilever and Clorox, respectively, per the company announcement.
- Grove Collaborative in December formed a deal to go public with Virgin Group Acquisition Corp. II, a special purpose acquisition company. It will trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol "GROV," according to the press release.
Dive Insight:
Before Grove Collaborative tapped into Replogle's experience, the company had been eyeing new leadership to help steer the company forward. Last June, the company brought on Jennie Perry, formerly of Amazon, to serve as its chief marketing officer.
Sustainability has always been at the core of Grove Collaborative's business and it's something Replogle commends. Consumers are more interested in environmentally friendly products now, and Grove's products will lead the way in sustainable consumer packaged goods, he said in a statement.
"John wholeheartedly shares our belief that business must be a force for good, and understands the need and potential for real innovation in the consumer products space," Stuart Landesberg, co-founder and CEO of Grove, said in a statement. "I am thrilled to welcome John to the team as we continue to build the next generation of consumer products."
Besides shaking up its leadership, the company raised capital and expanded its physical presence. In December 2020, the company raised $125 million from Counterpoint Global at Morgan Stanley, Sculptor and other investors to enter new product categories and create new brands. The following spring, Grove Collaborative introduced a new citron and white rose scent along with its other top cleaning products at Target stores and on its website. It also added new personal care items to its assortment.
