On the heels of a remarkably successful 2015, Project Juice, a certified organic, non-GMO, cold-pressed juice and clean food company, welcomed 2016 with the appointment of its first-ever chief executive officer: Susan Shields, a veteran of the food and beverage industry.
With more than 25 years in the retail and foodservice marketing and business management industry, Shields’ professional expertise lies in helping natural and organic companies grow profitably and sustainably. She has a particular personal passion for organic products and healthy living, making her a natural choice for the position.
“Project Juice is a growing company with multiple founders. We are continuously faced with opportunities to explore and strategic decisions to be made,” says Project Juice cofounder Rachel Malsin. “Collectively, we decided that hiring a CEO is an important decision to best set up Project Juice for success in 2016. We spent several months interviewing and vetting candidates before selecting Susan to lead the company.”
At Project Juice, Shields will lead the senior executive team of founding members—Greg and Rachel Malsin, Devon Briger, Marra St. Clair, and Lori Kenyon Farley—in setting company culture and implementing a unified vision. She will also help raise and allocate capital to support continued company growth. Her personal passion for wellness culminates in her accepting this position, as she looks forward to continuing and heightening Project Juice’s commitment to innovation, organic ingredients, superior quality products, and excellent customer service.
“I am thrilled to be joining such a passionate and talented group of founders. I look forward to building upon the incredible foundation that they have built and partnering with them to take the business to the next level,” Shields says.
Prior to joining the Project Juice team, Shields was partner and cofounder at Pluot Consulting, a firm that handles natural and organic brand consulting. Previous to that, she served as senior vice president, chief innovation officer, and chief marketing officer at Jamba Juice. She has also held senior executive positions at Beautifull Inc. and with Safeway’s consumer brands division. She’s also headed departments and brands for both Del Monte Foods and the Quaker Oats Company. She is a member of the Board of Directors for The Organic Center, the YMCA of the Central Bay Area, and Traditional Medicinals, an organic herbal tea company. Shields earned a Master of Business Administration from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, where she was an Austin Scholar. She has a Bachelor of Arts from Williams College.
