Dive Brief:
- Post Holdings named Greg Pearson president and CEO of its consumer brands division, which includes the Honey Bunches of Oats and Fruity Pebbles owner's cereal and pet food businesses.
- Pearson, who starts in April, replaces Nicolas Catoggio, who transitioned to Post's chief operating officer in January following the retirement of Jeff Zadoks.
- Pearson joins the St. Louis-based company from Compana Pet Brands where he was CEO. He also has prior experience at Chewy, Conagra Brands, General Mills and Pretzels Inc., which was later purchased by Hershey.
Dive Insight:
For much of its history, Post Consumer Brands’ portfolio consisted of iconic cereals. But in recent years, Post’s largest division has become a major player in pet food, starting with its transformative $1.2 billion deal with J.M. Smucker three years ago.
In selecting Pearson, Post is not only appointing someone who has a long career working for CPG companies, but it is also choosing an individual who is intimately familiar with the products, customers and trends impacting the brands and industries he will oversee. Post's pet food brands include 9Lives and Kibbles ’n Bits.
Pearson’s prior experience leading grocery and pet food brands made him “a great fit” for the role, Post Holdings CEO Rob Vitale said in a statement.
Pearson takes over at a time that has proven to be challenging for Post and its food competitors as consumers pull back on spending due to inflation – a trend also playing out in pet food. During its 2025 fiscal year, net sales at Post Consumer Brands unit fell 2.1% to $4 billion, according to the company.
