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Azania Andrews, CEO of 1440 Foods
Former Anheuser-Busch InBev marketing and media executive Azania Andrews has been named CEO of 1440 Foods, a newly formed entity that controls several protein bars, powders and shakes, including the Pure Protein brand.
Andrews was most recently U.S. VP of consumer connections for AB InBev, giving her oversight of one of the nation’s largest media and sponsorship budgets, including its pricey NFL deal. Before taking that role in 2020, she was marketing VP for Michelob Ultra, the low-cal beer that has consistently grown sales and positioned itself as a fitness-friendly brew.
Although she is leaving one of the most influential marketer media posts in the U.S., the new job gets her a CEO title at a company whose stable of health and wellness brands account for some $500 million in gross sales, according to her estimate.
“I love AB and am so grateful for my time there and honestly every signal that was given to me was there were plenty of opportunities for growth,” Andrews said in an interview. But the chance to become a CEO was “an incredible opportunity to accelerate my career and something I always wanted to do and came more quickly than expected,” she added.
Andrews left the brewer on April 15. Connections is now overseen by Spencer Gordon, who added the role to his ongoing duties as VP of the brewer’s in-house agency, known as DraftLine.
1440 Foods is owned by 4x4 Capital, a New York-based private equity firm. It formed 1440 Foods to house brands that had been under The Bountiful Company, including Pure Protein-branded bars, powders, and shakes; Body Fortress protein powders; MET-Rx, a brand of meal replacements; and Balance, which makes bars marketed as indulgent and nutritious.
4X4 acquired the brands late last year from investment firms KKR and Carlyle, which controlled the Bountiful Company. KKR and Carlye separately sold Bountiful’s vitamin and supplement brands to Nestle for $5.75 billion in early 2021.
Andrews has a connection to 4X4 Capital via its co-founder, Alex Medicis, a former AB InBev executive whose tenure at the brewer included a stint as VP of North American sales.
“Azania’s track record and reputation as a business and brand builder are unparalleled, and we are thrilled to have her at the helm of 1440 Foods,” Medicis said in a statement. “During our time working together at Anheuser-Busch, Azania successfully evolved Michelob Ultra’s positioning as a healthier beer for active consumers, transforming it into the fastest growing brand in America while the rest of the beer market remains in steady decline.”
Andrews, who will work from 1440 Foods’ New York headquarters, said the company has about 60 employees but she is in the process of growing it to about 70. The company takes its name from the number of minutes in a day, with the mission to sell foods that “help people make the most of the moments that define their lives.” according to a press release.
“We need to modernize our brands and refocus and extend innovation,” Andrews said, suggesting the company might explore entering snack categories such as chips and crackers. “These are brands that have been around for a while, most of them launching in the early to mid 90s. We have [the] opportunity to improve design and packaging and extend formats from an innovation standpoint.”
She concedes that the advertising budgets are “modest compared to what I am used to,” adding that “you will see us invest more in social media and TV replacement.”
Because 1440 is controlled by private equity, it raises the prospect that the company will look to cash in its investment one day via a sale.
“Does the company have a desire to have an exit at some point? Absolutely, that is the nature of private equity,” Andrews said. But “what has been made clear to me in my conversation with Alex and partners leading up to my decision to join is that they are interested in really growing this company,” she said, adding that Medicis “hired me with marketing experience recognizing that this is what our brands needed.”
E.J. Schultz is the News Editor for Ad Age, overseeing breaking news and daily coverage. He also contributes reporting on the beverage, automotive and sports marketing industries. He is a former reporter for McClatchy newspapers, including the Fresno Bee, where he covered business and state government and politics.