Barnana, the natural snack brand that makes banana and plantain-based snacks, has brought in the former CEO of instant noodle company, Nissin North America, Al Multari, to lead its team.
Barnana founder and former CEO Cauê Suplicy said, “We are proud to announce Al Multari as the new CEO. Barnana has always been driven by an entrepreneurial spirit; Al brings a seasoned mindset, strategic outlook and focus on structure that will both enhance this culture and strengthen the future of the business.”
In leading this dynamic team, Multari will focus on amplifying brand awareness, expanding distribution channels and continuing to fuel innovation and expansion of the core product range.
Multari has more than 30 years of experience in consumer packaged goods. He was the CEO of Nissin USA, where he became the first local United States CEO for Nissin Holding Co. While at Nissin, he recruited and retained a local management team and developed the overall company strategy, resulting in improved performance in both product and profit.
Prior to Nissin, Multari spent a total of 18 years at Nestlé USA, where he held a variety of roles in marketing and sales, including president of Nestle’s $1 billion baking division. Multari holds a BA in Economics from Stanford University and an MBA in Marketing and Finance from the University of Southern California.
“This brand is at an exciting and pivotal point in its trajectory. We want to be flexible and innovative to look for new ways of doing things, to expand distribution and further drive consumer loyalty and pull,” Multari said. “What’s most fun about working in a company like this is there’s so much opportunity to grow and evolve quickly.”
With its commitment to upcycling, Barnana has saved more than 85 million bananas from going to waste by turning “imperfect” fruit into delicious snacks. The Santa Monica, California-based company is a certified B-Corporation, focused on expanding its partnerships with farmers and indigenous communities in the Amazon. Barnana’s product lines include Banana Bites, Banana Brittle and Plantain Chips. Its products, which are Organic Certified and Non-GMO Verified; can be found at Whole Foods, CVS, Kroger and other grocers.
