New York-based Whisps, a cheese crisps brand, has hired John Ghingo as CEO. Ghingo, who most recently served as president of Applegate, brings to Whisps 21 years of experience working with a variety of food, beverage and consumer packaged goods companies, including Whitewave Co. and Mondelēz.
At Whisps, Ghingo will be focused on furthering the company’s mission to bring premium, quality cheese to people nationwide, as well as expand production and open new distribution channels for its existing products.
“In just a few short years, Whisps has grown into a remarkable brand and laid a great foundation for the future that I’m excited to shape alongside the team,” Ghingo said. “After launching the first commercial, snackable cheese crisp that celebrated 100 percent real cheese, there’s been an appetite from its fans to see what Whisps can create next, bringing its love of artisan cheese to more clean label, real foods and snacks.
“I’m excited to merge my experience creating real, recognizable foods sourced from better food systems, with true innovations that delight consumers with solutions they will love.”
Launched in 2015, Whisps is best known for its high-protein line of cheese crisps made with 100 percent real cheese and select premium spices. Whisps recently introduced its first innovations since its launch, including an alternative to breadcrumbs and a keto-friendly cheese crisps and nuts mix.
“The average American consumes approximately 40 pounds of cheese per year, creating an immense opportunity for Whisps to grow,” said Iris Snyder, CFO of Whisps. “Looking at what John has accomplished at other incredible brands, we’re confident that he’ll provide the vision we need to go from one aisle to many.”
Current CEO, Ilana Fischer, who took Whisps independent in 2019 after launching the brand inside of Schuman Cheese, will continue on with the brand through a new role as an advisor for the board and executive leadership team.
For more information, visit whisps.com.
