Sparkling Ice® Refreshes Market Position with First Chief Growth Officer Rich DePencier

PRESTON, Wash., Jan. 4, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Talking Rain^® Beverage Company today announced its first Chief Growth Officer, Rich DePencier, a key move in the company’s aggressive strategy to energize future growth and meet consumer demand for Sparkling Ice^®, the number one bestselling sparkling water brand.

Thanks to his extensive leadership in the consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry, DePencier brings both deep brand management expertise and a passion for innovation in marketing, product development and retail. In this new position, DePencier leads the company’s largest-ever investment in marketing and innovation around Sparkling Ice with bold creative campaigns, flavorful new product launches, unique brand collaborations and partnerships, and new channel expansion.

DePencier’s sweet spot is building highly motivated brand teams to accelerate share growth across channels, cultures, and countries around the globe. He has built and led some of the world’s favorite and iconic consumer brands for Fortune 100 companies, including Procter & Gamble and Starbucks.

“We’re excited to put a stake in the ground and bring the beloved Sparkling Ice brand to life in fresh ways that will delight millions of our loyal fans,” said Rich DePencier, Chief Growth Officer at Talking Rain Beverage Company. “Sparkling Ice will also energize a whole new legion of Zillennial flavor lovers as the company goes all in with investments in R&D, brand management, best-in-class advertising and media firms, A-list talent, and a deep commitment to connect with them via new media platforms.”

DePencier brings decades of expertise driving the global success of branded CPG, including building the Starbucks ready-to-drink coffee line into a global business. At Talking Rain, DePencier’s primary focus will be leading cross-functionally to grow the company’s market share, revenue, and profitability. Further, he will emphasize innovation throughout the company, and optimize existing product offerings, including multichannel products, packaging, and flavors. Concurrently, he will explore additional avenues for growth in new geographies, as well as non-traditional and emerging channels.

“We’re entering an exceptional era for Talking Rain and the Sparkling Ice brand. I’m grateful to have Rich DePencier join our organization as we proactively and aggressively look to expand our position as the number one sparkling water brand in the U.S., transforming Sparkling Ice into a lifestyle icon,” said Ken Sylvia, Chief Executive Officer at Talking Rain Beverage Company. “As a company, we’re squarely in investment mode on all fronts – including attracting world-class talent. I’m confident that adding Rich’s growth-oriented mindset, strong leadership, and deep passion for our brand is a recipe for success.”

Starting his career at Procter & Gamble, DePencier first honed his management skills with major brands including Tide and Charmin before leading a beauty care portfolio including Pantene, Olay and Cover Girl. Recruited by Starbucks to create and lead its new CPG business unit, he served as Vice President, Global Consumer Products, responsible for leading the global expansion of the consumer products business unit. During his tenure at Starbucks, DePencier also led the P&L of the U.S. retail beverage business, and the creation of the company’s first global product portfolio pipeline.

For more information on Sparkling Ice: https://www.sparklingice.com.

About Talking Rain^® Beverage Company

Talking Rain, the makers of Sparkling Ice, is your Washington-based beverage company with an impressive 35-year legacy in the beverage world. We’ve brewed up a remarkable collection of brands, including the fan-favorite Sparkling Ice^®, Sparkling Ice^® +Caffeine, Sparkling Ice^® +Energy and Talking Rain AQA^®. These beverages come in a delightful array of flavors, all focusing on providing healthier beverage options.

But we’re not just about making great drinks; we’re all about building connections with our community and sharing the love with every sip. That’s our special ingredient – a blend of passion and commitment.

For more information, please visit https://www.talkingrain.com.