SONOMA, CALIF. — Jennifer Berliner has been named director of marketing for Zupa Noma, a brand of ready-to-drink soups. Ms. Berliner will be responsible for defining brand messaging and setting marketing strategy for Zupa Noma, which launched this past June from consumer products incubator and venture fund Sonoma Brands.
Ms. Berliner joins Zupa Noma from PepsiCo, where most recently she led shopper marketing at top national retailers for the company’s LiptonTea, Hydration and Frito-Lay multipack snacks businesses. During her time at the company, she held roles on teams managing SoBe, Manzanita Sol, Mug Root Beer and food service innovation. Prior to PepsiCo, Ms. Berliner developed integrated marketing campaigns and strategies at GMMB, a communications strategy firm, for such clients as Visa, American Public Transportation Association and BlueCross BlueShield Association. She has a bachelor’s degree in political science and French from Vanderbilt University and a master’s degree in business administration from the Yale School of Management.
“Jennifer brings an arsenal of knowledge and experience to Zupa Noma, and we know that she will contribute immensely to the exponential growth of the brand as a market leader in the category,” said Jon Sebastiani, founder of Sonoma Brands. “Our investment in a marketing division at Zupa Noma, led by Jennifer, marks a valuable addition to our team as we continue to make an impact on the soup category with innovation and creativity.”
Zupa Noma’s product line includes organic, nutrient-dense bottled soups in such varieties as tomatillo jalapeño, yellow pepper habanero, beet orange basil, cucumber avocado fennel, carrot coconut lime and tomato gazpacho. The products were developed as a lower-sugar alternative to premium juices, Mr. Sebastiani told Food Business News during an interview in September.
“What we’re doing by creating a convenient, ready-to-sip, no-spoon-required product is changing the way people think about soup,” Mr. Sebastiani said. “If you go into grocery stores, convenience stores and gas stations in Europe, gazpacho is a very common beverage for people to grab and go, much like any form of beverage we have here whether it be a water or a juice.”
