About Us
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Todd Wichman
Founder, CEO
With over three decades of experience in the consumer products industry, Todd is a seasoned entrepreneur and former employee at industry titan, Procter & Gamble. After graduating Northwestern University, Todd kickstarted his career at The Procter and Gamble Company.
With his leadership as a Brand Manager with P&G’s flagship brand, Tide, and Cascade, P&G reported $2 Billion in sales in the categories of detergent and auto-dish.
Following a career at P&G, Todd went on to build Redox Brands Inc., a venture centered on acquiring established consumer brands and HealthPro Brands, nurturing smaller brands with rapid growth potential. His first acquisition was P&G's Produce Wash technology and brands, initially as a license in 2003 and ultimately as a full acquisition in 2006.
With a keen eye for highly marketable and sought-after consumer packaged goods, Todd not only excels in the industry but genuinely enjoys his work.
Based in a Cincinnati, Todd shares over 30 years of marriage with his wife, Bridget, and is a proud parent to three children. -
Jeanette Hsieh
COO, Sales & Ops
Jeanette's journey has been a dynamic evolution from her legal roots to a fervent pursuit of startups and entrepreneurship.
Beginning her career at the Department of Justice in Washington DC, she provided legal counsel at Deloitte and then the prominent law firm, Ogletree Deakins.
Her true calling, however, is in business building. She co-founded a legal startup focused ond document sharing for small firms. She also operated and managed a vacation rental management company.
Recently, Jeanette pivoted to e-commerce, building luxury brands. These ventures honed her expertise in sales, branding, marketing, and operationalizing consumer products.
At the core, Jeanette prioritizes building authentic key relationships within the consumer product community, a pivotal aspect of her growth-oriented approach.
Jeanette is happily married to a digital marketing expert who lends his brains to Instar Brands on occasion, and they live in Los Angeles with their two girls and dog. -
Mike Zitt
Art Director
Mike, a CPG designer with 20+ years of experience and is passionate about creating innovative and visually appealing packaging designs that capture the attention of consumers. He has a deep understanding of the CPG industry and the unique challenges and opportunities that it presents.
In his early career, Mike worked as an Art Director for Leo Burnett in Chicago where he gained experience in designing a variety of marketing materials, including print ads, billboards, and website banners.
Mike has since worked on a wide range of projects for some of the world's leading brands. He has a proven track record of success in creating designs that have helped to increase sales and boost brand awareness.
Mike's work is characterized by its clean, modern aesthetic and its focus on user-friendly design. He is also known for his ability to think outside the box and come up with creative and innovative solutions.
In addition to his design work, Mike lives in a remote area outside St. Louis and enjoys hiking, camping, and fishing the river on his property.
BEYOND REFRESHING: A Case Study
"The JUXX Jump"
From Brazil to US Shelves Next to Giants of a Soaring Health Beverage Industry
The "JUXX Jump" is a saga of resilience, as founder and creator of JUXX, Edson, endeavors to bring Brazil's unique health-focused beverage to the U.S. market. Instar Brands breathes new life into JUXX, propelling it from obscurity to a health hero through a captivating rebrand and strategic expertise. The partnership blooms into a transformative force, culminating in national distribution through UNFI.
Gelson's, a California grocery icon, selected JUXX as its inaugural customer, validating its elite status in the health beverage sector. This dynamic collaboration between JUXX and Instar Brands epitomizes the power of strategic rebranding and distribution, establishing JUXX as a coveted health beverage across the U.S. market.