Tillemans reportedly brings decades of consumer-packaged goods experience to his new role at Rip Van, having cultivated deep consumer branding capabilities at Perdue Farms, The Hershey Company, Unilever, and General Mills. His brand portfolio included many consumer brands such as Reese's, Kit Kat, Dove and Axe personal care, Cheerios, and Bisquick. He joins Rip Van at a pivotal stage of growth as the company surpasses $100 million in retail sales and completes its largest retail expansion to date, adding nearly 1,800 new doors across Albertsons, Walmart, BJ's, and Wawa, it says.

"What drew me to Rip Van is the rare combination of a genuinely differentiated product, a rapidly growing consumer following, and a massive category ripe for disruption," says Tillemans. "I am excited by the opportunity to accelerate this purpose-driven insurgent brand and enhance enterprise value by delivering beloved products, deepening customer partnerships, building leading-edge commercial capabilities, and developing world-class talent."

"Todd has a purpose-driven and values-led approach that is aligned with the Rip Van culture and mission," says Pruisken. "He brings the brand-building and commercial excellence capabilities necessary to help evolve Rip Van into a household name. We are thrilled to have Todd lead our company."

"We are crafting a powerful consumer brand and have tremendous potential to expand our portfolio and grow profitably with the experience and operating discipline that Todd brings," says Marco De Leon, CFO and co-founder of Rip Van.

Founded by Rip Pruisken and Marco De Leon, Rip Van was built on a simple principle, the company notes: people shouldn't have to choose between taste and nutrition. Through its proprietary, fiber-forward formulation, Rip Van aims to deliver familiar, indulgent snacks with 50-80% less sugar and more fiber than leading conventional alternatives. 

As CEO, Tillemans will strive to build on Rip Van's legacy of innovation in serving consumers with BFY snacks and investing in the brand as it reaches more consumers and customers nationwide.

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