Welcome to the Arena from ICR – Conversations with Today's Innovators & Business Leaders

Being a disruptor in business can be as uncomplicated as putting out high quality products, in a small-but-mighty category. And that's what today's guest has done, with incredible success. On this episode we're talking to Todd Lachman, the founder, President and CEO of Sovos Brands.

For 25 years, Todd's delivered growth and value creation for some of the biggest names in consumer packaged goods. He served as Global President of Mars Pet Care, President of Mars Chocolate, North America and Latin America, and Executive Vice President of Del Monte Foods Company. He also held senior management roles at H.J. Heinz Company after moving up the marketing ranks at Proctor and Gamble. 

Outside of his extensive professional experience, Todd's an active board member with Big Brothers and Big Sisters in the Bay Area, and he's a super active guy who's into skiing, cycling and hiking with his family and two dogs.

I managed to tear him away from his busy life for a conversation about how he built Sovos Brands into the huge success it is today, and what made him start the company in the first place.

Show Notes

Summary:

Being a disruptor in business can be as uncomplicated as putting out high quality products, in a small-but-mighty category. And that's what today's guest has done, with incredible success. On this episode we're talking to Todd Lachman, the founder, President and CEO of Sovos Brands.

For 25 years, Todd's delivered growth and value creation for some of the biggest names in consumer packaged goods. He served as Global President of Mars Pet Care, President of Mars Chocolate, North America and Latin America, and Executive Vice President of Del Monte Foods Company. He also held senior management roles at H.J. Heinz Company after moving up the marketing ranks at Proctor and Gamble. 

Outside of his extensive professional experience, Todd's an active board member with Big Brothers and Big Sisters in the Bay Area, and he's a super active guy who's into skiing, cycling and hiking with his family and two dogs.

I managed to tear him away from his busy life for a conversation about how he built Sovos Brands into the huge success it is today, and what made him start the company in the first place. 

Highlights:
  • Todd talks about starting Sovos and how he arrived at the idea (2:57)
  • How each of the Sovos brands fit together (5:15)
  • Why Sovos went public when they did (7:10)
  • All about Rao's Sauce and why it's so successful (8:04)
  • Becoming a billion dollar brand (11:03)
  • Todd discusses their approach to international sales (13:13)
  • Pricing premium products during a tricky economic and political time (14:25)
  • Todd discusses efficiencies when it comes to P and L (16:00)
  • The Sovos approach to innovation and new brands (18:24)
  • The horizontal culture at Sovos (20:46)
  • The achievements at Sovos this year (22:02)
  • Todd's approach to M and A (23:40)
  • The advantages of being a CEO who is from the marketing side (24:40)
  • What Todd is most proud of with Sovos (26:49)
Links:

ICR Twitter
ICR LinkedIn
ICR Website
Todd Lachman LinkedIn
Todd Lachman bio
Sovos Brands LinkedIn
Sovos Brands website
Sovos Brands Twitter

Feedback:

If you have questions about the show, or have a topic in mind you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producer, marion@lowerstreet.co.

What is Welcome to the Arena from ICR – Conversations with Today's Innovators & Business Leaders?

In the increasingly crowded and competitive corporate and financial ecosystem, it’s harder than ever for companies to break through the clutter and be heard. The media, investors, agenda-driven influencers, even customers and competitors, are defining your business story on their terms. Therefore, it is imperative that companies take control and proactively drive the conversation with stakeholders in an effort to build & maintain equity value.

In Welcome to the Arena from ICR, Co-Founder & CEO of ICR, Tom Ryan, interviews key business and financial players who influence the fate of public or aspiring public companies in the capital markets. As a former Wall Street Journal ranked sell-side equity analyst and the founder of one of the largest strategic communications firms in the world, Tom understands what it takes to navigate this complex environment.

This is a forum for CEOs, CFOs, institutional investors, sell-side analysts, financial journalists, private equity professionals and other financial community participants to share their stories and give advice in an open and candid conversation.

For more information, visit http://www.icrinc.com