Impossible Foods hires Chobani veteran to juice plant-based meat demand

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Impossible Foods is shaking up its C-suite with the hiring of former Chobani executive Meredith Madden as chief demand officer, the company announced Monday.

In the role, Madden will oversee all “front of house” operations including sales, product, marketing and communications, according to a spokesperson. She will be tasked with simplifying commercial operations.

The move reunites Madden with Impossible CEO Peter McGuinness after the two spent almost a decade at Chobani working together on projects including the launch of the brand's plant-based yogurt offerings.  Madden served in roles including chief marketing and category officer at the yogurt giant.

After leaving Chobani in 2023, Madden joined alternative protein brand NotCo, eventually serving as CEO of its joint venture with Kraft Heinz.

“Her unique experience being immersed in the plant-based industry makes her well-positioned to lead Impossible Foods into its next chapter,” a spokesperson said in an email.

McGuinness, who was formerly COO of Chobani, said in a LinkedIn post that Madden has the ability to handle a large business, from marketing to retail sales to analytics. The plant-based burger producer’s CEO noted recent challenges in the plant-based meat segment, but said Madden’s recent executive role at NotCo gave her a unique perspective on how to manage a company in the sector.

“It’s no secret this category has its share of challenges, but we're building a team that is truly up for fighting the good fight,” he wrote in a LinkedIn post.

Last year, McGuinness told Food Dive in an interview he believes the issues in the plant-based meat segments come down to taste and texture of products. The company has shifted away from emphasizing the health and environmental benefits of a plant-based diet and has begun highlighting products’ taste to try and attract meat eaters to the category.

Last fall, the company debuted a slate of new products, including plant-based corn dogs, taco beef and The Lion King Chicken Nuggets in a partnership with Disney.