MPearlRock Builds CPG 'Dream Team' to Guide Food & Beverage Brands

NEW YORK, NY – February 26, 2026 – Investment platform MPearlRock has announced a significant enhancement to its leadership ranks, appointing three seasoned consumer packaged goods (CPG) veterans as Operating Advisors. The addition of Mark Ramadan, Bill Toler, and Bob Ostryniec signals a strategic deepening of the firm’s operator-led model, which aims to provide more than just capital to the high-growth food and beverage brands in its portfolio.

MPearlRock, a unique partnership between private equity firm MidOcean Partners, grocery giant The Kroger Company, and its data science subsidiary 84.51°, focuses on disruptive CPG brands with annual revenues between $30 million and $100 million. The new appointments bring a formidable combination of skills in brand creation, large-scale operational management, and supply chain mastery, equipping the firm to guide its portfolio companies through an increasingly complex market.

“Successful consumer investing is about more than capital - it’s about judgment, experience, and pattern recognition,” said Brian Kelley, CEO of MPearlRock, in a statement. “Our team and Operating Advisors have had multi-decade careers with experiences that add true value to fast-growing emerging brands today. Our portfolio companies will benefit greatly from the expertise of Mark, Bill and Bob in scaling organizations; growing across channels and market environments; building brands responsibly; navigating complex supply chains and much more.”

Beyond Capital: A New Investment Blueprint

The move underscores a growing trend in CPG investment where hands-on expertise is becoming as valuable as the financial backing itself. MPearlRock’s structure, however, sets it apart from competitors like VMG Partners and CAVU Consumer Partners. The integration with Kroger and 84.51° provides a proprietary advantage that few can replicate.

This partnership gives portfolio companies, such as the recently acquired clean-label snack maker The Good Crisp Company, direct access to one of the richest consumer data sets in the world. 84.51° analyzes first-party retail data from nearly one in two U.S. households, translating over two billion annual transactions into actionable insights. Through platforms like 84.51° Stratum, brands can gain an unprecedented omnichannel view of sales performance, inventory levels, and customer behavior, allowing them to de-risk product launches and optimize marketing spend with surgical precision.

This data-driven approach is designed to help emerging brands bypass common growth hurdles. By leveraging Kroger's vast retail footprint and 84.51°'s analytical power, MPearlRock offers a holistic support system that addresses everything from product development and distribution to marketing and talent acquisition. The addition of the new advisors injects a critical layer of proven, real-world operational wisdom into this data-rich ecosystem.

A Trifecta of Expertise for Modern CPG Challenges

The collective experience of the new advisors directly addresses the most pressing pain points for CPG brands today. From supply chain volatility to the demand for brand authenticity, each advisor brings a specific and highly relevant skill set.

Mark Ramadan, the co-founder of Sir Kensington’s and former CEO of Hu, represents the voice of the modern founder. He successfully built Sir Kensington’s into a beloved condiment brand defined by its charm and integrity, leading to its acquisition by Unilever. He then guided the “better-for-you” chocolate brand Hu through explosive growth before its sale to Mondelēz. Ramadan’s expertise in scaling emerging brands while preserving their mission and authentic connection with consumers is invaluable for startups navigating the expectations of Millennial and Gen Z shoppers.

Bill Toler brings the perspective of a leader who has managed complexity at the highest level. As the former CEO of industry giants like Hostess Brands and AdvancePierre Foods, Toler has a deep understanding of what it takes to transform large-scale food platforms. His experience in repositioning iconic brands, managing vast manufacturing footprints, and executing go-to-market strategies provides MPearlRock’s portfolio companies with a strategic roadmap for scaling from a regional favorite to a national powerhouse.

Bob Ostryniec provides mastery over what has become the single greatest challenge for the industry: the supply chain. With food and beverage out-of-stock rates hovering around 11%, operational resilience is paramount. Ostryniec’s multi-decade career includes serving as Global Chief Supply Chain Officer at H.J. Heinz and later as Chief Product Supply Officer at Keurig Green Mountain, where he worked under current MPearlRock CEO Brian Kelley. His deep knowledge of global manufacturing, procurement, and logistics offers portfolio brands hands-on guidance in building efficient and durable supply chains capable of withstanding market disruptions.

The Operator-Led Competitive Edge

The assembly of this “dream team” is a clear statement of intent from MPearlRock. The firm’s strategy, led by Kelley—whose own career includes top roles at Keurig, Coca-Cola, and Procter & Gamble—is predicated on the belief that operational excellence is the key to unlocking outsized growth. By combining financial investment, unparalleled data analytics, and now an even deeper bench of operational veterans, the firm has created a comprehensive platform designed to accelerate and de-risk the journey for emerging brands.

For companies in MPearlRock’s target revenue range, this combination of resources is particularly potent. These are businesses that have already found product-market fit but now face the daunting operational challenges of scaling. Access to advisors who have successfully navigated these exact inflection points provides a significant competitive advantage.

By formalizing its commitment to hands-on guidance with these high-caliber appointments, MPearlRock is not just investing in companies; it is building a fortified ecosystem where the next generation of disruptive food and beverage brands can thrive. This strategic move positions the firm and its partners to better navigate the turbulent waters of the modern consumer market and cultivate the iconic brands of tomorrow.