Vibrant Ingredients Taps Rebrand Architect Jillian Hermanowicz as CMO

LAKE MARY, FL – February 03, 2026 – Vibrant Ingredients has promoted Jillian Hermanowicz to the role of Chief Marketing Officer, a strategic move that places the architect of its recent major rebrand at the helm of its marketing and growth strategy. The promotion, announced today, signals the company's commitment to brand-led growth as it seeks to deepen its leadership position in the competitive natural and clean label ingredients sector.

Hermanowicz, who previously served as Vice President of Corporate Marketing and Communications, was a pivotal figure in the company's 2025 transformation from Florida Food Products (FFP) to Vibrant Ingredients. In her expanded role, she will continue to oversee enterprise marketing, brand stewardship, and communications while fostering tighter integration with the sales, R&D, and innovation divisions to drive customer-centric growth.

"Jillian has a rare ability to think big picture while driving disciplined execution," said Vince Macciocchi, CEO of Vibrant Ingredients, in a statement. "She was instrumental in redefining our brand identity through the transformation from FFP to Vibrant Ingredients, and she continues to elevate how we operate, communicate, and compete. Her leadership has been critical to positioning our company for long-term success."

Architect of a New Identity

The promotion comes just months after Hermanowicz successfully orchestrated one of the most significant initiatives in the company's history. The rebrand from FFP to Vibrant Ingredients was far more than a name change; it was a strategic repositioning designed to unify a portfolio of companies acquired since 2020, including Javo Beverage, Amelia Bay, Comax Flavors, and T-Bev. The legacy FFP brand, rooted in the company's 1954 origins as a fruit and vegetable processor, no longer reflected the diversified, science-driven powerhouse it had become.

Hermanowicz led the end-to-end project, identifying the gaps in the legacy brand and reimagining its narrative and visual identity to capture its expanded capabilities. She managed internal teams and external agencies, collaborating with shareholders to develop the new name, story, and visual system under the new positioning of "Purely Better™". The new brand was launched with a full-scale rollout at key industry trade shows, including NACS and SupplySide Global, in late 2025.

The new identity was crafted to represent the company's focus on combining nature and science to power food and beverage experiences. It reflects an organization that has grown into the world's largest private equity-owned natural ingredient supplier, with a diverse portfolio spanning natural flavors, botanical extracts, food protection, and cold brew coffee.

Capitalizing on the Clean Label Boom

Hermanowicz’s appointment is timed perfectly with surging consumer and regulatory demand for clean label products. The global market for clean label ingredients was valued at approximately $48.11 billion in 2025 and is projected to climb to nearly $70 billion by 2031, according to industry market reports. This growth is fueled by consumers who are increasingly scrutinizing ingredient lists, demanding transparency, and showing a strong preference for natural, recognizable ingredients over artificial additives.

Vibrant Ingredients is strategically positioned to capitalize on this trend. As the market leader in the clean label cure sector, its portfolio directly addresses the demand for natural solutions in everything from packaged meats to foodservice beverages. Hermanowicz's mandate includes leading marketing insights across all company segments, a crucial function for translating broad market intelligence into actionable growth strategies that resonate with customers.

Her team is tasked with understanding the nuances of a market where 81% of consumers consider clean-label food products a necessity and where sustainability and sourcing transparency are increasingly influencing purchasing decisions. This focus on market intelligence ensures that the company's innovation pipeline is aligned with the most pressing needs of its clients—leading brands, manufacturers, and foodservice operators looking to accelerate their products to market without compromise.

Forging a Path of Integrated Innovation

A key aspect of Hermanowicz's new role is to deepen the symbiotic relationship between marketing, R&D, and sales. This alignment is critical for ensuring that the company’s scientific innovations translate into commercial success. The company’s leadership has already praised her ability to bridge these functions.

"Jillian is an exceptional partner to our sales organization," noted Rich Meloche, President of Food & Beverage. "She deeply understands our customers, our portfolio, and how to connect innovation to real business outcomes. Her ability to align insights, branding, and commercial strategy has made a meaningful impact on how we win in the market."

This collaborative approach is being institutionalized across the organization. Vibrant Ingredients is set to open a new flavors innovation center in Cranberry, New Jersey, this month, a facility designed to facilitate on-premise customer collaboration and rapid prototyping. Hermanowicz's leadership will be central to leveraging this and the company's other four state-of-the-art facilities to ensure that product development is directly informed by market insights and customer feedback.

A Veteran Leader for a Vibrant Future

Hermanowicz's journey to the C-suite at Vibrant Ingredients is built on over two decades of experience in the food and beverage industry. She joined the company in 2020 through the acquisition of Javo Beverage, where she was Director of Marketing. Her career also includes significant brand leadership roles at Grecian Delight and Kronos Foods. To further sharpen her enterprise leadership skills, she is currently pursuing an MBA from Texas State University.

Her ascent from an acquired company to a key executive who reshaped the parent company's identity underscores a successful integration of talent and vision. As the official steward of the Vibrant Ingredients brand, she is now responsible for ensuring its message of innovation, quality, and natural solutions remains clear and consistent across every customer touchpoint, from product development to the final go-to-market strategy.