HOIST Hydration is bringing in some seasoned talent to lead a new stage of growth, naming former Rowdy Energy and Vitaminwater marketer Hallie Lorber as CEO.
Founded in 2009, Hoist was a pioneering brand for the enhanced hydration trend, touting “IVLevel Hydration” on its bottles. But the brand has struggled to break out in the category as competitors like Liquid I.V., Electrolit and others have experienced bouts of explosive growth over the past several years. According to Circana, U.S. retail sales (MULO and c-store) of HOIST’s non-aseptic sports drinks were down by 18.3% to around $4.2 million in the 52-week period ending April 20, 2025. However, that data may not include all product lines and does not cover channels such as e-commerce or the military, the latter of which HOIST has closely aligned itself with.
With Lorber on board, the company appears to be seeking to turn around its sluggish sales. She brings nearly three decades of CPG experience to the role, having begun her career at CocaCola Enterprises in the mid-90s and later holding marketing positions at Ben & Jerry’s, Glaceau, Keurig Green Mountain, TAJA Coconut Water and most recently as VP of marketing for Rowdy Energy from 2020 to 2022. “Hallie’s outstanding track record along with her ability to lead in competitive markets, as well as her proven success in the beverage industry, and connecting with people made her the perfect fit to lead the HOIST team,” said HOIST co-founder and president Kelly Heekin in a press release.
Since 2022, Lorber has taken various consulting roles and now leads several nonprofit charities, but she had been out of day-to-day work in CPG until now. Alongside Lorber, HOIST has also named two new directors to its board: veteran CPG marketer Regan Ebert and Brian Killingsworth, chief marketing officer at F45 Training.
Other recent hires at the company include former Suja brand director Casey Woodruff and former Hint and SoBe sales leader Tom Keeney.
HOIST has had an official partnership with the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) since 2018, which has helped to drive innovation such as the brand’s expansion in powders and pouches.
In retail, the company said in 2023 it has a network of over 60 DSD partners and earlier this year announced several new chain additions including Publix, Harris Teeter and QuikTrip.