Marketing leadership and growth for CPG food & beverage brands.
I help $30M to $500M companies accelerate growth with a clear strategy and lead their marketing team to deliver.
INTERIM CMO · FRACTIONAL CMO · GROWTH PROJECTS
Eric Berger
Principal
BRAND LEADERSHIP AT
Driving growth for small to mid-sized companies
For 20+ years in CPG, I’ve built brands at Mars, Ferrero, Hain Celestial and Pinnacle Foods, and helped challenger brands ParmCrisps and Thinsters reach a successful exit. My deepest experience is in food, beverage and snacks, including better-for-you, across every retail channel and eCommerce.
I work directly with CEOs and their leadership teams to build brand equity and drive growth, develop an innovation pipeline, win in new channels from club to eCommerce, and get more velocity and return from every marketing dollar. My approach is built for how brands grow today: social-first creator content, retail media, and test-and-learn creative measured against clear ROI, including ROAS. I have a general manager’s mindset from owning P&Ls and partnering closely with sales, finance and operations.
At smaller companies, I’m hands-on, writing the plan and briefing your creative team or agencies. At mid-sized ones, I set the strategy and lead the team that delivers it.
Results
$259M
Brand positioning and digital growth for a consulting client, contributing to a successful exit.
PARMCRISPS & THINSTERS
$120M
Scaled from a $15M Walmart test to 80% ACV with channel-specific packs, retail displays and a new TV campaign.
NUTELLA & GO
+30%
Two straight years of +30% growth, adding $90M, through 30 new items, distribution expansion, digital media and profit improvement.
GARDEN VEGGIE SNACKS
+9%
Five-year CAGR on a $337M business through repositioning, new usage occasions, innovation and an integrated content & media strategy.
NUTELLA PORTFOLIO
+37%
Reversed a decline with a TV and digital campaign that built a flavor-extension platform.
M&M’S DARK CHOCOLATE
Ways we can work together
Interim CMO
Full-time leadership through a transition, a leadership gap or a turnaround, typically for 3 to 12 months.
Fractional CMO
Senior marketing leadership a few days a week: strategy, team coaching, agency management and board-ready plans.
Growth projects
Customized to your specific objective or challenge, including growth strategy, brand positioning, innovation strategy, go-to-market strategy, and digital content & media strategy.
CORE CAPABILITIES
Growth Strategy
Brand Strategy & Positioning
Retail & eCommerce Go-to-Market
Innovation & Commercialization
Integrated Marketing Campaigns
Digital Content & Media Strategy
Shopper Marketing & Velocity
Pricing & Price-Pack Architecture
Consumer Insights & Analytics
Team & Agency Leadership
What colleagues and clients say
“He quickly immersed himself in the business, bringing thoughtful insights and a strong ability to develop a long-range growth strategy… I highly recommend Eric to any organization looking for a strategic leader who can quickly understand a business, align teams, and drive meaningful results.”
Consulting client · Chief Commercial Officer“Eric consistently challenged teams to deeply understand consumer needs and translate those insights into meaningful innovation. He was a valued partner whose leadership and collaborative style helped elevate both the work and the teams around him.”
Former colleague · Innovation leader“Eric is an upbeat, supportive and collaborative client who is a true pleasure to work with. Eric is always thinking about ways to partner with the Agency to get the very best work for his brand.”
Agency partner · Advertising agency, NutellaLet’s talk about your next stage of growth.
Serving the New York City metro area and clients remotely