The News
NextFoods announced the appointment of Greg Longstreet to its Board of Directors. Longstreet previously served as President & CEO of Del Monte Foods and CytoSport, with a focus on growth, innovation, and operational expansion. He brings extensive experience from companies like Farmer John Foods, Hormel Foods, and Dole Food Company. The company is the parent of functional wellness brands Cheribundi and GoodBelly.
Today’s brief focuses on NextFoods and its latest board appointment, which signals a shift toward scaling into mainstream retail channels.
Greg Longstreet has joined NextFoods’ board, bringing the same CPG experience that helped him steer Del Monte Foods through debt restructuring and portfolio growth. His track record should guide the company as it moves deeper into the maturing probiotic and sports‑recovery sectors.
GoodBelly, one of NextFoods’ flagship brands, is already stocked in more than 20,000 retailers nationwide. Probiotic beverages generated $3.1 billion in retail sales in 2025, but growth slowed to 5.8% from 8.2% two years earlier as competition intensified and private‑label penetration rose to 22%. In that environment standing out through clinical validation and shelf visibility is essential; otherwise the brand could be eclipsed by generic store brands or newer entrants. Longstreet’s experience positioning premium products should help GoodBelly preserve margins while expanding.
Cheribundi, the tart‑cherry‑based recovery line, operates within a $1.9 billion sports‑recovery market in 2025. Tart cherry products represent roughly 12% of that segment—about $228 million in sales—but the category remains highly fragmented with both legacy and niche players competing for share. Cheribundi can leverage its clinically backed recovery benefits to drive distribution, and Longstreet’s portfolio‑expansion expertise could accelerate shelf penetration into mass merchandisers and natural grocery chains.
Distributors and retailers need to assess shelf placement and inventory for both brands. With GoodBelly, prioritizing gut‑health categories—where demand is rising yet private‑label competition stays high—will help the product stand out through clear probiotic claims. For Cheribundi, monitoring performance against other sports‑recovery offerings and emphasizing its distinct tart‑cherry flavor will be key in both off‑premise and on‑premise settings.
Forty‑four percent of new functional beverage launches fell short of $5 million in first‑year sales, underscoring the need for reliable distribution channels and solid CPG leadership. Longstreet’s background could help mitigate that risk by steering a disciplined rollout strategy for both GoodBelly and Cheribundi.
With GoodBelly already stocked in over 20,000 retailers nationwide, distributors must align inventory strategies with the growing demand for gut‑health products.
Original Press Release
Former Del Monte Foods CEO Brings Decades of CPG, Innovation, and Growth Leadership to Parent Company of Cheribundi and GoodBelly
NextFoods, the parent company behind functional wellness brands Cheribundi and GoodBelly, today announced the appointment of Greg Longstreet to its Board of Directors. A respected food and beverage industry executive with more than three decades of leadership experience across some of the world’s most recognized consumer brands, Longstreet joins the company at a pivotal moment of growth and innovation.
Longstreet most recently served as President & CEO of Del Monte Foods, where he led the iconic company through strategic transformation, portfolio expansion, innovation acceleration, and significant operational growth. During his tenure, he modernized the organization, expanded market opportunities, and successfully led the company through billion-dollar debt restructurings and a successful sale process.
Prior to Del Monte Foods, Longstreet served as President & CEO of CytoSport, the maker of Muscle Milk, where he helped scale the sports nutrition business through innovation, strategic partnerships, and expanded distribution. His background also includes leadership roles at Farmer John Foods, Hormel Foods, and Dole Food Company, where he drove growth, acquisition integrations, and commercial transformation across multiple categories.
Cheribundi has become a trusted recovery brand among professional athletes, collegiate programs, and active consumers thanks to its clinically studied tart cherry products that support recovery and sleep. GoodBelly continues to pioneer digestive wellness through probiotic-rich products focused on gut health and whole-body wellness.
Sources consulted (web research):
- Nextfoods Adds Former Del Monte Ceo Greg Longstreet To Board
- Nextfoods Appoints Industry Veteran Greg Longstreet To Board Of Direc…
- Nextfoods Appoints Industry Veteran Greg Longstreet To Board Of Direc…
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Source: BevNET