Christopher HUNTER, Co-founder & CEO at KOIA

Chris Hunter is the Co-Founder and CEO of Koia, the 100 percent plant-based protein drink that is naturally craveable and uses simple ingredients to deliver unparalleled nutrition. In 2016 Hunter co-founded Koia, quickly scaling the brand by launching it nationally at Whole Foods Market in September 2016. In 5 short years, Koia has become the leader in plant based nutrition shakes with distribution in over 15,000 locations across all retail channels including a national recommendation in 7 Eleven. Hunter fell in love with the beverage space early on and began developing products with simple buzz factors that resonate with consumers. His stamp on the beverage industry first began in 2005 with Phusion Projects. After seeing the huge popularity in combining caffeine and alcohol, Hunter and his partners created Four Loko, a high-profile flavored malt beverage that grew to be the eight largest brewer in the country at its peak. He later created Not Your Father’s Rootbeer which was sold to Pabst brewing company in 2015 and most recently created Solset Elevated Hard Seltzer. Hunter is an active angel investor and advisor in the Food and Beverage space and is currently based in San Diego with his wife and three young sons.