Co-founder of Sovos Brands joins BARK

NEW YORK — BARK, Inc., a global omnichannel dog brand, announced that Larry Bodner joined its board of directors on Sept. 20. Bodner will leverage his 35-plus years of experience in the consumer-packaged goods (CPG) industry to support BARK.

Bodner currently serves as chief executive officer of Bulletproof 360, a functional human nutrition and wellness company, a role he has held since 2019. He is also a member of the board of directors at Hostess Brands, on which he has served as director since 2016. Prior to his current endeavors, Bodner served as co-founder and chief financial officer of Sovos Brands, a food company with well-known brands including Rao’s and Noosa.

In addition to his experience in human foods, Bodner also has extensive experience in pet nutrition, previously serving as chief financial officer of Big Heart Pet, during which he helped lead the sale of the company to The J.M. Smucker Company.

“Larry brings extensive leadership experience across the CPG industry and has consistently demonstrated his ability to build and grow consumer brands,” said Matt Meeker, chief executive officer of BARK. “Having served as the chief financial officer of Big Heart Pet, which was acquired by The J.M. Smucker Company for $6 billion in 2015, he also brings valuable expertise in the pet consumables space. Collectively, his operational and industry experience will be a valuable addition to the team, and I am thrilled to welcome him to our board.”

Bodner has joined BARK’s board effective immediately.

“Having spent the majority of my career fostering the growth and profitability of leading consumer brands, I am eager to join the talented team at BARK,” Bodner said. “The team has built an incredible brand, and its early success in expansive categories like consumables presents significant long-term opportunity. I look forward to working with Matt and the rest of the board to help BARK realize its full potential.”

Read more about personnel changes throughout the industry.