Hotaling & Co appoints new board member

San Francisco-based distiller and distributor Hotaling & Co has named David J Colo as a board director.

Colo joins from MGP Ingredients where he was most recently CEO of the company.

With decades of experience in the food and beverage industry, Colo brings ‘significant leadership and change management experience’ to the board in optimising company portfolios, organisation structure, talent, culture, performance and in leading sustainable growth in profitability.

Colo was president and CEO of MGP Ingredients from March 2020 to December 2023. He has also held the same positions for food producer SunOpta and was in senior roles at companies such as Diamond Foods, ConAgra Foods, and Nestlé.

Dan Leese, CEO and president of Hotaling & Co, said he was “thrilled” to welcome Colo on board and that the company looked forward “his substantial contributions to Hotaling & Co’s long-term strategy”.

Colo himself added: “Hotaling & Co has established an extraordinary legacy of producing and importing some of the finest spirits for more than 30 years. I’m honoured to contribute to its continued growth and success as a member of this esteemed board.”

Additional members of the board include Emma Fox, chief executive of Berry Bros & Rudd; Tony Foglio, co-owner of Hotaling & Co; Gerry Ruvo, non-executive board member and former chairman of Campari America; Emily Rae, CFO at Berry Bros & Rudd; and Edward Rudd, family business director at Berry Bros & Rudd.

Hotaling & Co distributes brands such as Nikka whisky, Junipero Gin, Fiero Tequila and Kavalan whisky.

It recently brought Kavalan’s Cask Strength Series back to the US.

The company rebranded from Anchor Distilling Company to Hotaling & Co in 2018 after losing trademark rights to the ‘Anchor’ name.