Jay Garnett appointed as CEO and director of Xebra

Mr. Jay Garnett has been appointed as Chief Executive Officer and Director of Xebra Brands.

Mr. Garnett, is a serial entrepreneur and corporate executive with many years of success in founding and leading consumer-packaged-goods and beverage companies in Canada and the United States.  Over his nearly 30-year career, he has been recognized with numerous business awards and accolades, including Profit 100's Top 100 in Canada five years in a row, BC Business Top 30 Under 30 and Top 40 Under 40, and he was a finalist for Ernest & Young's Entrepreneur of the Year.

"We are absolutely thrilled to have a CEO of Jay's caliber, and firmly believe that his experience and vision will take Xebra to the next level.  He is uniquely skilled at developing brands and leading companies through the growth phase, and he has an exceptional track record of success," commented Xebra Founder and Chairman Robert Giustra.

Mr. Garnett founded Seattle's Best Coffee Canada, a national wholesaler and retailer in 1993, and it was acquired by Starbucks in 2007.  From 2008 to 2010, he was a shareholder and CEO of the Healthy Beverage Company, a Nestlé development company subsequently acquired by a Mexican conglomerate.  Its Steaz brand became a category leader in organic teas and it was the first company to launch an organic energy drink in the United States.  At the time of the sale, Steaz was the second best selling ready-to-drink tea brand in Whole Foods across North America. 

Mr. Garnett was also a founding partner in 2010 of Spud.com (publicly traded as Freshlocal), an online organic food grocery delivery company with revenues in fiscal 2021 of $132.8 million and a gross profit of $49.5 million; its electronic platform has been adopted by grocers worldwide, including Carrefour the fifth largest grocer in the world. 

In addition, Mr. Garnett launched a wine & spirits import agency, which he quickly grew to national status, and in 2016 it was acquired by one of the top 5 agencies in Canada.  Since 2018, Mr. Garnett has been active in the cannabis sector as an investor and advisor, and he acted as a senior officer and director of Experion Biotech, which was later renamed Citizen Stash and acquired by The Valens Company.  Mr. Garnett is also a significant shareholder of Xebra.

"I'm elated to assume the helm of Xebra on the eve of the launch of its first commercial cannabis product, Vicious Citrus.  My aim is to elevate Xebra's first mover status in Mexican CBD, Dutch pharma-grade THC, and CBN in Canada, to dominant market positions," commented Mr. Garnett.