Los Angeles, CA — September 17, 2025 — Khloud, the rapidly growing protein snack startup founded by Khloé Kardashian, has announced a major leadership hire: Jeff Rubenstein has been appointed Chief Executive Officer. This move comes as Khloud prepares for its next phase of expansion, including launches this fall at Walmart, Kroger, Albertsons, and Ahold.
From Poppi to Khloud: Rubenstein Brings Deep Growth Experience
Rubenstein enters Khloud from his role as President and Chief Growth Officer at Poppi, where he helped scale brand awareness and sales. His background also includes positions at influential consumer brands such as Vita Coco, Health-Ade, and earlier work in brand management at The Coca-Cola Company.
At Khloud, his mandate involves accelerating expansion into major retailers, broadening the product portfolio, and building the brand’s cultural relevance among snack consumers. “Khloud has already proven it can capture attention in a crowded category,” said Khloé Kardashian in the official release. “Jeff understands how to take that momentum and turn it into long‐term growth.”
Operational Strength: New Supply Chain Leadership
To support the scaling efforts, Khloud has also appointed Michael Maya as Chief Supply Chain Officer. Maya will lead manufacturing and supply chain systems, ensuring that Khloud can meet demand with consistency in both quality and supply. Rubenstein emphasised that as distribution expands, strong supply chain and operations are critical.
Retail Expansion and Early Momentum
Khloud officially launched direct-to-consumer and began nationwide distribution via Target earlier this year. Since then, the brand’s protein popcorn offering has seen strong performance in the salty snack category.
This autumn’s launches at Walmart, Kroger, Albertsons, and various Ahold banners mark a crucial opportunity for Khloud to scale its physical retail footprint. For many startup food brands, moving from niche and online channels into big-box and supermarket grocers is a turning point. Under Rubenstein’s leadership, retail expansion is clearly central.
What This Means in the Broader Snack and Better-for-You Landscape
Demand for functional, cleaner snacks remains strong. Rubenstein has highlighted that consumers want snacks that deliver both taste and health benefits. Khloud is well positioned at that intersection.
Strategic leadership hires are another key factor. Jeff Rubenstein’s experience scaling brands, together with Michael Maya’s supply chain expertise, suggests Khloud is preparing for rapid growth—not just in sales, but in distribution efficiency and operational resilience.
Competitive category dynamics also play a role. The snack space is crowded, especially in better-for-you and functional snacks. Brands that succeed often combine product innovation, strong branding, and excellent execution in retail. Khloud’s early traction and upcoming large-scale roll-outs position it well.
Challenges and Considerations
Maintaining product quality and supply consistency will be essential as Khloud enters thousands of new stores. Brand differentiation will need to continue through packaging, flavour innovation, nutrition claims, and competitive positioning. Marketing and consumer engagement, especially with younger snackers, will require balancing authenticity and scale.
Looking Ahead
Under Rubenstein’s leadership, Khloud aims to convert its early momentum into long-term growth. The emphasis will likely be on strengthening retail presence across regional and national chains, expanding the product line beyond protein popcorn into other formats or flavours, scaling operations through robust supply chain and manufacturing systems, and deepening brand connection with target consumers who want clean, functional, and tasty options.
For Khloé Kardashian’s team, this milestone signals that Khloud isn’t just a celebrity-backed startup, but a serious contender in the snack food and better-for-you space. The next few quarters will be telling as the company translates its operational infrastructure, leadership hires, and retail placements into sustainable market share and consumer loyalty.
