MIAMI, April 18, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Smart for Life, Inc. (Nasdaq: SMFL), a global leader in the Health & Wellness sector marketing and manufacturing nutritional supplements and foods, announced today that it has appointed a 30-year veteran of the nutraceutical industry, Heather Granato, to the Company’s Board of Directors and released a corporate video.
“Heather Granato brings decades of nutraceutical industry experience, a career in journalistic outreach, content creation and marketing initiatives to Smart for Life and our Board of Directors,” stated Darren Minton, CEO of Smart for Life. “Having been recently appointed to our team of advisors, we were extremely impressed with Heather’s strong credentials and impact on our organization in relatively short order. The significant depth and reach of her contacts and relationships in the industry has already started to play a major role in business development as well as future acquisition opportunities. I have no doubt she will be a tremendous asset as she deploys her unique background and perspective to the Board of Directors at Smart for Life.”
Ms. Granato is a 30-year veteran of the natural products industry, most recently serving as Vice President of Partnerships & Sustainability for Informa Markets’ Vitafoods and Food Ingredients brands, following her tenure as VP Content with Vitafoods and SupplySide. She has been a presenter at events including SupplySide, Vitafoods, Natural Products Expo, the Natural Gourmet Show and the Folio: Show. Her publishing experience includes Natural Products Insider, Food Product Design, Country Living’s Healthy Living, Natural Foods Merchandiser, Delicious Magazine and WomenOf.com. She was named to the FOLIO: 100 list of top media professionals in 2018; received the 2014 Visionary Award and the 2018 Journalistic Excellence Award from the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA); and was recognized by the United Natural Products Alliance (UNPA) in 2023 with its Ignition…Liftoff Award. Granato graduated magna cum laude from the University of Richmond, Virginia, in 1992 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism.
“My pursuit of Health & Wellness in all aspects of business and communication has been my strongest sense of purpose throughout my career in the nutraceutical industry, and I’m looking forward to continuing that endeavor as I expand my role and responsibilities at Smart for Life,” said Ms. Granato. “Over my career I’ve been fortunate to have had the opportunity to foster connections and collaborate with amazing colleagues in the United States and around the world. As demonstrated through the various organizations that I’ve been aligned, my passion for supporting women and equality in the nutraceutical industry has given me the unique opportunity to give back and recognize the possibilities in all of us, regardless of one’s background.”
In addition to her significant industry experience, Ms. Granato is also the co-founder and President of Women In Nutraceuticals (WIN). WIN is a 501c3 non-profit organization focused on unlocking the professional and personal potential of women. The organization is igniting a movement to build support for women across the nutraceutical supply chain to help increase the percentage of women holding leadership roles, funding for female-led businesses, and women’s participation in research. To learn more about WIN, please visit: https://womeninnutraceuticals.
Mr. Minton concluded, “Our entire organization and Board of Directors is looking forward to collaborating with Heather to help us shape the direction of our future product offerings and growth opportunities at Smart for Life.”
To learn more and view the corporate video announcement with Heather Granato, please navigate to: https://smartforlifecorp.com/
About Smart for Life, Inc.
Smart for Life, Inc. (Nasdaq: SMFL) is engaged in the development, marketing, manufacturing, acquisition, operation and sale of a broad spectrum of nutritional and related products with an emphasis on Health & Wellness. Structured as a publicly held holding company, the Company is executing a Buy-and-Build strategy with serial accretive acquisitions creating a vertically integrated company. To drive growth and earnings, Smart for Life is developing proprietary products as well as acquiring other profitable companies, encompassing brands, manufacturing and distribution channels. The Company recently concluded the execution of a restructuring plan including recapitalization of the Company with equity and debt financings, the sale of certain non-performing assets, the sale and leaseback of the Company’s 18,000 sq. ft. Doral manufacturing facility and the successful liquidation of the Company’s senior debt facility. In addition, the Company converted substantial debt obligations to equity materially improving the Company’s balance sheet. The Company has signed a definitive agreement for the acquisition of Purely Optimal Nutrition, which is expected to add additional revenue and EBITDA. For more information about Smart for Life, please visit: www.smartforlifecorp.com.
