Swisse Wellness names new VP North America

Supplement maker Swisse Wellness recently named Kimberly Weld its vice president, North America. In this role, Weld will oversee all facets of Swisse operations in the United States and Canada. She will be based in San Diego and report to Oliver Horn, Swisse’s managing director.

“It is a great step forward to add such accomplished talent to our U.S. team,” Horn said. “Kimberly’s strong leadership style and extensive experience in the natural product space will be an invaluable asset as we move into the next phase of market growth here in North America.”

Weld brings more than two decades of experience in the vitamin, mineral and herbal supplement sector encompassing product development, regulatory requirements, sales and market expansion to the Swisse Wellness organization.

“Preventive health care has been a lifelong passion of mine,” Weld said. “Swisse’s reputation for producing only the highest quality products that assist in maintaining optimal health and well-being aligns perfectly with my personal values and beliefs. I am thrilled to be joining a like-minded company committed to making millions of people healthier and happier.”

In her most recent role as vice president of PharmaCare U.S., Weld successfully grew the heritage brand Real Health and such international brands as Bioglan Kids Smart and Promensil. She oversaw the relaunch of Sambucol Black Elderberry, making it the fastest-growing brand in its category across the food, drug, mass and value segments, with annual retail sales of more than $24 million and a year-over-year growth rate of 50%.

Weld spent the early part of her career in new product development, where she gleaned an understanding of the market trends, product sourcing and quality manufacturing required for long-term product viability. Subsequent positions expanded her knowledge of the extensive regulatory requirements for production, as well as Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act compliance, with exposure to the differences between the U.S. and other international markets.

Leveraging this expertise, Weld launched numerous nutritional supplements into the U.S. market for various direct-to-consumer, multilevel marketing and multinational CPG firms in her role as vice president of business development for Natural Alternatives International.