William Christopher “Chris” Strohm is a seasoned executive with 37 years of experience in the consumer packaged goods (CPG), food, and beverage industries, known for his strategic vision, operational excellence, and deep expertise in sales and product commercialization. Throughout his distinguished career, Chris has built a reputation for delivering significant top- and bottom-line growth while guiding high-performing teams and driving innovation in highly competitive markets.

Chris most recently served as Vice President of Business Development at Berner Food & Beverage, where he led commercialization efforts for new co-manufactured products and successfully introduced new private label coffee beverages to major retail customers. His efforts resulted in $4.3 million in projected annual business growth across new product lines within just two years.

Previously, as Regional Sales Director for the Americas at Natra Chocolate, Chris led a diverse international team across the U.S., Spain, Canada, Belgium, and Latin America. He was responsible for a $70 million business portfolio, working with major retailers including Walmart (U.S., Mexico, and Brazil), Sam’s Club Mexico, Loblaws, Aldi, Kroger, and Kraft Heinz. Under his leadership, Natra saw a substantial increase in net margin—from €8 million to €15.4 million in just three years—through strategic focus on product mix, Forex optimization, and smarter pricing decisions.

Earlier in his career, Chris held key leadership roles at Flagstone Foods, TreeHouse Foods, and Mondelēz International. At TreeHouse, he managed a $270 million sales portfolio across 30 food categories and played a critical role in building winning bid strategies that drove double-digit growth in beverages and condiments. His keen insights into operations, packaging, and manufacturing efficiency consistently led to improved margins and customer satisfaction. At Mondelēz, he not only managed sales and logistics but also worked closely with Walmart and Sam’s Club to improve inventory turns, in-stock performance, and overall supply chain efficiency.

Chris’s career has been marked by his ability to combine strategic sales expertise with operational knowledge—enabling him to bridge the gap between business development and execution. He is skilled in managing P&L, developing shopper insights, influencing retailer strategies, and leading cross-functional collaboration across marketing, logistics, and R&D teams.

Appointed to Walmart’s Vendor Committee to evaluate passive RFID chip technology, Chris played a pivotal role in influencing strategic retail decisions by helping the organization avoid a costly and inefficient implementation due to technical limitations. This advisory role highlights his ability to provide forward-thinking leadership rooted in real-world application and cost-benefit analysis.

Chris also served as Vice President of the Retail Link User Group (RLUG), where he worked closely with fellow manufacturers and Walmart stakeholders to advance vendor collaboration and data utilization—further underscoring his leadership within the retail and supply chain community.

With international exposure across Europe, Canada, Mexico, and South America, Chris brings a global business mindset and a culturally aware leadership style. He has led workshops for grocery manufacturing professionals and advised retail teams on cost-to-serve modeling, packaging innovation, and category optimization.

Now retired from daily executive responsibilities, Chris is actively seeking board and advisory roles where he can continue to make an impact by sharing his vast experience in operations, transportation, sales, and CPG branding. His personal passion for boating and love of the water reflect a steady, navigational leadership style—focused, calm, and always moving forward.

Chris Strohm is an ideal board candidate for organizations seeking a results-driven leader with deep industry knowledge, a collaborative spirit, and a proven record of driving measurable business outcomes.

Character: Chris Strohm is a principled and steady leader, known for his integrity, reliability, and commitment to long-term success.

Knowledge: With 37 years of experience in CPG, food, and beverage industries, Chris brings deep operational, sales, and product expertise across domestic and international markets.

Strategic: He has a proven ability to develop and execute strategies that drive growth, margin improvement, and competitive positioning for global brands.

Communication: Chris excels in cross-functional and cross-cultural communication, effectively aligning teams, influencing key stakeholders, and building strong customer partnerships.