Guru Organic names industry veteran Rajaa Grar as CRO
Guru Organic Energy Corp. appointed Rajaa Grar as the company’s chief revenue officer at the beginning of this month. In her new role, Grar will lead the energy drink company’s global marketing team and sales strategy.
Grar brings close to 20 years of experience to the role and is an award-winning brand marketing and digital global leader. She previously held titles as chief marketing and digital officer at Nutrabolt, the owner of C4 Energy, where she revamped the company’s marketing and doubled the company’s digital and total revenue over two years. Grar was also the head of global brand marketing at Paula’s Choice Skincare.
“We are thrilled that Rajaa has agreed to join the Guru team,” said Carl Goyette, president and CEO of Guru. “Her achievements as CMO and chief digital officer fit perfectly with what we were looking for to grow our brand and revenue streams in Canada and the U.S. The timing of her appointment could not be better as we enter a pivotal year where marketing and digital will be key to our ongoing brand awareness and revenue generation activities in Canada. In addition, her extensive knowledge of the U.S. energy drink market is a huge asset and could lead us to accelerate the timeline of our growth initiatives in the $18+ billion U.S. market.”
Grar oversaw social, influencer, digital content and omnichannel sales during her time at Paula’s Choice and led a complete creative rebrand until the brand was purchased by Unilever in 2020. She transformed the 25-year skincare brand’s social media and helped raise awareness with young millennials and Gen-Z consumers.
Grar holds a Master of Business Administration from Northwestern University – Kellogg School of Management, a Bachelor of Arts from McGill University and a Bachelor of Science from the University of Montreal. Throughout her career Grar also worked on marketing at Amazon, Starbucks and Coors Light.
“Guru has all the ingredients it needs to succeed in this competitive but large and growing market – a truly clean, functional, organic energy drink brand with untapped potential in Canada and the U.S. where health and wellness consumer trends are ever growing, a strong management team, a premium distribution partner and a solid balance sheet,” said Grar. “Its success so far in Quebec and in California natural food stores is a strong indicator of what we will be able to achieve in North America. I am eager to jump in and help make it happen.”
Guru introduced the world’ first natural, plant-based energy drink when the company launched in 1999. Based in Montreal, the company’s energy drinks use ingredients like guarana beans, matcha and green tea; natural ingredients that are high in caffeine. The company originally marketed its products to young professionals, with a focus on nightlife. It now appeals to nature-loving customers with a focus on the outdoors and a healthy, active lifestyle.
Guru was one of the 2022 Impact Awards winners, recognized for its efforts with Organisation Bleue, a non-profit focused on cleaning the Saint-Lawrence River. Throughout the summer last year the Guru team supported the non-profit in Quebec.
