Former Anheuser-Busch Beyond Beer vice president Randy Ornstein is moving to the retailer side of the desk, taking a job with convenience store delivery company goPuff.
Ornstein will be goPuff’s director of alcohol, he confirmed to Brewbound. The fast-growing app-based virtual retailer is headquartered in Philadelphia and operates in more than 90 different geographic markets, bringing snacks, sodas, beer and more to primarily college-aged consumers.
Ornstein referred further comments to the goPuff communications team.
While not available across its entire footprint, goPuff does have alcohol delivery in some regions. The company has more than 70 distribution centers across the country and is investing in more, having raised more than $8 million since its founding in 2013. The company reportedly got its name from its first delivery product, hookah pipes.
Ornstein, who spent nearly two decades working with A-B either directly or on their account with Symphony-IRI, has had strong retail relationships in the past. He was the leader of the company’s work with Walmart, among other key retailers. He later became a champion for brands that were outside the traditional beer portfolio at the company, including non-alcoholic entries such as Teavana — developed in partnership with Starbucks — and Hiball energy drinks, as well as a suite of “Beyond Beer” alcoholic offerings like Lime-a-Rita and Bon & Viv Spiked Seltzer.
Ornstein abruptly announced his departure from Anheuser-Busch InBev in June. He has been replaced by Sanjiv Chhatwal, an A-B veteran who had spent the previous year working in India as VP of Sales.