Meet the UK Team Who Launched Smartwater & Popchips

Our team

A dedicated, experienced team with decades of collective experience building some of the world's best brands.

Philippa Classey

Partner

Business strategy, operational, consumer to customer - full P&L management

Philippa is a seasoned leader with 20+ years of experience specialising in UK and European brand expansions and disruptive innovation launches. She has a proven track record at Coca-Cola, Glaceau, and within high-growth, purpose-driven startups, particularly in areas of organic food and plant-based Wellness.

Career highlights include: leading the launch of vitaminwater into its first international market, the UK, spearheading the launch of Smartwater from ideation to execution in 6 months, step changing the marketing & comms plans for Harmless Harvest expansion and acquisition.

Phil thrives in scaling brands and navigating challenges. She is a pragmatic leader committed to delivering results in dynamic business environments, making her a standout commercial force in her field.

Phil lives in London with her partner, their cheeky twin boys and the most laid-back Labrador ever, Ray.

Ruth Fittock

Partner

Brand, marketing & comms

Ruth is a brand and marketing expert with over 15 years experience helping brands launch and grow. Specialising in challenger brands, and with a keen interest in better-for-you and sustainable brands, Ruth has worked from early brand concepts all the way through to acquisition, and everything in between, covering all elements of marketing from brand positioning and creative comms through to tiktok viral activations and brand campaigns.

Career highlights include — launching vitaminwater in the UK (where she met Phil!), being the 2nd employee at Popchips UK and growing the brand all the way through to acquisition, adapting it for the UK & EU market along the way, and creating the Simply Roasted brand from scratch and rolling out successfully into the UK.

When she’s not building the brands of tomorrow you can find Ruth at her beach hut in her hometown of Brighton.

Sofia De Crescentiis

Commercial

commercial sales, routes to market, retail pitches & launches, trade & promotional planning, P&L forecasting and management

Sofia has over 10 years experience working in commercial sales across many channels including retail, wholesale, export, national on-trade and restaurant chains. This experience has been gained primarily through working in high growth startups challenging the category status quo: Camden Town Brewery, Minor Figures and Wildfarmed. Sofia has also worked for specialty importer/distributor James Clay & Sons, so understands the unique challenges that importers face and how a brand can stand out from a portfolio. When Sofia isn’t working, she’s enjoying everything London has to offer by way of food, drink, and airports… then running laps around London Fields as penance.

Rusti Porter

Advisor

Brand, marketing, comms, U.S launches, GTM strategy

Rusti Porter is a brand strategist with a passion for food, beverages, and impact-driven businesses. She has led marketing for global giants like Diageo, Coca-Cola, and Hershey, as well as startups like REBBL, KRAVE Jerky, Miyoko’s Creamery and vitaminwater. At KRAVE, she helped transform jerky into a gourmet snack, driving its acquisition by Hershey and later returning as CMO to revive the brand. Committed to purpose-driven business, she champions sustainability, ethical sourcing, and consumer advocacy. Rusti and her husband run The Wolf & Horseshoe, a luxury retreat and farm in Sonoma, North California, embracing a lifestyle centred on food, nature, and community—all while cheering on their Ohio State Buckeyes.

Steve Cumming

Partnerships

Partnership strategy, negotiation, execution

Steve has spent his career at the intersection of sports, music, and entertainment marketing, creating impactful partnerships for global brands like Carlsberg, Coca-Cola, and Diageo. From Chelsea FC to the Ryder Cup, he has helped shape commercial IP and brand strategies that endure. Steve led the Global Partnership Strategy for Mars and continues to champion the power of collaboration. He’s worked with rights holders and icons across football, F1, and live entertainment—including turning Coca-Cola’s iconic red into 72 Football League club colours. A lifelong Liverpool fan, Steve lives in a rural Bedfordshire village with his wife and their cocker spaniel, Cole (named after Porter, not Ashley!)

Testimonials

"Philippa's strategic approach disrupted the status quo, delivering significant value to both consumers & retailers"

Giannella Alvarez, Global Expansion VP, Board Chair & Board Strategic Advisor

"Ruth was intrumental in launching & growing Popchips in the UK. She has a rare talent for building a strong, memorable brand"

Keith Belling, popchips

"Sofia is diligent, organised, commercially savvy and builds excellent buyer/supplier relationships."

UK General Manager, Minor Figures

"If you're seeking a winning combination for brand success look no further than Philippa & Ruth- they have exceptional talent"

Eric Lewis, Vitaminwater