Christopher Gardner Email & Phone Number

Dog consumable brand distributed within pet, mass, & grocery channels Highlights• Spearheaded multiple product launches, ensuring successful placement, distribution, & sales team enablement through cross-functional collaboration.• Secured & managed strategic partnerships with major distributors (Central Pet, KeHe, UNFI, Triton Animal) & key accounts (Albertsons, Petco, Pet Valu, Meijer, Fresh Thyme, Raley's)• Delivered 47% sales growth in existing accounts in 2023.

Consultant & Broker for emerging pet industry consumables & hard goodsHighlights• Advised emerging pet brands on B2B channel entry and expansion, including pricing strategy & sales model development.• Achieved 14% CA territory growth for Tuesday's Natural Dog Company in 2021 through new business acquisition.• Successfully opened WA, OR, & CA distribution channels for Rosewood Small Animal.

Greater Los Angeles Area

Cat toy brand distributed within pet & mass channels Highlights• Conceptualized, developed, &launched a successful cat toy brand across the US, Canada, & Mexico.• Negotiated & secured complex contracts with key accounts (Mud Bay, Concord Pet Foods, Pet Pros, etc.) & distributors (Frontier, VDB, Aloha, Triton, Gastronome).

Los Angeles, Ca

Bed Head’s pet grooming brand distributed within mass, grocery, drug, & pet channelsHighlights• Revitalized sales department, positioning the brand for acquisition by Company of Animals.• Negotiated major contracts with national accounts (Walmart US & Canada, Target, TSC, ASC).• Led & mentored inside/outside sales & broker teams, achieving 17% existing account growth in 2015.• Successfully expanded brand distribution into Canada and Mexico.

Los Angeles, Ca

Cat toy brand distributed within mass, grocery, and pet channelsHighlights• Initiated & led a cross-functional realignment project, resulting in increased profit margins, expanded distribution, & 37% growth through new business in 2012.• Negotiated key account contracts (ASC, Pet Supermarket, Mud Bay, Pet Valu).• Spearheaded market entry into Canada, the EU, and the UAE.

Los Angeles, Ca