Low and Slow Snacks hires Hershey exec as VP of sales

The brand launched at select retailers in July 2023.

Randy Kruse. Courtesy of Low and Slow Snacks

Low and Slow Snacks announced the hiring of Randy Kruse, a former Dot's Pretzels and Hershey executive, as vice president of sales. The appointment of Kruse to oversee all sales and distribution efforts for the company will help grow the brand's reach and get smoked chips into the hands of BBQ lovers across the country, per the brand.

Started in Texas and made by burning real hickory wood, Low and Slow is the first-ever line of authentically smoked BBQ chips. Launched at select retailers in July 2023, the brand has been picking up steam and is now sold in five states including Texas, Wisconsin, Louisiana, North Carolina, and Michigan. Expansion into Missouri, Tennessee, Montana and other states is on the horizon this summer.

“Hiring someone like Randy, who has over 30 years of salty snack sales experience including a storied run as one of the first sales team members at Dot’s Pretzels, is a huge win for the company,” says Jared Drinkwater, co-founder and CEO of Low and Slow Snacks. “Landing such an accomplished and seasoned industry veteran further validates the potential of our unique and proprietary platform to smoke snack food at scale and I couldn’t be more excited to have him join the team.”

“I’ve had the privilege of working for some of the most iconic snack brands in the world over the course of my career, including an amazing run from the beginning at Dot’s Pretzels,” said Kruse. “That said, I have never tasted such a unique product with as much universal appeal as I’ve seen early on with Low and Slow. While the opportunity to help grow a brand entrenched in the BBQ world with good people was appealing, at the end of the day the quality of the product is what sold me on joining. I have no doubt Low and Slow can become one of the most recognizable BBQ brands in America."

Down the road, Low and Slow plans to bring many more snacks to market. “We’ve smoked every salty snack on the planet,” said Drinkwater, “and they’re all delicious.” First up is a Hickory Smoked BBQ Cheese Puff, which should hit stores early this fall.

Liz Parker is the senior editor of Candy Industry and Snack Food & Wholesale Bakery, and has worked at BNP Media since 2012. She has written for CBS Detroit as well as for her own blogs. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing from the University of Michigan. Liz can be contacted at (248) 839-7156 or at parkere@bnpmedia.com.