Dallas-based Kainos Capital welcomed Doug Reader as a senior managing director this week. Reader will steer the Kainos operations team and serve as a strategic ally to the food and consumer-focused firm’s portfolio companies.
Reader, who was most recently CEO of contract manufacturer Arizona Nutritional Supplements, has an enduring association with Kainos, serving as CFO, COO, and president of the $2 billion Kainos’ portfolio company SlimFast/HNS before its acquisition by Glanbia in 2018. He brings four decades of experience, with a focus on consumer goods, a history of engagement with numerous private equity portfolio companies and a track record of success in enhancing business operations, turnarounds, and aligning business objectives with investment strategies.
In a statement welcoming Reader back, Kainos Managing Partner Andrew Rosen said, “[w]e believe the dedicated operational resources we provide help make us the partner of choice to consumer products businesses, particularly with family founder-owned businesses seeking transformational growth, as well as corporate carve-outs that require greater infrastructural support and leadership.”
The Kainos portfolio currently includes Wellful, a health and wellness platform comprising Nutrisystem and other brands; Whisps cheese snacks; and the Kettle Cuisine portfolio of soups, sauces and entrees. The firm closed its Kainos Capital Partners III fund in February with over $1 billion in commitments, including significant support from CPP investments.