Second Nature Brands Announces Leadership Transition as Adam Butler Succeeds Vic Mehren as CEO
Second Nature Brands, a leading platform of snacks and treats focused on better-for-you and permissible indulgence, this week announced that Adam Butler has been appointed as its new Chief Executive Officer, effective August 2025. Butler will succeed Vic Mehren, who has served as CEO since 2019 and who will remain involved through a leadership transition period ending in July.
A portfolio company of CapVest Partners LLP, Second Nature Brands is headquartered in Michigan and owns a growing portfolio of leading brands including Kar’s Nuts, the No. 1 branded trail mix snack; Second Nature Snacks, the leader in natural, non-GMO-verified premium snack mixes; Sahale Snacks, the pioneer in super premium glazed nut and fruit mixes; Sanders, the leader in small-batch, kettle-cooked sea salt caramels, and; Brownie Brittle, a category-defining crispy brownie snack.
Butler most recently served as CEO of Insignia International, a global, diversified food company, where he led its rebranding and strategic transformation from Flagship Food Group. Under his leadership, Insignia developed a new growth strategy focused on both organic expansion and targeted acquisitions.
Prior to that, Butler spent more than 17 years with Kraft Heinz, where he held a range of senior leadership roles and played a key role in revitalizing several of the company’s most iconic brands through innovation, operational improvement and strategic repositioning.
In the past several years, Second Nature Brands has invested significantly in its manufacturing footprint to expand production capacity. It has built a substantial support facility in Chicago and developed a centralized distribution infrastructure to manage its rapid expansion. In parallel, it has fully integrated three large acquisitions, strengthening its position as a multi-brand platform. The business has also invested heavily in its ERP systems to streamline supply chain operations and enhance operational agility across the organization.
“I’m delighted to be joining such a dynamic and successful industry leader”, said Butler. “Second Nature Brands has a strong portfolio, a talented team and a clear vision for the future. I look forward to building on the strong foundation Vic has laid and working with the great team to realize the company’s ambitious growth plans.”
“Leading Second Nature Brands has been the highlight of my career,” said Mehren. “We’ve built something truly special – an incredible team, a values-driven culture and a business that’s positioned to keep winning. I’m proud of what we’ve achieved together and confident that now is the right time to pass the baton. Adam is the right leader to take SNB into its next chapter and I’m excited to support him through a smooth transition.”
Under Mehren’s leadership, Second Nature Brands transformed from a $190 million heritage business into a $500 million+ snacking leader with a modern portfolio of brands, expanded operational scale and a strengthened foundation for growth.
The leadership transition will include a period of close collaboration between Mehren and Butler through the end of July to ensure a smooth and thoughtful handover.