(PRESS RELEASE) MANSFIELD, MA — The Hagen Group announced the appointment of Billy Frey as Vice President, Strategic Growth – Dog & Cat, a newly created role focused on driving growth and innovation across Hagen’s dog and cat consumables portfolio, including foods, treats, and litter.
Frey will lead the development of integrated growth strategies designed to accelerate Hagen’s leadership in premium pet nutrition and care. Working closely with the company’s global brand, product, and commercial teams, he will help strengthen Hagen’s position across both specialty and emerging retail channels, ensuring the company’s brands continue to meet the evolving expectations of modern pet parents.
Frey joins Hagen following a highly successful tenure at Champion Petfoods, where he held several senior roles, including Vice President, Demand Transformation, Global Vice President, Marketing – ACANA, and Vice President, Cat Portfolio and Shopper Marketing. During his time at Champion, he spearheaded initiatives that drove above-category growth for the ORIJEN and ACANA brands, expanded the company’s cat portfolio, and established the shopper marketing function serving key North American retail partners.
Prior to entering the pet industry, Frey spent more than a decade with Alltech, a global leader in animal health and nutrition, where he held a variety of positions in marketing/communications, brand development, and commercialization with a focus on production agriculture as well as companion animals. His work in agricultural marketing and communications built a strong foundation in animal wellness and brand storytelling that he has carried throughout his career.
“Billy’s background in driving growth across both established and emerging consumables brands makes him an exceptional fit for Hagen,” said Rolf Hagen Jr., President and CEO of Hagen Group. “His combination of pet category expertise, marketing vision, and commercialization experience will be instrumental as we continue to expand our footprint in the dog and cat consumables space. Billy’s leadership will play a key role in helping us unlock new growth opportunities and strengthen our position across channels.”
Stephen Barth, General Manager, Hagen USA, added, “Billy brings exceptional expertise and business acumen that will be vital as we continue to elevate Hagen’s position in the consumables category. In just his first two weeks, he’s already begun shaping meaningful conversations and strategy across the organization. The runway ahead is bright, and I’m confident Billy will help drive us toward a stronger, more profitable future.”
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“I’ve long admired Hagen’s legacy of innovation and the company’s deep understanding of pet care,” said Frey. “Having worked on some great brands in the past, I see similar potential with Hagen’s brands. I’m excited to build on Hagen’s strong foundation and bring even more value to pet parents and their companions.”
