Kat Cole—CEO of supplement phenom startup AG1—aims to build out the $600 million company beyond its influencer roots

– Green machine. In the new issue of Fortune I wrote about AG1, the moss green, celebrity-loved supplement powder that promises to improve focus, reduce stress, boost digestion, support heart health and more. The story explains how the company, which claims to be “science-backed,” became a juggernaut in the wellness space, thanks to factors including chic branding, a starry troop of investors, and myriad celebrity endorsements from the likes of Allyson Felix, Cindy Crawford and Hoda Kotb. AG1 is projected to reach $600 million in revenue this fiscal year and, the company says, is profitable.  

The piece also examines recent criticism by scientists and health experts who question AG1’s marketing claims, as well as the rigor of its research and testing processes (the supplement industry is notorious for its lack of regulation). Additionally, I tell the complex story of the brand’s founder, Chris Ashenden, who stepped down as CEO last summer after 14 years at the helm.

Now leading the company is Kat Cole, who was promoted to the top job after three years as AG1’s president and COO. Cole is tasked with taking the supplement giant into its next chapter which, as she told me, will involve channel diversification. While the brand became famous for its influencer-driven direct-to-consumer model, it recently launched vending machines in select airports, has tested drinks in Starbucks and plans to enter premium grocery stores in the near future. 

Of course, Cole also has the questions about AG1’s integrity to contend with. She is no stranger to challenges—or controversy—having started her career at Hooters where, over 15 years, she rose through the ranks from hostess to a vice president role. In 2010, she joined Cinnabon as president and by 2017, she was COO and president of the bakery company’s umbrella group, Focus Brands. 

Jon Premosch—The New York Times/Redux

Cole was an AG1 customer before she was hired by the company and says it was the “quality of the product,” and the impact it had on her “energy, gut health, and immune system,” that piqued her interest in working for the brand. “As a businessperson [and] a mom trying to live long and strong for my young kids,” she also relished the opportunity to work for a company that encourages people to take ownership of their own health. 

One of her priorities since taking over as CEO, she told me, is “raising the standard” of clinical research and undertaking testing on larger groups of people. Currently, the company’s three-stage testing process has been carried out on groups of around 30 adults. For comparison, a Harvard Medical School professor who I interviewed for the story explained that some clinical trials for multivitamins involve 15,000 people.

“I agree that the supplement industry has got to get way more rigorous in finished research in clinical settings on products,” Cole told me. “We have begun that journey.” AG1’s critics will be watching closely to see how it progresses.

Read the full story here.

Ellie Austin
ellie.austin@fortune.com

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PARTING WORDS

“Being a CEO is a high-intensity sport. For the right person, it’s extraordinary. But it’s not for everyone.”

— Courtney della Cava, senior managing director and global head of portfolio talent and organizational performance at Blackstone, on the firm’s CEO search process