All-natural nut butter and snack brand Pip & Nut has appointed Mindful Chef CEO Tim Lee to its board.

The move comes as what Pip & Nut describes as a “key moment” as it looks to capitalise on its position as the UK’s fastest growing nut butter brand, while expanding its offer with the launch into cereal bars earlier this year.

Prior to his current roles as chair and chief executive of Mindful Chef, Lee was previously food marketing director at supermarket giant Tesco and head of food and online strategy at M&S.

Lee said: “I’ve watched as Pip has led this brand from a challenger start-up to the fastest growing nut butter brand in the UK and am excited to get stuck in to help her and the team take it even further.

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“From leading my own purpose-led brands I know how important it is to stay true to Pip & Nut’s commitment to ethical and sustainable sourcing, while also scaling their offer to reach new and larger audiences. I hope my experience will support them on this journey and we can bring healthier, delicious, products to even more people across the UK”.

Lee is Pip & Nut’s first non-executive director. Founder and CEO Pippa Murray said: “His experience makes him the perfect fit for us as we enter a period of growth, with ambitions to expand our product lines following our successful entry into the cereal bar category and growing consumer demand for healthier, more sustainable, options.

“Over the next 12 months, Tim will focus on supporting us to put the right structures and frameworks in place as we scale, drawing on his own experience growing Mindful Chef, while his expertise driving consumer centric, digital, strategies will support us as we move further into the snacking category.

“His hire is just the latest in a series of decisions that we are making to strengthen our expertise, deepen our engagement with customers and consumers, and continue to deliver products that taste great, and are good for people and the planet”.

The board expansion follows the brand’s decision to appoint Pip & Nut lead investor and adviser to several food and drink start-ups including Bio & Me and Freja, Giles Brook, as chairman.