Crooked Pop, the Trenton-based, zero-sugar, gluten-free hard soda brand created by Bai founder Ben Weiss, announced the appointment of Lee Schill as chief commercial officer.
Schill brings 25 years of consumer packaged goods (CPG) experience across the alcohol and better-for-you beverage sectors to the role. In his new position, he will oversee sales, revenue growth, channel strategy, and distributor partnerships as the brand accelerates its national expansion.
Executive leadership and background
Schill transitions to Crooked Pop from zero-sugar soda pioneer Zevia, where he served as senior director of distribution. Prior to Zevia, he spent two decades at alcohol industry leader Diageo, holding key leadership roles across retail, convenience, club, and on-premise channels.
His arrival pairs the scaling expertise of CEO Ben Weiss—who founded Bai and built it into a nationally recognized brand—with specialized distribution and commercial execution experience.
“Lee has spent his career building the distributor relationships and commercial infrastructure that determine whether a beverage succeeds, and his experience across both alcohol and zero-sugar soda makes him uniquely qualified to help us build Crooked Pop into a national brand,” Weiss said.
Expanding footprint and market momentum
The leadership announcement comes as Crooked Pop ramps up its commercial reach following an East Coast debut in April at major retailers like Total Wine and Harris Teeter. The brand’s recent growth milestones include:
- Major Distribution Partnership: Securing a deal with Illinois-based mega wholesaler Reyes Beverage Group.
- High-Profile Partnerships: Establishing first-mover in-stadium agreements as the Official Hard Soda of the Philadelphia Phillies, Atlanta Braves, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
- Proprietary Innovation: Utilizing its signature OSAVA formulation, a clean alcohol base fermented from ancient grains.
“Crooked Pop is the rare case where the liquid itself is genuinely different,” Schill said. “My job is to make sure the commercial infrastructure keeps pace, from the distributor network and channel strategy to execution at retail.”
