Five Questions with Greg Williamson, President, CamelBak

Five Questions with Greg Williamson, President, CamelBak

Fittingly, our next installment of "Five Questions With…" features a business unit leader who just celebrated his fifth anniversary with the company.

Greg Williamson was appointed President of CamelBak in July 2018, and the last five years have proven transformational for the brand under his leadership. To commemorate this milestone, we thought Greg would be the perfect subject for the next round of our occasional Q&A series with business leaders.

We asked Greg what he's most proud of during his time in Petaluma, how he and his team maintain CamelBak's OG status, the brand's emphasis on sustainability, his go-to CamelBak products and more. So pour a beverage into your favorite CamelBak drinkware and learn a bit about Greg and what's happening at the world's premier hydration brand.

1) As you reflect on your tenure with the brand, how would you describe the journey so far and what are you most proud of - either personally or as team accomplishment?

Williamson: I recently celebrated my five-year anniversary as leader of the CamelBak brand. First, it's crazy to me that it's already been five years, as it feels like I just got to Petaluma. There are many things I am proud of as I think about what our team has accomplished over the last five years, despite some of the uncertainty of the macro-environment. Notably we reclaimed leadership market-share positions in both hike hydration and reservoir hydration categories while also taking over 5 points of share in the bike hydration category. These gains are a result of the team strategically enhancing our product offering in our core categories, which had grown a bit stale in prior years.

We have also successfully entered the Drinkware and Soft Cooler categories while expanding our color offering in the vacuum stainless steel bottle category. These efforts have allowed us to gain share in these key adjacent categories. Lastly, the team has greatly enhanced our positioning and efforts relative to sustainability. We now have clearly defined metrics and deliverables that will keep us on our sustainability journey for years. But honestly, what I am most proud of is how the team continues to exhibit incredible energy and passion every day. So much has happened over the last five years that presented challenges to all of us, both personally and professionally, but the team has never wavered and they continue to grow stronger each day.

2) CamelBak is an iconic brand that's synonymous with outdoor hydration; how much do you and your team talk about that legacy and how do you maintain that OG status?

Williamson: After our people, the CamelBak brand is undoubtedly our greatest asset. As the inventor of the Hydration Pack category, we take our heritage and legacy very seriously. We know our products are seen as a trusted partner to our consumers as they look to pursue their outdoor adventures. Providing innovative, easy-to-use, durable products is always at the center of our product development and something all our team members take great pride in.

3) It seems innovation and sustainability are integral to CamelBak's DNA; how much focus is placed on those ideals and how are you able to continually improve the product line's functionality and environmental cred?

Williamson: Our brand has a natural tie to sustainability given the fact that many of our products can assist in removing single-use plastic water bottles from the environment. Having that natural connection as a part of our DNA is an asset. But I give the team a lot of credit; they realize this tie is not the whole story. We have a responsibility to do more. This view has led us to make significant improvements to our overall environmental impact by increasing our use of recycled packaging, employing more environmentally friendly chemicals and dyes, and focusing on material selection across our product line that feature recycled materials. Additionally, the team has thoughtfully laid out a 10-year sustainability roadmap that clearly defines a variety of sustainability metrics to track and measure ourselves against as we seek continuous improvement in the area. It is an ongoing pursuit.

4) How has the launch into the cooler category gone? What else can we expect from CamelBak in terms of product releases?

Williamson: With the recent launch of our ChillBak Cube and ChillBak Tote we now have a fuller offering to complement our ChillBak Pack 30. Having a broader lineup has given us the chance to tell a fuller marketing story around the category this season. The product has been well received given its unique functionality of integrated hydration. The story of the "one stop shop" of soft coolers has resonated with the active outdoor consumer. With that said, it's a competitive category with lots of great products and competitors, so for us it is still early days. In the future you will see us make the whole series a feature of our DTC site, where we can tell the story around all the great functionality.

As far as additional new products, we are on an exciting and innovative product road. Internally, we like to use the term "Enhance and Extend" when it comes to new products. Simply put, you will see continued innovation in our core categories of hydration packs as we look to enhance our share leadership position, with an additional focus on building out our run line. In parallel, we have some exciting new products that will launch in the next few months that will extend our offering in the Drinkware category, and a new line of bottles that will reinvent the bike bottle category.

5) What's your go-to activity, your favorite trail (to hike, run, ski, or cycle), and your most-used CamelBak product?

Williamson: I love to get out on the trails for a hike or a run whenever possible and feel very fortunate to live in an area where there are so many readily available options. When I get the chance, I try to find my way to the Redwoods. The Redwood National Forest is breathtaking, but there are countless groves around Northern California that are incredibly beautiful and provide such a unique chance to connect with nature. My Zephyr Pro run vest is my go-to companion when out on the trails. But If I'm being honest, I probably get more use out of my Horizon can coolers and wine tumblers, as my family and I enjoy relaxing with friends at the beach or in the backyard.