Jane Prior

Meet the Marketer Keeping Coconut Water Cool

Throughout Vita Coco’s 20-year history, skeptics have predicted the company’s coconut water would go from the next big thing to the next big bust. But the brand has managed to withstand competition from deep-pocketed beverage giants Coca-Cola and PepsiCo and maintain its relevance with consumers, even as competition has increased from other beverages touting health benefits, like kombucha and prebiotic sodas. That’s thanks in part to CMO Jane Prior, who has turned Vita Coco into “a brand that holds stunts near and dear to its hydrated heart.” Under her leadership, the company has launched partnerships with Roblox to plant coconut trees across the world, hosted a three-story-tall inflatable coconut pop-up in the middle of a triple-digit Texas heat wave, and trolled prebiotic soda brand Poppi with “low rent” pop-up vending machines, and much more. It’s all part of the company’s effort to appeal to a younger, more multicultural customer — and it’s paying off: Sales soared by 5% to $516 million in 2024.

By Audrey Goodson Kingo