Purisys, LLC has appointed Christopher Speed as vice president for its food, beverage and nutrition consumer products business. 

Speed comes to Purisys having spent more than two decades in the nutraceutical and food space, bringing a background in nutrition science and consumer finished product development, along with experience at some of the leading food and nutraceutical companies in the world. He will be responsible for developing Purisys’ cannabinoid offerings, most notably cannabidiol (CBD), for nutritive and bioactive applications across a wide-ranging spectrum of consumer product types. He will be based in Purisys’ office in Athens, GA. 

“After combining a background in nutritional biochemistry with global sales and marketing leadership, Chris Speed brings a deep and relevant background to how we will best deliver accountable solutions to the food, beverage and nutraceuticals industry,” says Purisys CEO Jim Mish. “His experience and strengths are perfect to help us market and steer our synthetic ‘nature-identical’ CBD — the first to be de-scheduled by the DEA — through this incredibly competitive landscape and to the ultimate success of the food, beverage and nutraceutical industry that we serve.”

On Jan. 1, Purisys, LLC was spun off from a pharmaceutical API company. The company now focuses exclusively as an ingredient and solutions provider to pharmaceutical and consumer products companies looking to use CBD and other cannabinoid-based ingredients. In nutritive applications — including food, beverage and nutraceuticals, Purisys’ portfolio of over 50 cannabinoids means an entire new range of bioactives that can contribute to unique, efficacious consumer products. For these products, Purisys has been and will continue to invest in applications development capabilities, including facilities and personnel. 

“The most discerning and trusted customer demands excellence in quality, purity and safety and will not tolerate confusion that is driven by slick marketing fiction, in lieu of the facts.” Speed says. “Purisys is adamantly aware of this and is well poised to help its customers achieve immediate and long-lasting product acceptance through its category-altering cannabinoid bioactive solutions.

Prior to his experience at NattoPharma, Speed was global sales manager and vice president of sales for WIleys Finest Wild Alaskan Fish Oil. He had previously worked in the Omega-3 space as director of scientific affairs at Barlean’s Organic Oils and Minami Nutrition, which he founded in 2005. 

Early in his career, Speed worked in nutrition science with positions at Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide and Oldways. He started his career as a clinical nutritionist and dietitian and received a Master of Human Nutrition and Dietetics from The University of Sydney and a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry from The Australian National University.

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