NutraWomen Wednesday: Alicia Peirce Kasch, Vice President of Ribus

15-Mar-2023 - Last updated on 15-Mar-2023 at 12:50 GMT

This year Ribus celebrates 30 years of business providing functional ingredients to companies worldwide. In 1992, RIBUS was founded by Steve Peirce, along with his father, Jim Peirce, and food scientist Neal Hammond.

Recently, RIBUS tapped third-generation Alicia Peirce Kasch as vice president—not because she’s Steve’s daughter—but because the company hit multiple record-breaking sales years and expanded into new international markets under her leadership.

“RIBUS was my grandfather's idea that my dad brought to reality. So when I was a little girl, yes I wanted to be president of RIBUS and follow exactly in my dad's footsteps. Then came along the movie, ‘What Women Want’ and I learned about advertising and I was just amazed that could be a career. So I kind of put RIBUS on hold and focused on advertising at the Mizzou J-school and focused on strategic communication,” said Kasch.

After graduation, Kasch worked in advertising for Anheuser-Busch, MillerCoors, the Monsanto Co and then served as a digital project manager at Nestlé Purina PetCare Co, before working at the family business.

Kasch said she wanted to travel before having kids and there was an opportunity to manage the sales team internationally, so she joined the RIBUS team full-time in 2017.

“Continuing my family’s legacy is important to me and I’m grateful to be a part of a new generation of women-run businesses,” said Kasch.

Under her leadership, RIBUS hit four consecutive record-breaking sales years and expanded into three new international markets. With 60% women at RIBUS, Kasch said the company's commitment to adding women leadership at RIBUS is a priority.

“I definitely want to encourage, coach and mentor women to get into these leadership positions if that's something that's important to them, because I personally find it very important.”