Ten years ago, Scott Allan had the opportunity to finally work where he lived.
Instead of making the commute from his home in Bend to various tech jobs in Silicon Valley — which included handheld devices and payments companies — he was approached with the opportunity to take over as CEO of fast-growing insulated water bottle company Hydro Flask. He took the job, switching from tech to consumer products and further growing the company. He then led it through a $210 million acquisition by Helen of Troy (Nasdaq: HELE).
Now, three years after retiring from Hydro Flask, he is back with a growing Bend company that is again at the intersection of the outdoor and beverage markets.
Allan is the interim CEO of Puffin Drinkwear, which makes a line of beverage coozies that are tiny versions of apparel like jackets and flannels. Products are in more than 4,000 stores across the U.S. and Canada. He is leading the 20-person company and helping to create a foundation on which a permanent CEO will be selected. The search is expected to start later this quarter.
“It’s grown to a stage where the progress and fundraising can take the brand to the next level,” said Allan. “It can start that work and bring a leader in and not miss out on progress (while a search is conducted).”
Puffin has landed high-caliber investors in Portland private equity firm Village Family Capital and private equity vet Jim Collis of Colfam Management. In fact, Collis is who brought Allan to the Hydro Flask job.
Working once again with Collis was a plus, Allan said. He also knew the Puffin founders from his involvement in the Oregon Outdoor Alliance, a networking organization for the state's outdoor companies. Allan is an adviser and board member for several outdoor companies and organizations, including Portland-based blanket maker Rumpl. He was initially approached about advising Puffin, but timing worked out for something more.
In Puffin, Allan sees a company with huge potential to build the category it is creating — which it calls drinkwear. Additionally, he is focused on building out the experience around the brand, such as how sales reps and buyers are treated, factory partners and customer service. This also means ensuring the company's internal culture grows to keep up, especially Puffin’s community ethos known as “fun together, good together.”
“It’s hard when growing a company and the pace these companies grow puts strain on people,” Allan said. “We are intentional on who we hire and how we look after them and create a culture we are proud of. And how you scale impacts that.”
The startup’s founders, who are all still in leadership roles, have always described Puffin and its products as something that gives people permission to have fun, said Allan. And that is something that a lot of people need right now, he added.
The company has more than 50 different types of its coozies, but Allan sees much more opportunity within the beverage space. He envisions collaborations with other brands for seasonal drops and licensing to allow people to express their identities or fandom.
The company hasn’t released details on its fundraising but said its latest round is significant enough for “the brand to better serve its wholesale customers, innovate new product designs, fund production capacity expansion, and continue to give back through its Good Together charitable giving initiative.”
