ASX-listed meal kit company Marley Spoon has hired a new chief marketing and growth officer to lead major national advertising campaigns and collaborate with supermarket giant and investor Woolworths ahead of what it says will be one of its biggest years yet.

Kate Whitney will join the team in Sydney effective February 3 from Pernod Ricard, where she was director of digital marketing in the US for the past three years. Prior to that, she was MD of marketing for David Jones and head of brand and retail marketing for Foxtel.

In addition to overseeing all of the marketing activity in Australia for both Marley Spoon and the company’s affordable meal kit brand Dinnerly, Whitney will also be managing the strategic partnership between Marley Spoon and Woolworths, which has invested $34 million in the company.

The partnership will include cross-platform marketing campaigns and new initiatives between the two retailers, according to a statement.

Rolf Weber, Marley Spoon Australia co-founder and MD, described Whitney’s appointment as an “enormous coup”.

“Her experience of combining data-driven marketing with a consumer, subscription model is almost catered to the meal kit sector, so to have her here to lead our team in Australia is incredibly exciting,” Weber said.

“Her insight and leadership are going to be invaluable as Marley Spoon prepares for one of our biggest years yet.” 

Whitney said she saw three simple benefits in Marley Spoon, which attracted her to the company: convenience, low waste and wellness.

“I’ve never worked in a category that is so new and full of potential, that answers so many consumer needs at a period of phenomenal growth,” she said.

“Subscription services are becoming the new norm, which makes sense; Once you love a brand, and you trust that brand to take a problem away, you’ll continue to come back again and again.”

She said she was impressed by Marley Spoon’s ability to evolve its offering to meet the demands of its customers, with new vegan, vegetarian and affordable options launching in recent years.

“There’s never been a better time to try these products, and if this demand grows, it’s only going to get better.”

Marley Spoon’s previous head of marketing, and one of its local co-founders, Dave Malcolm left the meal kit company in September to lead the e-commerce business of The Real Pet Food Company.