John Bello
John Bello | |
|---|---|
| Born | March 30, 1946 Plainville, Connecticut, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Business executive, entrepreneur |
| Known for | Founder of SoBe; former president of NFL Properties |
John Joseph Bello (born March 30, 1946) is an American business leader recognized for founding and developing the SoBe brand, a pioneer in the New Age beverage market.
Early life
Bello was raised in Plainville, Connecticut as the son of Generoso "Jerry" and Edith Bello. He completed his education at Plainville High School in 1964, where he was active in football and served as student council president. He pursued higher education at Tufts University through a Navy ROTC scholarship, participating in football and joining the Delta Upsilon fraternity. Bello graduated cum laude with a bachelor's degree in history in 1968. During his time at Tufts, he met Nancy Nelson, whom he married the following year.
Following graduation, Bello received a commission as an ensign in the United States Navy, dedicating four years to service that included a deployment to South Vietnam. There, he acted as supply officer for PBR Mobile Base II on the Mekong Delta, supporting river patrol units. His meritorious service earned him the Navy Commendation Medal with Combat V distinction. In 1972, he was stationed at Moffett Field Naval Air Station as Navy Exchange Officer before resigning his commission as a Lieutenant to pursue graduate studies.
Early business career
Bello attained an MBA from the Amos Tuck School at Dartmouth College in 1974, where he was honored as an Edward Tuck Scholar. His initial professional experience involved brand management roles at General Foods, overseeing products such as Sanka and Maxwell House coffee. He later served as product director for Keds Brand footwear before transitioning to strategic planning and marketing at PepsiCo’s Pepsi Cola Division, contributing to campaigns for Mountain Dew and the Pepsi Challenge.
National Football League Properties
In 1979, Bello joined NFL Properties (NFLP), the marketing and licensing division of the National Football League, ascending to president in 1986. He revolutionized licensed apparel by transforming it from niche novelty items into widely available fashion lines sold through major sporting goods and department stores. Bello introduced NFL ProLine, providing fans with authentic sideline apparel under the slogan "Wear What the Pros Wear." He secured significant sponsorship agreements with companies including Coca-Cola, Canon, Gatorade, Miller Brewing, Apple, Citibank, and American Airlines via the "NFL Tailgate Party" Sunday insert program. Additionally, he played a key role in launching the NFL Experience fan festival and initiated the American Bowl international preseason games starting in 1986. His promotional innovations extended to sponsoring NASCAR drivers, developing women's NFL apparel lines, and producing television events such as the Quarterback Challenge.
Under Bello's guidance, NFLP's operations expanded dramatically from $30 million to $3 billion in retail sales, sponsorship revenues, and publishing by 1993. He is acknowledged for establishing a business model that has become standard across major sports leagues. In 1992, Sporting News ranked him 46th among the Most Powerful People in Sports. Bello resigned in 1993 following a power struggle with NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue, who aimed to centralize control over league operations including NFL Properties.
SoBe Beverages
After departing from the NFL, Bello briefly held the position of VP Marketing at Ferolito, Vultaggio and Sons—the producers of AriZona iced tea—before co-founding South Beach Beverage Company alongside Tom Schwalm in Norwalk, Connecticut. The company specialized in "New Age" drinks—unique juice combinations and ready-to-drink teas—that competed with brands like Snapple, Mystic, Nantucket Nectars, and AriZona.
To set SoBe apart from competitors, Bello incorporated trace amounts of herbs and nutrients such as ginseng, ginkgo biloba, guarana, carnitine, Echinacea, yohimbe, taurine, and praline to offer health benefits beyond simple hydration. He introduced "3G" energy beverages and expanded iced tea selections to include Black Tea, Oolong Tea (infused with bee pollen), Green Tea (with Echinacea), and Red Tea (containing selenium). SoBe also launched "3C" Elixirs combining calcium, carnitine, and chromium in blends like Orange-Carrot and Energy (featuring guarana and yohimbe). Additional products included Lizzard Blizzard and Long John Lizard’s Grape Grog.
Bello designed SoBe’s distinctive "dueling lizards" emblem and spearheaded guerrilla marketing initiatives while adopting the persona of "Lizard King" for radio advertisements. He enlisted unconventional athlete endorsers such as golfer John Daly and skier Bode Miller. The company motivated independent distributors by offering generous margins along with equity participation.
From its launch in 1995 until 2000, SoBe experienced rapid growth with sales reaching $275 million amid increasing consumer interest in health-oriented beverages. On October 30, 2000, PepsiCo acquired SoBe for approximately $370 million in cash; Bello remained with Pepsi overseeing SoBe operations until early 2004.
By 1999 SoBe had sold 14.8 million cases generating $166.4 million in revenue. The company challenged AriZona for market dominance but became embroiled in litigation alleging trade secret misappropriation and bottle design infringement. Judge Sonia Sotomayor denied AriZona’s request for a preliminary injunction; legal proceedings persisted until all claims were dismissed by 2007 following PepsiCo’s acquisition.
In recognition of his achievements at SoBe, Bello was honored as Ernst & Young's National Entrepreneur of the Year in Consumer Products in 2001.
Other Business Endeavors
Following his departure from Pepsi, Bello established JoNa Ventures, a family investment firm involved with companies such as Firefighter Brands, Soup Kitchen International, Eye Therapies, PresbyopiaTherapies, and Beso Del Sol Sangria.
Together with former NFL teammates Bruce Burke and Peter French, Bello co-founded Firefighter Brands, a socially driven business offering coffee, chips, chili, trail mixes, and energy drinks to raise funds for local firefighting organizations. Although supported by notable investors, the initiative ultimately did not succeed due to insufficient collaboration among the firefighting groups.
In 2005, Bello took on the role of chairman and investor at Soup Kitchen International, which distributes soups created by Al Yeganeh—famously known as the "Soup Nazi" from Seinfeld—through retail outlets and franchised dining establishments.
The following year, in 2006, Bello joined Sherbrooke Capital as a general partner. This venture capital firm specializes in early-stage investments within the health and wellness sector. Sherbrooke led a $6.35 million equity financing round for IZZE in 2005. Bello was named Chairman of the Board for IZZE Beverage Company, a producer of sparkling juice that was eventually acquired by PepsiCo for an undisclosed sum.
Presently, Bello chairs Eye Therapies, a company focused on developing over-the-counter eye care and cosmetic products in collaboration with his college roommate Dr. Lee Nordan. Additionally, he spearheaded an investor consortium holding a major equity position in Beso Del Sol, an all-natural sangria brand imported from Spain, where he also serves as chairman of the board. In 2016, Bello was appointed chairman of Reed's Inc. (REED), formerly listed on the NYSE, which manufactures ginger beers and natural soft drinks under the Virgil's brand.
Personal
Bello holds several external positions including trustee at Tufts University; advisory board member for Tufts athletics; board member at Dartmouth’s Tuck Center for Private Equity; board member at Tufts’ Gordon Entrepreneurial Institute; director at the New York Council of the Boy Scouts of America; and he is a former trustee of Hotchkiss School. He has delivered lectures on entrepreneurship and shared insights from his NFL career and SoBe experiences at various colleges and business conferences.
He lives with his wife Nancy in both Scottsdale, Arizona and Rye, New York. They have three adult children—Lauren, Lindsay, and John Michael—and are grandparents to four grandchildren: Ben, Archie, Bea, and Poppy.