Matt Roberts will step into the role of chief customer officer on 13 April, concurrently joining the Premier Foods executive leadership team.
Roberts brings with him extensive experience in consumer goods, with the majority of his career spent at Johnson & Johnson and Procter & Gamble, where he worked with leading brands across the globe.
For the last four and a half years, he has served as Karo Health’s chief commercial officer, which is home to brands such as Alpha Foods, Nutravita and E45. Here, he has led a team of managing directors across 60+ markets globally to develop and execute strategies that drive market share and deliver on the firm’s P&L objectives.
He joins Premier Foods as Richard Martin retires after almost 20 years with the group.
Commenting on the appointment, Alex Whitehouse, CEO of Premier Foods, said: “Matt brings a wealth of consumer goods and commercial experience, with a strong track record of driving growth in branded consumer businesses.
“His expertise across customer leadership, category strategy and in-market execution will be invaluable as we continue to strengthen our partnerships with retailers and deliver long-term growth. His experience growing consumer brands overseas also aligns with our ambitious growth plans to build our international businesses. I am delighted to welcome him to Premier Foods and to the Executive Leadership Team.
“I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Richard for his significant contribution to Premier Foods over nearly 20 years. He has been an integral member of the leadership team that led the company’s turnaround and has built Premier Foods into the leading FTSE 250 business it is today. Underpinning this has been the modernisation of our customer teams and strengthened customer relationships, which has been key in delivering sustained and strong branded revenue growth. We all wish him the best in his retirement.”
Roberts added: “Premier Foods is home to some of the most loved and well-known food brands in the UK and has great ambitions for the future, underpinned by a clear and proven strategy to grow the business in the UK and internationally.
“I am delighted to be joining the business and working with the rest of the leadership team to take Premier Foods on the next stage of its growth, deepening our partnerships with customers, and building on its strong track record in recent years.”
Premier Foods employs more than 4,000 people, operating from 13 sites across the country. It supplies a range of retail, wholesale, foodservice and other customers, with its vast portfolio including Ambrosia, Batchelors, Bisto, Loyd Grossman, Mr. Kipling, Oxo, and Sharwood’s.
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