Food Manufacturing Senior Moves and Major Acquisitions – October 2024
It’s been a strange few months for recruitment over the course of August and September, with the typical September surge dropping in during August meaning September has been quieter than usual.
Over the course of this period, we’ve seen permanent requirements decline. This is in line with what the KPMG and REC UK jobs report where they have indicated that vacancy numbers are down for the tenth month in a row.
Alongside this, temporary vacancies have also fallen for the first time since April according to the jobs report. The demand we are seeing around the temporary need is heavily focussed on Technical and quality support.
Albeit a slower period, there have still been some senior shake ups.
Here are a few that have happened over the last few months.
- Mark Howgego, previously the Commercial and Sustainability Director at Bighams, has been named as The Compleat Food Group’s first Chief Product Officer. With over seven years of experience at Bighams and prior roles at Higgidy and Innocent Drinks, Howgego will focus on driving growth and quality across the company’s diverse product categories.
- Nestlé has announced that Mark Schneider will step down as CEO, with Laurent Freixe replacing him. Schneider has been at the helm of the global food giant since 2017, overseeing substantial transformations, including a pivot toward health and nutrition.
- Rémy Cointreau has appointed Lee James as their new MD for the UK, Ireland and Nordic Markets. James oversee a portfolio of brands including Cointreau and The Botanist Gin. He joins from French rival Pernod Ricard, where he held a tenure spanning nearly two decades, where until recently held the title of Global Commercial Director for their premium and above gin portfolio.
Alongside these, there have been some even larger acquisitions.
- Mars has agreed to acquire Kellanova, the parent company of iconic snack brands like Pringles, Cheez-It and Pop-Tarts, in a $35.9 billion all-cash deal. The acquisition will bolster Mars’ snacking division, adding significant brands to its portfolio, which already includes M&M’s and Snickers. This strategic move is aimed at doubling Mars’ snacking business over the next decade and enhancing its presence in the global snacks market.
- Britvic shareholders have voted in favour of the company’s $3.3 billion acquisition by Carlsberg, marking a major shift in the beverage industry. This deal is set to enhance Carlsberg’s footprint in the non-alcoholic drinks sector and expand its portfolio of soft drinks. Britvic, known for brands like Robinsons and J2O, will complement Carlsberg’s international operations and provide new growth opportunities.
- Italian-based Newlat has finalized its £700m acquisition of Princes from Mitsubishi Corporation. The deal will result in a rebranding of the combined company as “New Princes Group” by the end of 2024, creating one of Europe’s largest food and beverage companies.
This is just a small snapshot but it will be interesting to see if we see a surge in hiring and acquisitions after the Autumn Budget.
Have a great week.
Jared
