Page 6 - Food & Drink Magazine April 2020

NEWS
✷ INDUSTRY MOVERS
Kirin keeps
eye on beer
NEW CEO UNILEVER ANZ
Global CEO of Unilever’s specialty tea brand T2 Nicole (Nicky) Sparshott has been appointed CEO of Unilever Australia and New Zealand after Clive Stiff announced his retirement.
Sparshott will begin in the role from April and report to global COO Nitin Paranjpe. She will retain leadership of the T2 business.
NEW ANZ, JAPAN MONDELEZ PRESIDENT
The Mondelez president of meals Europe and the global category team, Darren O’Brien, will take over from Amanda Banfield as president for Australia,
New Zealand and Japan. O’Brien has had
numerous leadership roles at Mondelez International, first joining the company in 2008 as director of sales, ANZ.
DIAGEO MD TO EUROPE
Diageo Australia managing director David Smith will leave the country after Easter to take on the role of managing director for the company in southern Europe from 1 May.
Smith will be based in Madrid and will head the businesses in Spain, Italy, France,
Greece and Portugal.
Diageo Greater China & Asia
president Sam Fischer said: “Diageo Australia has never been in better shape and David has led strong performance with top line momentum accelerating significantly during his tenure.”
Diageo is in the process of recruiting a new managing director for Australia.
LION parent company Kirin has begun its KV 2027 strategy in an aim to secure long-term sustainable growth, by leveraging its core practices of fermentation and biotechnology. The company said strengthening its brewery is a key focus for the future, as it awaits completion on the divestment of the Lion Dairy & Drinks business.
At its investor day in Tokyo on 3 March, Kirin said it would create value for stakeholders and adapt to social and environmental changes surrounding its businesses.
Founded as a brewing business more than 100 years ago, Kirin has based the majority of its growth in the
food domain, particularly in its expertise and developments of its fermentation and biotechnologies.
As part of its KV 2027 outlook, Kirin is targeting a CAGR of four to six per cent of consolidated normalised operating profits, where it will drive growth “by unlocking synergies across the food, pharmaceuticals and health science” areas.
The company will reform its Kirin Brewery business by targeting a normalised OP margin of 25 per cent (revenue excluding liquor tax) by 2027.
It will “enhance the group’s brands and explore new growth engines”.
“In beer products, it will
Kirin was founded more than 100 years ago as a brewing business.
focus on developing its core brands to deliver long-term returns. Kirin Brewery will also focus on craft beer, non-alcoholic beverages and Japan whisky as new growth drivers,” the company said in a statement.
In November 2019, Kirin announced it would sell the Lion Dairy & Drinks business
Fry Family Food Co joins plant-based powerhouse
QUEENSLAND’S Fry Family Food Co will now form part of the LiveKindly Co portfolio, as it joins forces with the global collective of plant-based heritage and start-up brands. LiveKindly Co is backed by a $200 million founders’ funding round and aims to become one of the world’s largest plant- based food companies.
The Fry Family Food Co is the only company headquartered in Australia under the LiveKindly Co umbrella, where the team will bring 30 years of experience across local and global value chains in plant-based meat alternatives, as well as over 60 products, to the organisation.
Tammy Fry, international marketing director of The Fry Family Food Co.
Tammy Fry, international marketing director of The Fry Family Food Co, said the team was thrilled to be part of this new company that is “going to revolutionise the plant-based food market in Australia”.
“The partnership gives Fry’s the opportunity to bring to scale quality plant-based food products, which means we reach more customers and change more hearts and minds.”
LiveKindly Co is led by a global team of industry experts with a wealth of experience from companies such as Unilever, Nestle, Firmenich and Ferrero.
LiveKindly Co board of directors and founder Roger Linehard said: “Our team has built a new formula for success by bringing innovation, experience, resources, and scale throughout the plant- based value chain.”
“It started with bringing together like-minded founders who share a vision for smarter, sustainable living, and allows
6 | Food&Drink business | April 2020 | www.foodanddrinkbusiness.com.au