Leading European dairy cooperative Arla Foods has announced the departure of its UK managing director, Ash Amirahmadi, who is leaving to become chief executive of Sofina Foods Europe.
He will be replaced by Bas Padberg, who is currently vice president of Arla Foods Southeast Asia.
Amirahmadi joined Arla Foods in 2004 from Unilever and has held a number of leading roles across the organisation. He was appointed managing director of Arla UK in 2018 and under his leadership the company has since then continued the positive growth journey of Arla's biggest market as it grew into a €3 billion business.
“Ash has been an integral profile and leader in our UK business for almost two decades, and we are sad to see him go. I want to thank him for his service to Arla and our farmers during his five years as Head of Arla UK,” Peter Giørtz-Carlsen, executive vice president for Europe at Arla Foods, commented.
“He has led our UK business and organisation through a period with many disruptions like Brexit, the pandemic and inflation in recent years, and has established Arla as a leader within sustainability in the UK food industry. Perhaps his greatest achievement is that he leaves behind a strong team and a talented organisation who has been part of creating a leading food business, so the future is bright for Arla in the UK.
“Our strategy is a winning one and I have confidence in the next generation of leaders to steer Arla through the next chapters of our UK story. We wish Ash all the best in his new job.”
Amirahmadi said: “It’s been a difficult decision to leave Arla after a joyful 20 years. I complete my time both with a sense of sadness and pride. I will miss our farmers, our people and the deep friendships I have developed. It is people, relationships, and values that make organisations special, and the cooperation between our farmers and our colleagues gives us the unique culture of Arla.
“For me, the Sofina role is a big one and a different challenge which is what I now need in my career. I am and will always be grateful to have been part of Arla.”
Bas Padberg
Bas Padberg joined Arla in 2014 from Royal Friesland Campina to become managing director of Arla's business in the Netherlands, Belgium and France, which he turned into the fastest growing branded market in Arla Europe.
“I am delighted that Bas has accepted the opportunity to lead our skilled and engaged UK organisation, because he is a highly-trusted leader in Arla with a long track-record of building and sustaining a strong people-focused culture,” Giørtz-Carlsen said.
“He is very experienced in creating value between our farmers and our strategic customers from his time in charge of our Dutch, Belgian and French business. I want to congratulate Bas on his appointment and am looking forward to working with him on delivering the exciting long-term strategy for our UK business.”
Amirahmadi will leave on 31 July, and Padberg will take up his new role on 1 January 2024. In the interim period until he joins, Giørtz-Carlsen will maintain the executive leadership of Arla’s UK business in close collaboration with the Arla UK leadership team.
Sofina Foods, a privately owned Canadian company, has a broad portfolio of branded and private label pork, beef, fish, turkey, and chicken products. In May 2021, Sofina expanded its footprint into Europe and the UK by acquiring a number of pork and seafood manufacturing companies. The pork division is one of the largest processors and suppliers of products across the UK and Ireland. The seafood division is the largest provider of chilled and frozen products in the UK and includes the iconic 200-year-old Young’s Seafood brand.
At Sofina, Amirahmadi will take over from the company founder Michael Latifi, who has been the chief executive for Sofina Foods Europe since 2021. Latifi remains the chairman and chief executive of Sofina Foods Inc.
Amirahmadi is a leading figure in the UK’s food, drink and farming sectors and is the current Chair of the boards of both Dairy UK and the IGD. Ash was awarded an OBE for services to the dairy industry in the 2023 New Year’s Honours.
Latifi said: “We are delighted to welcome Ash to the Sofina family. I am confident that Ash’s deep experience and reputation within the grocery and farming sectors will help us deliver ongoing success across our European operations and demonstrate our continued commitment to quality and innovation.
“Ash joins us at an important time for the industry. He will help Sofina Foods Europe lead the way in developing a more sustainable supply chain, capable of producing great-tasting, affordable and high-quality products for consumers and greatly contribute to our vision.”
Amirahmadi added: “I am delighted to be joining Sofina Foods and relishing the opportunity to work with Michael Latifi and the Sofina Foods Europe team to build on their significant progress in transforming the business towards category leadership.
“Sofina Foods has a track record of working in partnership with its customers and suppliers, developing sustainable and resilient supply chains, investing in its people, adding value to categories, and long-term commitment to social responsibility across multiple stakeholders. My experience in the UK grocery sector mirrors these values and therefore I am honoured to lead Sofina Foods Europe on the journey ahead.
“We are operating in a complex and challenging global market. I am humble and respectful of the task ahead and committed to playing my part, together with the Sofina family, to transform the food system.”
Scottish business conglomerate Glenshire Group has hired Daniel Arrandale as its new Property Director.
Starting in the newly created role last week, Arrandale brings a wealth of industry experience to the business, including his most recent position as Acquisitions Manager for Asda and his previous position as Development Manager at EG Group.
“I am thrilled to be joining Glenshire Group in a period of tremendous growth, with many exciting opportunities on the horizon,” said Arrandale. “I’m looking forward to working with the existing development team to maximise the opportunities within our current estate, whilst also growing the business further with the acquisition of new sites.”
As part of Arrandale’s remit, he will oversee acquisitions, development, and growth for Greens Retail, Pizza Hut, and wider Glenshire Group property development and investment interests.
The bulk of Arrandale’s career has been as Retail Director at commercial agents Christie & Co, focussing on the convenience, forecourt and franchise markets. Arrandale served at Christie & Co. for 23 years.
Harris Aslam, Managing Director at Glenshire Group added: “We are very excited to welcome Dan into the Glenshire family. Having worked with Dan many times over the years on several transactions, I can confidently say his breadth of knowledge and experience in this sector will give us a huge advantage as we continue to expand our portfolio.”
Currently operating 27 convenience stores and 20 Pizza Hut franchises in Scotland, Glenshire Group has committed to significantly furthering new location openings in Scotland as well as bolstering their property portfolio.
Brewer Carlsberg is shifting some of its marketing focus to cheaper brands, it said on Thursday (31), as consumers in major markets bought cheaper beer and in reduced quantities.
The maker of Kronenbourg 1664, Tuborg and Somersby said beer sales volumes fell by 1.3 per cent in the third quarter, noting declines in China, France and the United Kingdom. Premium sales fell 0.5 per cent in the quarter."In Western Europe, there's no doubt that the average consumer is holding back," CEO Jacob Aarup-Andersen told Reuters.
"In Asia, China stands out as a market where the consumer is very weak. Most other Asian markets are actually okay," he said, adding the company had not yet seen Chinese stimulus measures having any impact on consumer behaviour.For years, brewers have relied on a strategy of developing and promoting their more expensive premium brands to offset an overall decline in drinking.
Aarup-Andersen said he remained confident in the long-term growth potential of premium beer and that the category will comprise a significantly larger portion of Carlsberg's business in a decade.For now, however, the company is adjusting its marketing.
"In markets where we are seeing a significant pressure on premium, we are reallocating some of our focus into making sure that we are promoting properly around the right mainstream brands," he said.
The world's third-largest brewer behind Anheuser-Busch Inbev and Heineken said third-quarter sales rose 1 per cent to 20.5 billion Danish crowns ($2.98 billion), compared with 20.7 billion expected on average by analysts in a poll gathered by the company.
Despite the shift in consumer behaviour, Carlsberg said it still expects full-year organic operating profit growth to be between 4 per cent and 6 per cent. The company lifted its full-year guidance in August.
Also on Thursday (31), the world's largest beer maker Anheuser-Busch InBev reported third-quarter profits, revenues and volumes behind forecasts. AB InBev's third-quarter statement highlighted stronger growth for its more expensive beers, like Corona, which grew 10.2% outside of its home market, Mexico, during the period.
Consumers now want a greater commitment from retailers in cutting food waste, refilling stations, sustainable packaging, and partnering with social purpose organisations, states a recent research, which also highlights that a good majority (69 per cent) of younger consumers are more likely to shop with what they see as socially responsible retailers though price sensitivity still plays a crucial role.
According to the findings, published in Vypr’s Consumer Horizon Report, reducing food waste is the most important factor for the majority of UK consumers (29 per cent), especially for Gen Z women aged 18-24 (38 per cent). More than a third (37 per cent) of men aged 18-24 said they needed food storage advice. A similar number of women aged 18-24 (33 per cent) want meal kits with the exact amount of ingredients included for them to cut down on food waste.
Refill stations for personal care, cleaning products, dry goods, and beverages are also in high demand. Consumers, particularly Gen Z women, are keen to use these stations, provided they offer a cost-saving of 6-10 per cent compared to packaged goods. The study indicates that older shoppers are less likely to use refill stations unless prices are reduced by 15 per cent or more, which Vypr said shows the importance of price in driving consumers to adopt sustainable shopping habits.
The third priority for brands and retailers is to adopt sustainable packaging. Awareness of eco-friendly packaging is high, especially among younger generations. Two-thirds of UK consumers say they expect to pay more for sustainably packaged products, and that figure rises to 86 per cent among Gen Z and Millennials. However, Vypr’s research suggests that while shoppers express willingness to pay more, price sensitivity still plays a crucial role.
Ben Davis, founder of Vypr, said: “There’s often a disconnect between consumer intentions and actions. Brands need to understand that simply offering sustainable options may not be enough if price points don’t match consumer expectations.
“For Gen Z and Millennials, sustainable products need to be competitively priced or risk losing long-term loyalty. We tested this by presenting products with and without the label ‘100 per cent Recycled Packaging’ and found price remained the key purchase decision-making factor for most consumers.”
Another factor in building loyalty among younger consumers is to showcase social responsibility. The research reveals that 60% of shoppers are more likely to shop at retailers that partner with food rescue organisations or promote a charitable cause. Among Gen Z and Millennials, this figure jumps to 69%, showing a strong preference for brands that demonstrate a social purpose.
The report also reveals that 85% of shoppers are willing to pay a deposit for reusable products, though it is younger consumers, particularly those aged 18-24 who express the strongest support for such initiatives.
The Consumer Horizon report which provides insights shaping retail, product innovation, and consumer behaviour going into 2025, can be seen here.
Sugro UK, the number one buying and marketing buying group*, in partnership with b2b.store, is thrilled to announce a further expansion of its existing E-Loyalty scheme programme, which has proven to be very popular with its members and retailers, by introducing E-Loyalty Extra Compliance and Execution scheme as well as E-Coupons.
The E-Loyalty Extra is aimed to boost compliance and execution at retail store level to drive new product launches, core range compliance, some exciting fixture trials with its supply partners and more! It will be available to all member owned and member affiliated retail stores within the group.
The E-Loyalty Extra loyalty scheme will be accessible by retailers via WhatsApp platform and will allow retailers to capture evidence of compliance by simply clicking “take photo” button.
With the addition of another digital enhancement introduced to the group recently – Coupon - based loyalty mechanic, members are now empowered to incentivise and reward customers, driving stronger consumer connections and fostering brand loyalty at a granular level. Retailers can now simply redeem a coupon at the point of check out. Another key digital development within the group is WhatsApp E-Presell which enables Sugro UK’s retail partners to provide advance product volume commitments for new product launches. This functionality is particularly powerful as it ensures that suppliers have accurate forecasts before product launches, enabling better stock availability from day one of product being available on the market.
The ease and speed of using WhatsApp for these commitments simplifies the presell process, ensures accuracy and strengthens relationships across the supply chain.
While other industry players may soon consider introducing similar digital tools, Sugro UK are proud to be at the forefront of enhancing retail-focused digital solutions. This early adoption not only ensures that Sugro UK members remain competitive but also guarantees them access to the best digital tools available in the market. These efforts are part of Sugro UK's ongoing commitment to delivering value to its members and empowering them with innovative solutions for growth and success in an increasingly digital retail environment.
Sugro Head of Commercial and Marketing, Yulia Petitt said: “I am delighted that Sugro UK members are now able to provide photographic evidence of retail compliance and in-store execution to our supplier partners, using a wide range of display and compliance criteria such as planograms, secondary displays, trials, and new product developments (NPDs).These digital features allow members to share real-time proof of execution, enhancing accountability and building supplier confidence. The launch of E-Presell functionality opens a huge digital advantage for the group which will benefit all – members, retailers and suppliers in gaining accurate forecast and ensuring product visibility in store from day one of product being on the market and with the ease of using WhatsApp, the entire pre-sell process becomes a much quicker and easier process to manage for all parties.
"The Group has had 18 consecutive years of growth and, once again, on track to deliver in 2024, with the year-to-date performance of +15% year on year and growth across all categories.” Rob Mannion, CEO of b2b.store, added: “The rate of innovation in the wholesale sector is increasing and these launches are further great examples of that. We’re particularly excited about the developments and different uses of WhatsApp in the industry, with more coming in the pipeline for 2025 – it’s a tool no wholesaler or buying group can afford to ignore because of the level of influence it’s having in the sector and there’s no sign of that direction of travel changing any time soon.”
Sugro UK is proudly owned by its 90 plus independent wholesale members, with a combined turnover of over £2.5 billion.
Expanding its footprint in the World Foods category, Paulig has acquired Panesar Foods, a prominent UK-based producer of sauces and condiments.
Founded in 1992 and headquartered in Tipton, Panesar Foods is a family-owned business with three production facilities, employing 308 staff and achieving a turnover of £59 million in the 2023 fiscal year.
This collaboration is expected to accelerate product launches and drive growth in diverse offerings, including sauces, salsas, marinades, dips, and condiments.
"We have collaborated with Panesar Foods for 17 years, and we are very pleased to welcome the company to Paulig," said Rolf Ladau, CEO of Paulig. "Today, our combined taste expertise and innovation skills unite around a shared ambition: to accelerate our international growth and expand our World Foods offerings."
Bill Panesar, CEO of Panesar Foods, expressed confidence in the partnership, stating, “As Panesar Foods becomes part of Paulig, I am confident that our ambitions for international growth will be realised, and the business will continue to thrive. We share a strong commitment to innovation and delivering high-quality, flavourful products, and I look forward to bringing even more delicious products to the market, together."
Jas Panesar, MD of Panesar Foods, echoed, “This partnership will allow us to reach new markets and deliver our authentic World Food flavors to a broader audience. We look forward to combining our passion for quality food with Paulig’s commitment to sustainability and innovation.”
All 308 Panesar employees will transition to Paulig’s team. Financial details of the transaction remain undisclosed.