Paulig UK chief resigns mid-advertising review

Paulig UK, owner of the Lyons ground coffee brand and Melitta filter papers, has lost its marketing chief in the middle of a review of its advertising agencies.

Paavo Liestalo, who as retail director was responsible for all retail sales and marketing, has quit to join paper goods company Metzä-Serla in Sweden.

Paulig UK is reviewing its 3.5m advertising account and drawing up a shortlist of three agencies after initial presentations from six agencies. The incumbent, Duckworth Finn Grubb Waters, will not repitch.

David Field has been promoted from food services director to director and general manager at Paulig as a result of the restructure. “We need to create more synergy between the retail and food service marketing,” says Field.

Marketing for retail and food service will be consolidated under the new marketing director – they were run separately in the past.

Paulig hopes the growing popularity of coffee bars will reinforce its brands. Ground coffee is often served in Lyons cups in cafés.

Finnish ground coffee company Paulig bought the Lyons coffee brand from Allied Lyons (now Allied Domecq) in 1994. Paulig is a brand leader in Finland,where most of the population drink roasted, rather than instant, coffee.