Matthew Clark md quits for Carlsberg-Tetley role

Neil Fraser, the managing director of cider brands at Matthew Clark, has left the company after only four months in the job to work for Carlsberg-Tetley Brewing as head of the company’s on-trade sales business.

Fraser’s position at Carlsberg will be managing director of free-trade sales. His appointment follows the departure of Peter Gray. He will report to managing director of brands and take-home sales, Doug Clydesdale.

Fraser joined Matthew Clark, which owns the Blackthorn cider brand, when the company decided to axe the board-level role of its outgoing group marketing director, Robert MacNevin, who left the company in February to join a management consultancy. Fraser was given the role of managing director of cider brands.

Matthew Clark has promoted Peter Spencer, its managing director of wholesale business, to replace Fraser.

The company is split into two businesses – Matthew Clark wholesale, one of the largest trade wholesalers in the UK, and Matthew Clark Brands, which includes Babycham and Arbor Mist. It also produced FCUK Spirit on behalf of the fashion retailer, but this product has been pulled off the shelves following the Portman Group’s ruling that the brand appeals too strongly to under-18s (MW May 21).

Earlier this year, Matthew Clark’s US owner, Constellation Brands, bought Australian wine producer BRL Hardy in a &£87m deal.