Baxters appoints Euro chief in ad team revamp

Baxters Food Group, the premium Scottish soup manufacturer, has strengthened its management team with the appointment of Andrew Field as sales and marketing director of European ambient brands.

Field has been working in consultancy, but has held a variety of senior sales and marketing roles at brands such as Birds Eye, Britvic, Guinness and Volvic. Field replaces Robin Lambie, who left the company last year to pursue new opportunities (MW October 14, 2004).

Field, who joins the company on May 16, will be responsible for helping the company to increase its share of the UK market and expand oversees. He will have a place on the company’s board. The company has also appointed Murray Calder as brands controller.

Calder, who joined the company on May 3, joins from drinks company The Edrington Group, where he was global marketing manager. He will be responsible for all of the brands in the portfolio, which includes Baxters, Garner’s and Peppadew. He replaces Kevan Mallinder, who also left the company last autumn to follow other interests.

Baxters group managing director Norman Soutar says he hopes the appointments will bring a “fresh outlook, skills and experience” to the branded sales and marketing team. He adds: “We believe they will allow us to build our brand portfolio in a manner that will support our strategic goals.”

The company plans to increase its turnover from &£85m to &£300m over the next 15 years.