Premier Foods overhauls senior marketing setup

Hovis owner Premier Foods has created its first group marketing director role as part of a senior management overhaul to accelerate the growth of its brands.

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Jon Goldstone, currently marketing director of the Hovis brand, will take on the new role from 1 January.

Premier Foods has also appointed Tim Kelly as its first group chief operating officer.

He will take responsibility for all brand and commercial operations within the grocery division.

Kelly, who is currently chief operating officer for Hovis and Premier’s chilled division, will report directly to CEO Robert Schofield. Goldstone will report to Kelly.

Premier Foods says that the restructure aligns the business structure more closely with its corporate strategy.

Earlier this year it announced it would focus more on brand-building and innovation.

Schofield says: “I believe that this new structure is a natural next step for us to ensure that we deliver on our core strategy of reinvigorating our brands through accelerated innovation as well as increasing marketing investment.”

As part of the restructure Will Carter, currently managing director of Premier Foods’ grocery department, is to leave the company.

Premier Foods is currently in talks to sell its meat-free food brand Quorn. In its latest quarterly results, the company reported a 4.6% volume increase in sales.