Coca-Cola Amatil is simplifying its manufacturing and sales structure, with all beverage categories now to be managed in line with geographic responsibilities.
Australia’s Alcohol and Coffee portfolios will join Australian Beverages under Peter West, as Alcohol & Coffee managing director Shane Richardson, who has led the business since 2014, departs. Richardson took the business from four per cent of Amatil earnings to almost ten per cent in this time.
“It’s been a delight to lead this incredibly talented team who continue to challenge themselves as they work towards delivering five consecutive years of double-digit profit growth,” Richardson said in a statement.
“It is now a good time for me to look for my next challenge, knowing the team and the business is in great shape. I wish them every continued success in the future.”
Group managing director Alison Watkins said that the achievements across the alcohol and coffee categories in the last five years under Richardson had been impressive, and expects that revenue and profit growth will continue as planned under the new structure.
“The results under Shane’s leadership have been remarkable, more than doubling the business’ profits over the last five years, establishing a highly successful business today and setting us up for strong performance well into the future,” she said.
“Our partnerships with Beam Suntory, Molson Coors International, Caffitaly and other brand partners, together with our Amatil owned brands such as Grinders and Feral, put us in a strong position in the alcohol and coffee categories, and we expect that to continue,” she added.
The Group, which is nearing the end of a two-year transition phase, is targeting a return to mid-single digit earnings per share growth from 2020. Amatil has worked with The Coca-Cola Company to implement the Australian Accelerated Growth Plan to position Australian Beverages for growth from 2020.
Beyond Australia, Alcohol and Coffee in New Zealand, Paradise Beverages in Fiji and Samoa, and the international alcohol sales team, will join the New Zealand and Fiji businesses under the leadership of Chris Litchfield. While the Coffee portfolio in Indonesia will become part of the Indonesian business under the leadership of Kadir Gunduz.
Watkins said the changes will strengthen customer focus and deliver further synergies between the non-alcohol, alcohol and coffee categories, following the sale of its only non-beverage business, food processor SPC.
She said the changes will not affect portfolio range, availability or any current or projected growth plans for the alcohol and coffee categories.
