Weetabix hires new On The Go boss

05-Feb-2019 - Last updated on 06-Feb-2019 at 10:39 GMT

Emma Varlow oversee a £10m spend in TV, radio, social and in-store marketing campaigns

Weetabix has hired a new On The Go general manager to oversee anticipated growth in the breakfast drinks brand.

Emma Varlow will be responsible for exploring new routes to market, and grow sales within grocery, convenience, foodservice and food-to-go.

On The Go (Original and Protein) was an £18m brand and the biggest breakfast drink in the £26m category, Weetabix said.

Varlow has worked at Weetabix for 19 years, having joined the company’s youth graduate scheme in 2000.

Her previous role was as head of customer and commercial brands. She has also been responsible for Weetabix’s International Division, including general manager for China & Asia.

£10m marketing spend

In her new position, Varlow will oversee a £10m spend in TV, radio, social and in-store marketing campaigns to increase sales of On The Go, Protein On The Go and On the Go Kids.

Varlow said Weetabix had “massive success” in establishing On The Go as the number-one breakfast drink, but the company had to continue looking forward and investing in brands “to grow in an increasingly competitive landscape, which now includes own-label propositions”.

She added: “Breakfast drinks are the most impulsive part of the cereal category and we believe there is a massive opportunity to help retailers tap into the demand for chilled breakfasts on the move.

“Earlier in 2018, we launched On The Go Kids and we will continue to push these in the year ahead. After establishing and leading the on the go breakfast drinks sector, we’re excited to kick on with the next chapter of our journey and will be working closely with retailers to capitalise on the growing market.”

‘A huge success’

Weetabix UK & Ireland managing director Sally Abbott said: “Weetabix On The Go has been a huge success since its launch – helping to create and lead the category.

“Emma has in-depth knowledge of the breakfast sector and she will be an invaluable addition to the On The Go team as they look to build on their position as the number-one brand in the sector and increase distribution of our drinks brands.”

Last summer, Stuart Benham was appointed head of HR operations after five years at PepsiCo.

In September, Weetabix announced its intention to close one of its Corby factories but protect as many jobs as possible by upgrading the facilities at its second site in the town.