Latest senior appointments in food and drink manufacturing

KFF appoints new managing director​

Kent-based foodservice wholesaler KFF has appointed Mark Taylor as its new managing director.

As a subsidiary of Sysco, KFF specialises in providing a wide range of food to pubs, restaurants, schools and other venues, placing a particular emphasis on suppling local produce from food companies across Kent and the South East.

As well as its comprehensive frozen and ambient product range, the wholesaler also supplies fruit, vegetables, meat and fish.

Taylor arriving after spending 10 years in various across Sysco’s British businesses, including a seven-year stint at sister company Brakes.

Throughout his career, Taylor has developed plenty of experience in operational roles and will help to build on the long-standing reputation that KFF has established.

“The business has an enviable reputation for customer service and product quality,” ​Taylor said following the announcement of his appointment.

“With a talented team already in place, we have great plans to grow our customer base and continue to develop sales of our fantastic range of locally sourced products.”​

Taylor is set to replace Phillip White, who departs KFF to take up the role of CEO at Scottish whisky business Gordon & MacPhail.

Britvic confirms chief information and transformational officer hire

Drinks giant Britvic has announced the appointment of Vanshikrishna Suvarna as its new chief information and transformational officer.

Suvarna will lead on IT, data and analytics within the business, while also delivering cross-functional transformation programmes and joining the firm’s executive team.

Bringing with him a wealth of multi-national experience, Suvarna has worked in the consumer goods industry with Anheuser-Busch InBev and SABMiller, and in the construction sectors where he led strategic transformation programmes.

The appointment follows the decision by Sudeep Shetty to move on from Britvic to take on new responsibilities as an operating partner at US private equity firm One Rock Capital Partners. Shetty arrived at Britvic in 2016 as IT transformation director, before eventually joining the executive team in 2022.

During his time with the firm, Shetty helped transform the way Britvic operates through the delivery of future technological and digital change programmes.

Commenting on the changes, Britvic CEO Simon Litherland said: “Sudeep’s ability to embed seamless digital programmes has been transformative for Britvic and we will all miss his depth of knowledge, his infectious energy and his leadership.”​

Litherland continued: “Vanshi brings a wealth of experience from both the FMCG world and beyond, which will be invaluable as we continue to step-change how we operate and deliver for our customers.”​

BonCulina UK adds new head of service development

Foodservice provider BonCulina UK has appointed Andy Jones as its new head of service development, part of a strategic move to augment its leadership team and expand its offering.

Jones arrives with a vast array of experiences under his belt in public sector and contract catering, having held roles across organisations including the NHS. His career spans more than 40 years during which time he has consistently demonstrated a deep understanding of the sector and a passion for culinary excellence.

Starting his journey as a trainee chef in the NHS, Jones progressed to become the service development director for ISS and established himself as a respected consultant at AJ Associates. He served as the chair of the Hospital Caterers Association and the chair of the Public Sector Catering Alliance, while he has also earned awards for outstanding contributions.

This appointment marks a significant step for BonCulina UK as it looks to elevate its offering and deliver exceptional foodservice solutions to clients nationwide.

"Andy's profound expertise and passion for food service excellence are unparalleled​,” said Rickard Gillblad, Group CEO of BonCulina.

“His vision aligns seamlessly with BonCulina’s ethos of exploring new horizons in food sectors and offerings. We are thrilled to have him lead our journey into novel service developments and innovations.​

Elsewhere, Jones added: "I am truly excited to embark on this new chapter with BonCulina and see what we can accomplish together. With our shared values and commitment to excellence, there is immense potential for growth and innovation—nothing’s impossible."​

In other news, Food Manufacture takes a closer look at the new product development process,​ ​learning about the firms displaying best practice and why collaboration is so important.