US – Chicago-based beverage giant, Molson Coors has created a centralized commercial function in its America’s business unit designed to accelerate its growth in the years ahead.
The new function will unite multiple teams and geographies around a single strategy, which is expected to drive a clearer total portfolio and geographic prioritization and allow the company to scale new white spaces, brands, and capabilities more quickly.
Molson Coors explained that the shift will also provide an opportunity for more commercial focus and support to its non-alcohol and spirits portfolios, which are ready to scale after several years of successful growth.
A week earlier, the company delivered top-and-bottom-line growth for the first time in over a decade, thanks to its Revitalization Plan.
“In 2022, we achieved top-and-bottom-line growth for the first time in a long time, and our goal is to do so consistently year after year,” said Gavin Hattersley, President and CEO of Molson Coors. “
We’re building on what we accomplished over the past three years, unlocking the next phase of growth for our business through greater collaboration, faster decision-making, and stronger commercial support for our total portfolio.”
Michelle St. Jacques, who has served as Molson Coors’ Chief Marketing Officer since 2019, has been appointed Chief Commercial Officer to oversee the full range of commercial operations in the US, Canada, and Latin America.
The operations traverse sales, marketing, innovation, and digital strategy to the company’s non-alcohol and liquor portfolios, which will be included in the new function’s remit.
St. Jacques’ appointment is based on her success in strengthening iconic core brands like Coors Light through the launch of “Made to Chill” and building a strong premium light portfolio strategy with clear right-to-win paths for both Miller Lite and Coors Light, Molson Coors said.
In addition, she has also accelerated Molson Coors’ above premium portfolio, building into new white spaces with successful innovations like Topo Chico Hard Seltzer and Simply Spiked Lemonade.
A new digital team that has also been assembled will be charged with building a unified digital ecosystem across the Americas to support speed, consistency, and quality of output.
Sofia Colucci, who joined the organization in 2017 and currently serves as the global vice president of marketing for Miller Brands and the economy will fill St. Jacques’ position following her appointment.
Meanwhile, Former Molson Coors CCO Pete Marino, who has been leading the brewer’s portfolio of emerging products since 2019, will be leaving the beverage giant amid the latest round of corporate restructuring.
“It’s time for someone else to lead that integration and take these emerging growth brands to the next level. I fully support the decision to create this new chief commercial officer role to take our great start in emerging growth to the next level. Now is a good time for me to step out,” Marino wrote on LinkedIn.
“I will be working for a few more weeks to help get Michelle up to speed before moving on. There’s another adventure coming. More on that later, but until then, I have a few things left to do to complete my Molson Coors career.”
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