UK – Princes Group, an international food and drink manufacturer, has announced the appointment of Simon Harrison as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO), succeeding Cameron Mackintosh.
Harrison, who previously served as the company’s deputy Managing Director, brings over 20 years of FMCG commercial and leadership experience to his new role.
Under Harrison’s leadership as deputy Managing Director, Princes experienced growth across all key business units and successfully acquired major strategic customers, leading to record trading performance over the past 12 months.
“I’m delighted to have been appointed as CEO to lead this fantastic business on its next phase of growth and to capitalise on the significant opportunities available to us,” said Harrison.
Harrison’s extensive background includes serving as Vice President of commercial development at Coca-Cola European Partners (CCEP) prior to joining Princes.
His appointment comes as the company continues to invest in driving long-term sustainable growth, with a focus on being customer and consumer centric.
Kazuhito Suematsu, chairman of Princes Group, expressed confidence in Harrison’s ability to accelerate the company’s growth, citing the significant momentum gained under his tenure as deputy managing director.
Princes Group partners with Capri-Sun Group
Recently, Princes Group signed an agreement with Capri-Sun Group Holding AG to produce over 250 million Capri-Sun juice pouches annually at its production facility in Bradford.
This partnership follows Capri-Sun’s decision to bring sales and distribution in-house, transitioning from a long-term relationship with CCEP.
The agreement with Capri-Sun involves the transfer of four production lines from CCEP to Princes Bradford, creating around 50-60 new jobs in the area.
Production is set to begin in autumn 2024, with full operational capacity expected by spring 2025.
Princes will be co-packing two Capri-Sun formats: 200ml pouches with paper straws and 330ml pouches with a screw cap.
As part of the transition, Capri-Sun is moving to recyclable pouches (kerbside for 330ml and at large supermarkets for 200ml) and also introducing tethered caps on the 330ml pouches, reducing packaging waste by 14 percent.
Andy Hargraves, Group Commercial Director for Drinks at Princes, said: “We’re incredibly excited to be bringing Capri-Sun pouches to Bradford – the new UK home of this iconic and much-loved brand.
Establishing this partnership is a significant milestone in the continued growth of our drinks business, creating around 50-60 new job opportunities in the local area. Princes is looking forward to partnering with Capri-Sun to support their ambitions now, and in the future.”
The transition to recyclable pouches and tethered caps on Capri-Sun pouches aligns with Princes’ commitment to sustainability, supporting Capri-Sun’s ambition to become the UK’s most sustainable children’s soft drinks brand.
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