Australia: Carlton & United Breweries hires boss of PepsiCo soft drinks and snack foods operations as CEO

The boss of the PepsiCo soft drinks and snack foods operations in Australasia has been hired to run Australia’s biggest beer business, Carlton & United Breweries, which makes Victoria Bitter, Carlton Draught and Crown Lager, The Australian Financial Review reported on October 7.

CUB is owned by Japanese conglomerate Asahi after a $16 billion buyout last year and has appointed Danny Celoni to the top job. He will start in February next year and replaces Peter Filipovic, who is bowing out after 25 years with CUB.

Mr Filipovic announced his resignation in July after two-and-a-half years running CUB.

PepsiCo sells brands such as PepsiMax and Gatorade, and snack food brands including Smith’s potato chips and Red Rock Deli.

Asahi Beverages Oceania chief executive Robert Iervasi said Mr Celoni had “built a formidable reputation across the beverages industry in Australia and Asia over 25 years”.

He had proven ability to successfully run large and complex businesses, across alcohol and non-alcohol, Mr Iervasi said.

Asahi Beverages has been expanding beyond beer and earlier this year acquired the Allpress coffee business, which operates in New Zealand and Australia.

CUB has been active in the past few years acquiring craft beer brands to deliver growth as mainstream beer brands struggled to make headway. CUB acquired 4Pines, Pirate Life and Balter Brewing in quick succession from 2017 onwards, while Asahi bought the Green Beacon craft beer brand in late 2019.

Asahi already has a strategic relationship with PepsiCo, with one of its divisions, Asahi Lifestyle Beverages, acting as a distributor for some PepsiCo beverages.

Mr Celoni started in the beverages industry with global spirits maker Diageo in 1996, and was then elevated to several different executive roles in Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific.

Mr Celoni said he would be working closely with CUB’s customers and partners “as we seek to navigate the evolving COVID-normal environment and the other challenges that lie ahead”.

08 October, 2021