Group executive chair appointment at Karro

Karro Food Group Limited has appointed Di Walker as Group executive chair, with effect from 1st October 2013.

Di joins Karro from Greencore Group plc, a £1.2 billion turnover international manufacturer of convenience foods, where she was chief operating officer. Di joined Greencore in 2004 as managing director of the chilled sauce and soups category and led several successful business turnarounds, delivering strong revenue and profit growth. Prior to Greencore, she held a number of senior roles in Hazlewood Foods and Hibernia Foods, having started her career in Asda as a graduate trainee undertaking a number of buying and marketing roles including the areas of bacon, sausage and cooked meats.

Walker said on her appointment: “I am delighted to be joining Karro at such an exciting time for the business. Karro is one of the key suppliers of British pork in the UK, delivering all stages of pork production, from farming through to slaughter, butchery and processing. At a time when “affordable provenance” is vital for customers, Karro is ideally positioned to be a leader in this area.”

“The foundations of the Karro business are strong, with well-invested facilities and an experienced and loyal workforce. I intend to build on this and focus on the consumer proposition, working closely and in partnership with our customers.”

Aidan Robson, investment director at Endless LLP, said: “We are delighted to welcome Di to lead the board and her appointment reflects the ambitions we all share for the business. Di brings with her huge experience in the food sector and her appointment adds to the momentum already being achieved, ensuring that Karro continues to focus on the needs of its customers, invests in its product offering and builds on its strong market share.”

Di Walker’s appointment follows shortly after the appointment of Brian Stein as non-executive director at Karro. Brian was previously chief executive officer of Samworth Brothers and was recently awarded a CBE in the Queen’s birthday honours list for his contribution to the Food Industry.

This story was originally published on a previous version of the Meat Management website and so there may be some missing images and formatting issues.