The businessman who has steered meat-free food supremo Quorn to success for 10 years has announced he is stepping down.
Kevin Brennan, chief executive of Quorn, has revealed he will swap boardroom notes for musical notes next year, when he stands down to take on non-executive roles and spend more time playing with his band.
He will be succeeded by Marco Bertacca, who was most recently managing director for Alaska Milk Corporation in the Philippines, who will start on January 6.
Mr Brennan – a former winner of Teesside Business Executive of the Year – will remain with the group until mid-2020 in a consultancy role to ensure a smooth handover.
The business leader, who joined Quorn Foods from Kellogg’s in 2010, said the “time is now right” to step down and that he is looking forward to playing more with his band, The County Affair.
He said: “The next five years are going to be defining for our business and requires consistent and strong leadership to chart the course that the company will take.
“After 10 years in charge, I feel I have made a significant contribution, but the time is now right for me to move on to non-executive roles, and give myself more time for my music.”
A keen guitarist, Mr Brennan formed The County Affair in 2017, playing Irish and American-influenced music.
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His time at the helm of Quorn has seen the Stokesley business grow into a firm with annual sales of more than £220m, employing around 800 people and exporting to 20 countries worldwide.
It has also aided Newcastle's Greggs in the success of its vegan sausage roll, by providing the filling.
Mr Brennan has been a veritable turnaround king who has been adept at changing firms’ fortunes over the course of his career so far, having been part of firms that gave us Mumm Champagne, Wolf Blass new world wines and Carex liquid soap.
Before taking up his post at Quorn he helped globalise Kellogg’s Special K, spearheading its transformation from a healthy breakfast cereal to a bestselling brand with a whole range of spin-off products including tasty breakfast bars.
He was offered a national job with Kellogg’s in Michigan, US, but didn’t want to tear his wife, two sons and daughte away from the family’s base in Manchester and instead took up the chief executive post with Quorn, keen to use his experience of taking a simple product and reinvent it in a range of foods for the firm.
The group, which is now owned by Philippines-based food firm Monde Nissin, saw sales lift 7% in 2018 as it continued to benefit from the rising trend for veganism and alternatives to meat.
But the group has struggled to meet growing demand, which held back sales growth last year.
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Mr Brennan has also pushed the firm to spend on research and development, with the business ploughing £5m into R&D in 2018, which knocked profits by 16% to £27m in 2018.
The group recently opened a new manufacturing facility in Billingham, in the North East, with aims to double its capacity as it seeks to meet increasing demand.
Henry Soesanto, chief executive of Monde Nissin, said: “Kevin has made a transformational impact on the Quorn business, but we understand his desire to step down at this point and thank him for his commitment to the company throughout his tenure.
“We are delighted to have found a new chief executive of such a high calibre in Marco Bertacca, and are confident that his leadership will continue to drive Quorn Foods’ innovation and growth.”
Mr Bertacca has an “extensive” career in international food brands, according to Quorn, having previously held senior roles at firms including Marmite-owner Unilever.