Karro Food Group Limited has announced the appointment of Di Walker as group executive chairwoman.
Ms Walker will join Karro on October 1 from Greencore Group plc, a £1.2 billion turnover international manufacturer of convenience foods, where she is chief operating officer. She joined Greencore in 2004 as managing director of its chilled sauce and soups category, and led several successful business turnarounds, delivering strong revenue and profit growth. In 2009, she was appointed to the group board as UK chief executive.
Prior to Greencore, Ms Walker held a number of senior roles at 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.
Ms Walker’s appointment follows a successful first six months for Karro since its management buyout, which has seen the business accelerate its return to profitability. The group also recently secured a new £60 million funding package from GE Capital, which underpins its growth strategy, providing Karro with immediate access to additional working capital and greater capacity to invest in the business alongside the existing support from its private equity investor, Endless LLP.
“I am delighted to be joining Karro at such an exciting time for the business,” Ms Walker said. “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.”