Pladis, the global snacks firm, has announced it has completed the integration of chocolate firm Godiva Chocolatier into its product portfolio, alongside established brands such as Ulker and BN, and well-known British biscuit brands McVitie’s, Carr’s and Jacob’s.
The strategic step will strengthen Pladis’s £3 billion ($4.05 billion) pre-Godiva annual net revenue and create a 16,000-strong global workforce, the company said. The integration process has been underway since 2023.
Commenting on the move, Pladis CEO Salman Amin said: “Synonymous with artisanal and beautifully curated chocolates since it was founded in Belgium almost a century ago, GODIVA is a perfect fit within pladis’ global portfolio of beloved brands. I am delighted to welcome Steve Lesnard to the team to drive growth while upholding GODIVA’s beautiful legacy”.
Steve Lesnard, newly appointed president of Godiva Chocolatier, added: “I’ve always regarded GODIVA as one of the industry’s – in fact the world’s – iconic brands, delivering exciting innovation while remaining true to its rich, almost century old heritage. I’m energized by the opportunities GODIVA has, to continue benefiting from pladis’ industry-leading insights, extensive retail customer relationships, innovative R&D, and highly focused, profitable growth strategy”.
Pladis also stated that it plans to accelerate the sales of Godiva products in the US and China by 2026.
Source: Pladis
