LT Foods Americas’ Post

“There are no mature brands, only mature brand managers”.   -Peter Brabeck-Letmathe, former Chairman & CEO, Nestle SA   I was recently thinking back to one of my favorite experiences in my 10 years with Nestle, which was taking part in a 2-week Marketing Leadership course at world headquarters in Vevey, Switzerland. As part of the training, about 2 dozen marketing directors and managers from around the globe got to hear from senior leaders and learn from best practices across the company. In addition to spending evenings at the famed Montreux Jazz Festival, one of the highlights of the experience was Mr. Brabeck’s speech to the group. He is one of the most brilliant leaders I’ve ever met and a true visionary. During his talk, he challenged us in numerous ways, including the statement quoted above. What he was saying was that brands can and should stay relevant to consumers, no matter how long they’ve been around. The only limitation to that is the brand managers’ own insights & creativity. As someone whose brand portfolio at the time included brands ranging from 30 to 300 years old (yes, you heard that right, 300 years old), I was inspired to do everything in my power to make sure my brands were relevant. In fact, my team & I led a re-stage of that 300-year-old brand which made it relevant again and turned a long-term decline into a double-digit growth rate. (Maybe I’ll share more on that story another time). Keeping brands relevant is not easy. It takes creativity, resourcefulness, a focus on deeply understanding your consumers, and many more skills. But, perhaps the most important are belief and the tenacity to make it so. Marketers, what are your favorite stories of brands that have either stayed relevant for a long time, or have regained relevance? What are the key factors? #BrandManagement #Leadership #FMCG #Insights #Brand #Gratitude #Nestle

🚀 Exciting career moves in the beverage industry! Mark Schiller, previously the CMO at Kraft Heinz, has taken over as the new global CMO at Bacardi. 🥃✨ During his five-year tenure at Kraft Heinz, Schiller was pivotal in revitalizing brands and steering the company post-merger. His expertise in brand transformation will now serve Bacardi as they aim to amplify their global marketing strategies and enhance growth across their iconic brands. Having witnessed a similar transition in my previous role, where we welcomed a new CMO, the vibrancy and fresh perspectives they brought to strategies were invaluable. It's a powerful reminder of how new leadership can significantly steer brand evolution and market impact. 🤔 What changes do you think Mark Schiller will bring to Bacardi? Have you experienced a new CMO's impact in your organization? Let's discuss how dynamic leadership can redefine company trajectories and brand narratives! 🔗 #Leadership #Marketing #CMO #Bacardi #BrandBuilding #GlobalMarketing #CareerMove #SpiritsBusiness Feel free to share your thoughts and experiences below! 👇

Indra Nooyi is an inspirational former CEO and Chairman of PepsiCo, an American multinational food, snack and beverage corporation of well-known brands like Pepsi, Mountain Dew, Doritos, Cheetos and 7UP Hailing from India, Nooyi's background in engineering and business administration provided a strong foundation for her ascent in the corporate world. Her leadership style, characterised by a blend of strategic foresight, empathy, and a commitment to diversity and inclusion, set her apart as a visionary leader. Nooyi's tenure at Pepsi Co. saw remarkable achievements, including a focus on sustainability, product diversification, and global expansion, solidifying PepsiCo's position as a powerhouse in the food and beverage industry. At present, Pepsi Co. continues to thrive, building upon Nooyi's legacy of purpose-driven leadership and innovation, while embracing new challenges and opportunities in the ever-evolving market landscape. #hashtaqs #brandtransformation #digitaltransformation #business #growth #strategies #quote #marketing #industry #leader #leadership

BRANDS ARE STILL IN THE HOUSE? Private label continues to grow and they are the game-changer of the grocery in Europe. Circana (MAT ending December 2023) is telling us that PL sold in the six main european countries 138,9 billion units for a value of 258,1 billion euro...How did it happen? It happened that the brands aren't acting like leaders, thought-leaders. It happened that retailers labels became by far more innovative, more sustainable and closer to the customers. On the other hand, the manufacturer, instead of being innovative, started the path of being a supplier and to follow.. really a strange story.. Nevertheless exceptions are still interesting stories to tell.. Kraft Heinz with Absolut Vodka is one of them (only a leader mentality can create the project!) #innovationmarketing #branding #leadership #plma #retail

Interested, like me, in how another type of leadership can impact both your (future) organisation and personal life in order to tackle the key challenges of today and tomorrow? Let’s have a chat at the first Regenerative Leadership Conference, where I will have the honor of engaging with speakers whom I greatly admire, as well as sharing concrete examples of the implementation of these principles at Nestlé Belgium & Luxembourg... and beyond! https://lnkd.in/e99XGhEg

🥃✨ Exciting news in the spirits industry! Meet Mark Schneider, the newly appointed CEO of Bacardi. With an illustrious background as the CMO at Kraft Heinz and a significant stint at Nestle, his deep understanding of the consumer goods landscape is undeniable. 🌟 🔍 Why does this matter? Schneider's marketing prowess, particularly in spearheading global initiatives and brand revitalization, is set to fuel Bacardi's ambitions of expanding in Asia and Africa and bolstering e-commerce and digital marketing strategies. 🌍📈 💭 Reflecting on his journey, I'm reminded of the thrilling path from steering marketing strategies to leading a company as CEO. Having witnessed a colleague ascend from a similar role to a top executive position, it’s inspiring to see marketing skills being recognized as crucial to overarching business leadership. 📢 What do you think the elevation of marketing leaders to CEO positions says about the direction modern businesses are taking? How might Schneider’s past initiatives influence Bacardi’s strategic moves? 🔗 Let's discuss the evolving role of marketers in the realm of business transformation. Your insights are invaluable! #Bacardi #Leadership #DigitalMarketing #BusinessGrowth #CMOtoCEO #MarketingLeadership #BrandInnovation #ExecutiveMoves

🚨📢 Big news in the CPG world! Nestlé's CEO change marks a significant moment for the company. While outsiders bring fresh perspectives (reason why they brought Mark Schneider), a company with a rich foundation like Nestlé benefits immensely from leadership that understands its DNA. The new CEO, Laurent Freixe, having built his career at Nestlé, knows the company from the inside out — its culture, values, and the nuances that make it a global leader. As someone with a personal connection to Nestlé, through my father, Felipe Silva, a former employee with a rich career of more than 39 years in the Group, I’ve seen firsthand how the right leadership can foster long-term success. This move aligns with the idea that deep internal knowledge, coupled with a vision for the future, can propel a company forward while staying true to its roots. Here’s to the next chapter at Nestlé! Sharing my favorite picture of Laurent, simply because it has the best Sales Director that Nestlé has, the one and only, Huascar Beltre Peña (the pride of the Dominican Republic). #Nestle #LeadershipChange #CPGNews #LaurentFreixe #LeadershipMatters #CorporateLeadership #CPGIndustry #NestleFamily #BusinessStrategy #SalesLeadership #ProudLegacy #FutureOfNestle #GlobalLeadership #DominicanPride

Lesson From Leaders 3 Indra Nooyi and the Value of Strategic Vision When Indra Nooyi joined PepsiCo in 1994, she quickly rose through the ranks due to her strategic insight and leadership abilities. By the time she became CEO in 2006, Nooyi had a clear vision for the company's future. She recognised the growing consumer demand for healthier food and beverage options. She foresaw the negative impact that traditional sugary and salty snacks could have on the company’s long-term success. Despite initial resistance from within the company, Nooyi initiated a bold transformation strategy. She shifted PepsiCo's focus towards healthier products by reducing sugar, fat, and sodium in existing products and acquiring healthier brands like Tropicana, Quaker, and Naked Juice. She also invested in R&D to develop new products that aligned with the evolving preferences of health-conscious consumers. Nooyi’s strategic vision paid off. PepsiCo not only improved its public image but also experienced sustainable growth. Under her leadership, the company’s revenues grew by 80%, and its net profit more than doubled. Nooyi’s ability to anticipate market trends and make courageous decisions ensured PepsiCo's relevance and success in a competitive industry. A strategic vision and adapting to changing market trends is essential for long-term success. By anticipating future needs and making bold decisions, you can grow your organisation sustainably. What Proactive decisions would you take that will position you for long-term success? #CXOIncubator #Strategy #Reinvent #IndiraNooyi

Personalized reward claim rates are 3.5x higher than one-size-fits all 🔥 ...and yet only 22% of consumers report feeling satisfied with the level of personalization they receive 😶 Convenience Retailers have the opportunity to leverage *years* of Grocery & Restaurant learnings to accelerate digital success through delivering the right value at the right time to their customers 🤝 Can't wait to connect with colleagues and industry experts at Informa's Outlook Leadership Conference this week to discuss the latest trends in Convenience Retail! 🙌 Source: ADWEEK (link in comments)

𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐃𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐄𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥: 𝐋𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐛𝐮𝐜𝐤𝐬' 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐒𝐡𝐢𝐟𝐭 The recent leadership change at Starbucks highlights a critical lesson for businesses: domain expertise matters. When Laxman Narasimhan, a seasoned generalist from Reckitt Benckiser, took over as CEO, Starbucks faced challenges that exposed the limits of his non-domain experience. Despite his impressive resume, the lack of deep-rooted experience in the food and retail sector led to a rocky tenure. Contrast this with the appointment of Brian Niccol, a food industry veteran known for turning around Chipotle during its crisis years. Niccol's expertise in the restaurant sector earned him a lucrative $100 million package—reflecting the immense value placed on his domain knowledge. In today’s complex business environment, generalists may offer broad perspectives, but when it comes to steering specialized industries, nothing replaces the depth and insight that come from hands-on experience within the domain. #Leadership #DomainExpertise #BusinessStrategy #Starbucks #FoodIndustry #LeadershipLessons #ExecutiveLeadership