PepsiCo NZ is widely known in New Zealand for manufacturing and selling various flavours of potato chips like Delisio, Copper Kettle, under its brand name Bluebird Foods which is based in Auckland. Photo / Screenshot
PepsiCo NZ is widely known in New Zealand for manufacturing and selling various flavours of potato chips like Delisio, Copper Kettle, under its brand name Bluebird Foods which is based in Auckland. Photo / Screenshot
Potato chips manufacturer Bluebird Foods has appointed a new general manager who wants to further drive the brand's diversity and inclusion plans and to meet its sustainability pledge by 2025.
Michelle Cassettari will be taking over from Daniel Engeman next month, making her the first woman to hold this positionfor PepsiCo New Zealand, which owns the Wiri-based Kiwi food brand.
Engeman is going back to Australia.
Cassettari will lead an executive team of which seven out of eight are female.
PepsiCo NZ is widely known in New Zealand for manufacturing and selling potato chips such as Delisio and Copper Kettle, under the Bluebird name.
The company has been operating in New Zealand for 66 years and has more than 300 staff working across the manufacturing facility.
"We support local agriculture and spend more than $34m annually on New Zealand-grown ingredients, which includes more than 30 million kilograms of Kiwi potatoes," Cassettari said.
"Covid-19 has had an impact on the way we operate, and this has meant we've had to fast-track the way we do things. While we've had to adapt and accelerate our e-commerce strategy, there's still more to be done especially in a world-leading market where 12 per cent of sales are online.
PepsiCo New Zealand (Bluebird Foods) new general manager Michelle Cassettari. Photo / Supplied
"Come April, I'm excited to continue to explore how we expand our business in a lingering Covid environment.
"I'm also looking forward to getting to know the team at Wiri, partnering with our customers and meeting the demands of the Kiwi consumer with innovative products that ensure better impact from a sustainability point of view."
In its latest financial statement ending December 31, 2020, the company showed its net profit after tax had dropped to $10.3m from 2019's $16.3m.
For the same period, Bluebird Foods showed its gross profit (before tax) of $68.3m up from $66.5m in 2019.
The company had total revenue of $173.5m in 2020 up from 2019 which was $161.7m.
Cassettari has worked for PepsiCo since 2018, when she joined the Australian team as sales director of their national Woolworths business.
Before joining PepsiCo, Cassettari spent 14 years in various customer-facing roles for Unilever and has a wealth of FMCG experience having worked for Cadbury, Schweppes and SPC Ardmona (CCA).
She is also looking to further drive diversity and inclusion plans at PepsiCo New Zealand and the company's sustainability pledge to use 100 per cent reusable, recyclable or compostable packaging in its operations by 2025.
"As one of the largest snack food manufacturers in the country, ensuring better impact on New Zealand will be a focus for me and the team. I'm looking forward to focusing on the further development and innovation of PepsiCo in the sustainability space."
PepsiCo ANZ chief executive Kyle Faulconer said Cassettari's strong customer partnership credentials and consistent results over the past three years have been instrumental in PepsiCo's success.
"I am confident in Michelle's ability to lead our Kiwi business and continue to build on the excellent growth and results we are seeing in the New Zealand market.
"Michelle has consistently delivered exceptional results for our customers and business and we're excited to see what's to come with her at the helm of PepsiCo New Zealand," Faulconer said.
PepsiCo's Australia and New Zealand division employs more than 1500 people across business divisions Smith's Snack Food Company, Bluebird Foods and PepsiCo Beverages.
Its portfolio includes global brands Pepsi Max, Gatorade and Doritos corn chips, as well as home-grown favourites, including Twisties and Bluebird snack brands.
