Costa, the Whitbread-owned coffee chain, has appointed Carol Welch, who has previously worked for companies including PepsiCo and Cadbury Schweppes, to the new role of brand and innovation director.
The company said Welch, who will report to managing director Christopher Rogers, will be responsible for continuing the development of the Costa brand as it expands globally and “ensuring that Costa remains at the forefront of innovation”.
Welch previously held senior marketing and innovation roles at PepsiCo, Cadbury Schweppes, Green & Blacks and most recently, Associated British Foods, where she worked on both the Jordans Cereal and Ryvita brands. She will join the Costa management board at the end of July.
Rogers said: “Carol joins us as Costa moves into its next stage of growth. We have laid out ambitious plans to double the size of the business to £2bn system sales in the next five years and finding new and exciting ways to innovate our products and services will be vital as we build the Costa brand around the world.”
Welch said: “Costa is a fantastic brand and a young and vibrant business. Brand growth has come through staying ahead of customer needs and delivering innovative solutions with excellence. I’m very excited to be part of the next stage of Costa’s journey.”
