Swedish food company Midsona has named Henrik Hjalmarsson as its new CEO and president, taking over from Peter Åsberg. Hjalmarsson’s tenure will officially begin “no later than” October 1, according to a company announcement.
Previously serving as the CEO and president at OptiGroup since January 2024, Hjalmarsson brings significant leadership experience to his new position. He plans to collaborate closely with the board and management team to elevate Midsona into one of Europe’s leading firms within the healthy and sustainable food sector.
“The company has strong brands that are strategically positioned to leverage the growing health trend. I see substantial opportunities to advance Midsona with a clear focus on profitable growth and unlock the company’s full potential,” Hjalmarsson stated.
In January, Midsona had disclosed the departure of Åsberg, who led the company as CEO since 2007. Åsberg noted he would continue his role throughout the transition period until Hjalmarsson takes office.
Patrik Andersson, the chairman of Midsona’s board, expressed confidence in Hjalmarsson’s capabilities: “Henrik Hjalmarsson has extensive and solid experience in the food industry, complemented by valuable expertise acquired as CEO in various industrial and service companies. He possesses the competence, leadership, and energy necessary to accelerate the execution of Midsona’s strategy and meet its financial targets.”
Hjalmarsson also has a background in the food industry, having held leadership positions at Findus Group. This change in leadership comes on the heels of Midsona’s announcement of its 2024 financial results, revealing a slight decline in net sales by 1.7%, totaling Skr3.72 billion ($337.3 million).
However, the company reported an improvement in gross profit, reaching Skr1.07 billion, an increase from Skr959 million in 2023, which signifies a solid margin of 28.7%. Notably, operating profit surged to Skr128 million, up from Skr29 million the previous year, with a margin of 3.4%.
Midsona’s financial performance further improved, culminating in a net profit of Skr47 million for 2024, a notable recovery from a loss of Skr53 million the prior year. The diluted earnings per share (EPS) for 2024 stood at Skr0.33, compared to a loss of Skr0.36 per share a year earlier.
Importantly, the company has achieved margin and operating profit improvements across all three divisions: Nordics, North Europe, and South Europe. Despite uncertainties in the near-term outlook, Åsberg observed, “While there is a certain uncertainty in the near-term outlook, we are taking a positive view of the full year 2025.”
By strategically positioning itself and capitalizing on emerging trends in the food and beverage industry, Midsona aims to enhance its status in the food and drink business, ultimately catering to evolving food and drink consumer trends.
