After a successful 17-year tenure, beginning as commercial manager, Innocent Drinks has announced that John Taylor will transition to Coca-Cola as its Senior Director of GB Franchise Operations.
Coca-Cola first partnered with Innocent in 2009, acquiring a 20% stake before taking full ownership in 2013. This strategic move has positioned both entities for future growth.
In light of Taylor’s departure, Nicki Garland will step into the role of Head of UK & Ireland. Garland, a seasoned member of the Innocent team for over a decade, has consistently demonstrated her capabilities.
She began her career in the UK & Ireland finance team, quickly advancing to lead it. Garland later took on strategic planning during some of the company’s toughest challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic. More recently, she headed the European commercial finance team.
Prior to her tenure at Innocent, Garland accumulated valuable experience during six years at Tesco, sharpening her expertise in retail and commercial finance.
On her new role, Garland stated: “I’m absolutely thrilled to be stepping into the role of Head of UK&I at innocent. It’s a real privilege to lead such a brilliant brand with so much heart and ambition. I’m excited to build on our strong foundations and to continue to grow to bring innocent’s mission – to make it easier to live well through the delicious goodness of fruit and veg – to life.”
This leadership change comes amid a broader reshuffle, following the departure of Innocent Drinks’ COO last year, James Davenport, who subsequently became CFO at Neal’s Yard Remedies. The company’s UK managing director, Sam Akinluyi, also exited shortly thereafter.
Additionally, Innocent has experienced a revenue decline of 3.5%, dropping from £15.6 million to £426.2 million in the 12 months ending December 31, 2022. However, recent Company House records indicate a turnover increase between 2022 and 2023, even as profits continued to decrease.
For the financial year ending December 31, 2023, profits fell by 24% (from £7,981 to £6,043) compared to 2022. The company attributed this decline primarily to increased sales costs driven by rising raw material prices.
