Kingsland Drinks, an employee-owned business based in Greater Manchester, specializes in wine and spirits creation, co-packing, and bottling.
Sarah Baldwin will assume her new role in April 2025, following her departure from Purity, where she has been for over six years.
With a robust background in FMCG across retail, consumer brands, and private label channels, Baldwin brings extensive commercial experience in senior leadership positions.
Her previous roles include managing director at Gü Puds, vice president for UK marketing at Arla Foods, and category director at Asda. Moreover, she has served as a long-standing board and executive council member of the British Soft Drinks Association.
‘Catering for every part of the drinks industry’
Baldwin will be taking over from Ed Baker, who led the business until his departure in November 2024, alongside chair Andy Sagar.
“Sarah’s extensive experience in drinks and the wider FMCG industry will play a considerable role in the coming years as we continue to build our position as a competitive full-service drinks company,” said Sagar.
“We cater for every part of the drinks industry, from UK high street retailers and the national on-trade, to global brands requiring a production and packing partner and challenger brands wishing to scale.”
“We are confident that Sarah’s expertise and vision will continue to drive our company forward and help us deliver our long-term company vision – to build a better drinks industry and society. We welcome Sarah to the Kingsland family.”
In the meantime, Baldwin expressed her enthusiasm for joining a talented and well-established team within a “unique” business.
“I very much embrace the opportunity to embark on this new chapter at Kingsland Drinks Group and be part of how the firm grows in the long term,” she remarked.
Recently, Kingsland Drinks has intensified its focus on spirits and the creation of no- and low-alcohol products. Additionally, it has enhanced its capacity for packing wines and spirits in new and emerging formats such as carbonation, bottling, bag-in-box, and canning lines.
Furthermore, the company has reinstated its onsite winery and expanded its new product development capabilities with a state-of-the-art laboratory.
