McVitie’s, Carr’s and Jacob’s owner Pladis has added Belgian-based Godiva into its portfolio as it plans to accelerate the chocolate brand’s sales by 2026.
The £3bn company started the integration of Godiva last year and said the move brings additional scale, luxury capabilities and consumer demand to the growing business.
To grow and sustain the brand’s position in the premium chocolate category, Pladis has appointed former Nike, The North Face and Sephora leader Steve Lesnard as president from 1 May.
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Lesnard brings over 25 years of global brand and business management experience to the role, having most recently served at Sephora as global chief brand officer and president of private label.
Pladis CEO Salman Amin said: “Synonymous with artisanal and beautifully curated chocolates since it was founded in Belgium almost a century ago, Godiva is a perfect fit within Pladis’ global portfolio of beloved brands.
“I am delighted to welcome Steve Lesnard to the team to drive growth while upholding Godiva’s beautiful legacy.”
Lesnard added: “I’ve always regarded Godiva as one of the industry’s – in fact the world’s – iconic brands, delivering exciting innovation while remaining true to its rich, almost century old heritage.
“I’m energized by the opportunities Godiva has, to continue benefiting from Pladis’ industry-leading insights, extensive retail customer relationships, innovative R&D, and highly focused, profitable growth strategy.”
