The parent company of Bisto, Squish and Magpie, Rhodes Food Group (RFG) has announced the appointment of Pieter Hanekom as its new chief executive officer.
Hanekom is currently the group’s deputy chief executive and will be promoted to his new position in October 2021.
He joined RFG in 2015 as managing director of long life beverages and was promoted to his current position in July 2020.
“Bruce has led the group with distinction, overseeing the expansion from a single brand fruit business into a diversified, multi-brand food producer owning a portfolio of market-leading brands and a world-class production base,” RFG chairperson Dr Yvonne Muthein said.
“During this time the group has concluded multiple acquisitions and expanded into several new product categories and geographic markets. Bruce led the listing on the JSE in 2014 which was a pivotal point in the group’s history.”
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He succeeds Bruce Henderson who has served as chief executive of RFG for 22 years.
Hanekom has over 30 years of experience in the food industry, 20 years at Pioneer Foods where he was managing director of Ceres Fruit Juices and head of the Ceres Beverage Company.
Dr Muthein added: “Pieter has been a member of the RFG executive committee since 2015. He led the group’s successful entry into the fruit juice market and subsequent growth in this highly competitive category.
“He has been integrally involved in the development of the strategy and the expansion of the long-life foods business and we congratulate him on his well-deserved appointment as CEO.”
Henderson will continue to serve on the board in a non-executive capacity from October 1 2021.
