Baking & Snack - December 2022 - 10

St. Pierre Groupe, Arbor Investments
Eric Dell to lead ABA
Eric Dell, executive vice president of the National Automatic
Merchandising Association (NAMA), has been named president
and chief executive officer of the American Bakers Association
(ABA), effective Jan. 1.
" Following an exhaustive review of 67 qualified candidates,
Bimbo acquires
St. Pierre Groupe
Grupo Bimbo SAB de CV, Mexico City, acquired St. Pierre Groupe,
a United Kingdom-based baker of premium brioche-style products
with a growing presence in the United States.
St. Pierre's products include brioche buns, brioche bagels and
brioche sub rolls. Specialty products include chocolate chip brioche
loaf, croissants, chocolate and hazelnut rolled crepe, brioche
waffles and brioche cinnamon twist. The company said its business
was inspired by the Parisian cafe culture with " a passion for quality
and a love of good brioche, pastries, crepes and waffles. "
Based in Manchester, England, St. Pierre Groupe sells its products
under the St. Pierre, Baker Street and Paul Hollywood brands.
St. Pierre Group was established in 1986 as Carrs Foods, a producer
of private label baked foods that also sold products under
the St. Pierre brand. For a time beginning in 1992, Carrs became
a subsidiary of Harry's, a family-owned baking business in France.
The company's current chairman, Jeremy Gilboy, joined Carrs Foods
in 1997 as finance and operations manager. Seven years later Paul
Baker joined the company as technical director.
Mr. Gilboy and Mr. Baker acquired the business in 2004 in a management
buyout and transformed the company from a supplier of
private label cakes into a baker of premium branded products.
The company began exporting its products from the UK in 2011,
first to Australia. It exited that market three years later, but Mr. Baker
started to explore opportunities in the United States beginning in
2012. The company launched in the US market in 2014, offering 10
products in the Midwest. Carrs expanded up and down the East Coast
in 2016 and became a national brand in 2017.
According to the St. Pierre Groupe, Carrs enjoyed rapid growth
during this period, with annual sales climbing to £20 million in 2012
to £69 million in 2018. In 2020, the company became the largest brioche
brand in the US.
A year later, the company changed its business name to St. Pierre
Groupe and received an £8 million capital investment from Lloyds
Bank Business Growth Fund. The company's sales topped £100 million
globally in 2021, St. Pierre said.
The company's US sales at retail nearly quadrupled between 2018
and 2021 to $130 million from $34 million. It opened its first US office
in 2021 in Cincinnati.
- Josh Sosland, Milling & Baking News
10 Baking & Snack December 2022 / www.bakingbusiness.com
Campolo
ABA's search committee was unanimous in our selection of Eric, "
said Cordia Harrington, ABA's board chair, and founder and chief
executive officer of Crown Bakeries. " He is an energetic, dynamic
and politically savvy leader who exudes passion for his work and
his family. He is the ideal successor to carry on the strong reputation
and foundation built by Robb MacKie and the ABA team. "
Since January 2021, Mr. Dell has served as executive vice president
of NAMA, which represents the $31 billion convenience services/vending
industry. The group provides advocacy, education
and research for its members. He joined NAMA in January 2013
as senior vice president, government affairs and was named senior
vice president, external affairs in April 2017.
Mr. Dell holds bachelor's and law degrees from the University
of South Carolina, Columbia, and a master of business administration
from Johns Hopkins University Carey Business School
in Baltimore.
" Together, we will work to show America and the world what
many already know: Baking is cool, " Mr. Dell said. " I am excited to
lead ABA into the future with a pointed focus on crafting a culturedriven
organization that I know will excel at all levels of programming
for the membership. Working with the board of directors and
the broader membership, we will elevate ABA's value proposition. "
- Josh Sosland, Milling & Baking News
Joseph Campolo, Arbor
Investments co-founder, dies
Joseph P. Campolo, co-founder and retired vice
chairman of Arbor Investments, died Oct. 24 at
his home in Winnetka, Ill., after a battle with
brain cancer. He was 54 years old.
Mr. Campolo co-founded Arbor Investments
with Gregory J. Purcell in 1999. Headquartered
in Chicago, Arbor Investments is a specialized
private equity firm that focuses exclusively on acquiring premier
companies in the food and beverage industry. The firm has acquired
or invested in more than 30 food and beverage companies.
Prior to co-founding Arbor, he started his career at Andersen
Consulting, then went into finance and commercial banking. A
native of Pittsburgh, Mr. Campolo received a bachelor's degree
at Villanova University and a master's degree in business administration
at the University of Pittsburgh's Katz Graduate School
of Business.
- Eric Schroeder, Milling & Baking News
http://www.bakingbusiness.com
Baking & Snack - December 2022

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