St Pierre Groupe has announced its new managing director following a successful buy-out process which saw the business, which owns the St Pierre Bakery brand, join the Grupo Bimbo portfolio earlier this year.
David Wagstaff, who has led St Pierre’s US operation for more than two years, has been appointed to take the reins as managing director with immediate effect. Wagstaff has more than thirty years’ experience in food and drink, holding commercial and management positions with global brands in America, Asia and the UK.
Appointed to lead the existing St Pierre Groupe management team, Wagstaff will continue to be supported by a leadership team comprising Paolo Benedetto (CFO), Jen Danby (CMO), Brett Rhodes (Supply Chain Director), Muriel Vanoli (Quality & Compliance Director) and Yann Neveu (Procurement Director).
Wagstaff has spent two years at the helm of the US business as VP North America, bringing authentic French brioche and bakery products to the US marketplace and establishing the brioche category as a staple in the instore bakery for US retailers.
An expert in US retail markets, Wagstaff has spearheaded phenomenal US growth of more than 24 per cent since joining in 2020.[1] His appointment demonstrates consistency for the business in its US ambitions and reinforces the importance of the American market in driving growth for America’s number one brioche brand.
David Wagstaff, Managing Director, St Pierre Groupe comments, “St Pierre Groupe is an entrepreneurial business that has achieved phenomenal success, both at home and internationally, using insight to develop brands and products that carry global appeal. Through its exceptional branded propositions, the business has made St Pierre the biggest brioche brand in America and the UK.
“All that is down to the fact that we have a stellar team based in the UK and US who work hard to create authentic experiences and drive brand awareness for our brands, worldwide. I am pleased to say that the leadership team at St Pierre Groupe remains largely unchanged following the acquisition, allowing us to continue to build the brands and drive growth with the unique St Pierre spirit for which our company is known.
“Demonstrating an understanding of the global consumer mindset and delivering products that cater to it, is at the heart of everything we do and is, in large part, the reason we have secured such a fantastic result in joining Grupo Bimbo. It’s an incredibly exciting time for our brands and talented team of people, providing access to the right infrastructure and expertize to propel St Pierre and our brands on to even greater success.”
St Pierre is the leading brand in brioche, with an 18 per cent share, however, the brand has increased its share of branded brioche sales with in-store bakery to 71 per cent.[2]
St Pierre Groupe boasts a successful track record of impressive growth and now employs more than 90 people across the UK, Europe and America. The St Pierre brand is the number one brioche brand in the UK and USA.
