Weetabix: New boss named at breakfast cereal favourite

A new boss has been named at cereal giant Weetabix ahead of its current managing director’s retirement.

Sally Abbott, who has been in the role since October 2022, will move into a strategic advisory role on October 1 and retire on March 31, 2025.

She has been with the Northamptonshire-based company since joining as marketing director in 2008.

Prior to that move Abbott worked for Kraft Foods for more than 14 years, eventually rising to marketing director for UK chocolate and Toblerone in the EU.

Under her leadership, Weetabix acquired Lacka Foods in 2022 (UFit) and Deeside Cereals in 2023.

She will be succeeded by Weetabix’s commercial director, Colm O’Dwyer.

O’Dwyer joined in 2016 from Coca-Cola Enterprises in the UK, eventually becoming general manager of the Weetabix On-The-Go business.

In 2018, O’Dwyer became commercial director, and he added responsibility for Weetabix’s international business in 2022.

Robert V. Vitale, the president and chief executive of Weetabix’s owner Post Holdings, said: “Sally has been an exceptional leader, helping to successfully integrate Weetabix into Post and building on the success of this iconic company,.

“We wish Sally the best as she approaches her next chapter and congratulate Colm on his new role.

“Colm’s experience across innovation, brand management, revenue growth and customer relationships makes him exceptionally qualified to lead Weetabix.”

The change of leadership comes after it was revealed that the acquisition of a cereal maker on the border between England and Wales helped Weetabix’s sales increase by almost 10 per cent.

The brand posted net sales of $267.1m (£212.9m) for the six months to March 31, 2024, up 9.9 per cent.

The figures were revealed by its US owner Post Holdings in filings for the first half of its financial year.

Post Holdings acquired the Northamptonshire-based Weetabix in 2017 in a deal which valued it at £1.4bn.