• CEO Hans Roelofs to retire effective August 1, 2025
• Refresco’s Supervisory Board has launched succession plan

Refresco, a global independent beverage solutions provider, announces that Chief Executive Officer Hans Roelofs will retire, effective August 1, 2025.

Hans Roelofs has had a distinguished career spanning over 18 years at Refresco. Under his leadership, Refresco successfully expanded, and now operates in 13 countries across 75 manufacturing sites and has a global workforce of over 14,000 employees. Building on its resilient business model, Refresco has enjoyed a journey of substantial value creation, demonstrating the strength and adaptability of its operations.

James Cunningham, Partner of KKR and Chairman of the Refresco Supervisory Board, stated: “I would like to thank Hans for his tremendous career at Refresco and the role he played in driving the Company’s success for nearly two decades. Hans’s passion for and commitment to Refresco is admirable, and he was instrumental to the Company’s ascent to a global leadership position. We are grateful for his leadership in positioning Refresco for continued success in the years to come as we continue to expand the Company’s footprint and execute on our proven strategy to grow alongside our strong and diversified customer base.”

CEO Refresco, Hans Roelofs, commented: “It has been a true privilege and honor to lead Refresco since 2007. Together with our passionate and highly professional team, we have grown the business from a small regional player into the global leader in beverage solutions that we are today. With its blue-chip customer base, Refresco is now stronger and more resilient than ever, and I am proud of what we have achieved. This is the right time for me to step back, confident that the company will continue to grow and thrive on its unique entrepreneurial spirit and the agility of its people.”

Frédéric Stévenin, Managing Partner of PAI and Refresco Supervisory Board Member said: “I would like to thank Hans for his outstanding, dedicated service to Refresco and its stakeholders since he joined the Company in 2007. Under his leadership, Refresco went through a period of unprecedented growth and transformation. We look forward to celebrating Hans’s many amazing accomplishments as his formal retirement date nears.”

Refresco’s Supervisory Board has already launched a succession planning process to identify and appoint the best candidate to lead the Company’s next chapter, and is expecting to announce a new CEO in due course. While this process is ongoing, the Board and the Company are committed to ensuring a smooth leadership transition, with Hans remaining in his role as CEO until his retirement date.

SVZ, a premium fruit and vegetable ingredient supplier, introduced its latest innovation at Fi Europe 2022: Carte Blanche white base solutions, designed to help manufacturers deliver vibrant flavours and colours with reduced sugar content.

Carte Blanche: Less creates more

Featuring white carrot and pumpkin as its star products, Carte Blanche addresses industry demand for natural and versatile bases with functional benefits such as reduced sugar content, neutral appearance, or subtle flavour profile. The new, fully customisable solutions are ideal for a wide array of applications, from smoothies and beverages to savoury snacks, and desserts.

“There is a real need for reduced sugar fruit and vegetable bases right now as many manufacturers look to give their beverages, baked snacks and even desserts a ‘better-for-you’ make over. What’s unique about Carte Blanche is that it’s not only low-sugar, but offers a neutral taste and colour profile to help the ingredients that count shine through in recipes. It’s also perfect for adding ‘stealth vegetables’ to products, boosting nutritional credentials without having to sell the idea of veggie smoothies and snacks to sceptical consumers. With this solution, less truly creates more.”, comments Johan Cerstiaens, Commercial Director at SVZ.

Oterra, one of the world’s leading suppliers of natural colours, with one of the widest portfolios in the industry, announced the launch of the industry’s best natural alternative to Red40/Allura Red for beverage – Hansen Sweet Potato FruitMax^® Red 116 WS.

In 2019, Oterra, at that time known as Chr. Hansen Natural Colors, launched its Hansen Sweet Potato^™ range. The result of nearly a decade of ground-breaking research and development, the range quickly became an award-winning industry favourite, scooping up prizes in three continents: Europe, North America, and South America. The new vegetable variety was an instant hit for its stable, vibrant, and natural red alternative.

Driven by innovation and the desire to provide exceptional solutions for the industry, Oterra’s scientists went back to work after launching the original range to develop the next must-have solution for the beverage market. The result, FruitMax^® Red 116 WS, is designed specifically for beverage manufacturers. It addresses the high complexity this industry faces when using anthocyanins, including fortification, high water-activity, carbonisation, off-flavour, and colour stability.

FruitMax^® Red 116 WS provides manufacturers with a unique clean label, minimally processed, and GMO-free fire-engine red shade for beverage, making it the industry’s best natural alternative to RED40 or Allura Red.

FruitMax^® Red 116 WS is recommended for alcoholic beverages, carbonated soft drinks, cordials, energy drinks, juice-based drinks and near waters.