Mike joins the island of Ireland operations from Coca-Cola HBC’s Italian business unit where he was Sales Director responsible for strengthening customer relationships in the At Home channels.

He joined Coca-Cola HBC in 2020 as International Key Account Director with responsibility for the Discount channel, having previously held various commercial roles at both Danone and Diageo.

His move to Ireland and Northern Ireland comes at an exciting time for the strategic bottling partner for The Coca-Cola Company as it continues to grow its 24/7 portfolio offer.

Coca-Cola HBC proudly produces and distributes all products within The Coca-Company portfolio, as well as locally owned brands including Deep RiverRock and Fruice.

It also produces and distributes Monster Energy; owns the premium spirits brand Finlandia Vodka; and is distributor for The Campari Group, Edrington, and coffee brand Caffé Vergnano on the island of Ireland.

Simon Fitzpatrick, General Manager Coca-Cola HBC Ireland and Northern Ireland said: “Mike comes to the island of Ireland operations with a wealth of experience, both inside and outside of the Coca-Cola system which can only strengthen our vision to be the leading 24/7 portfolio provider for our customers. We look forward to harnessing this experience to create even greater value for our customers and consumers in the months and years ahead.”

Mike Raven added: “The Ireland and Northern Ireland markets are exciting, diverse and full of potential. I look forward to working closely with our varied range of customers across the island of Ireland, and to supporting our first-class sales team as they continue their work to partner with our customers and delight our consumers every day.”

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During the Secretary of State’s visit, Simon highlighted Coca-Cola HBC’s commitment to fostering local talent, strengthening the capabilities and skills of its people to drive innovation and growth in the communities it serves.

Mr Fitzpatrick, who is from Waringstown, Co. Down, has worked for Coca-Cola HBC for over 20 years. Beginning his career as a Business Developer, Simon rose through the business until his most recent role as Head of International Key Accounts across all 29 Coca-Cola HBC markets.

Simon will lead the beverage business, which is the strategic bottling partner to The Coca-Cola Company for the island of Ireland. This includes distributing a 24/7 beverage portfolio with locally owned brands including Deep RiverRock and Fruice.

Coca-Cola HBC also produces and distributes Monster Energy; owns the premium spirits brand Finlandia Vodka; and is distributor for The Campari Group, Edrington, and coffee brands Costa and Caffé Vergnano on the island of Ireland.

Simon will also spearhead the beverage business’s sustainability priorities including the transition to NetZero by 2040 and the roll-out of the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS), which goes live in Northern Ireland in 2027.

Speaking as he welcomed the Secretary of State, Simon Fitzpatrick, General Manager of Coca-Cola HBC Ireland and Northern Ireland said: “I am incredibly proud and honoured to take up the role of General Manager for Coca-Cola HBC Ireland and Northern Ireland. I have spent almost all my career at Coca-Cola HBC and know first-hand what an incredible business it is.

“With over 850 employees across the Island of Ireland, Coca-Cola HBC plays a vital role in energising the local economy, and I was delighted to highlight this to the Secretary of State today. Our commitment to the local Irish and Northern Irish markets is reflected in our sustained investment in our people, the communities we serve, and our strong portfolio of globally known, locally produced beverages.

“We are dedicated to supporting the advancement of local talent, enhancing the skills of our workforce, and supporting local businesses to drive opportunity and growth in the market. Our long-standing business on this island emphasises our commitment to supporting the development of a stronger local economy for our customers, people, and communities.”

Simon’s previous roles include Sales Director for the island of Ireland operations from 2020-2023, and Commercial Director for the Irish Football Association (IFA) from 2018-2019. Simon is currently the Vice President of the Northern Ireland Food and Drink Association.

The appointment took effect from Monday 3^rd February.

Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Hilary Benn MP, said: “It was great to visit Coca-Cola HBC’s impressive manufacturing facility in Lisburn and to hear about the company’s plans for the future.

“The company has a long history on the island of Ireland, dating back almost 90 years. Today, the Knockmore Hill site supports more than 450 jobs and is a testament to what a fantastic place Northern Ireland is to invest in and do business.

“This UK Government is committed to working together with businesses and with the Executive to generate investment and economic growth right across Northern Ireland, including through our new modern industrial strategy.”

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Ursula is Technical and R&D Director at Pilgrim’s Europe, including Moy Park, and she takes over from immediate past Chair, George Mullan. She will hold the position for two years. Simon Fitzpatrick, Group Commercial Director at Coca-Cola HBC has been appointed as Vice Chair.

Speaking after her appointment, Professor Ursula Lavery MBE said: “The food and drink sector is one of the most important economic assets we have here in Northern Ireland. We are a £4.9 billion industry, representing 16% of the economy locally, exporting local food and drink globally.

“Across the wider supply chain we employ some 113,000 people, supporting local communities across the geographic spread of Northern Ireland.

“I am confident that with the right support, we can grow even further, and do so in the most sustainable way. As an industry we want to build on our reputation for sustainability and play our part in addressing carbon emissions. Across the sector, NIFDA members are introducing new processes and strategies to improve efficiency and move towards net zero.

“To further enhance sustainability and encourage innovation, we need investment. For too long food and drink firms here have faced a competitive disadvantage as the only jurisdiction on these islands without a government capital investment support scheme. We have been engaging with Ministers to encourage solutions that will level the playing field and equip our industry for further success.”

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The new 100% recycled plastic bottles, which are also 100% recyclable, will be used across the full range of Coca-Cola products, such as Coca-Cola Original Taste, Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, and for other beverage brands owned by the company, including Fanta and Sprite.

This is a key sustainability milestone for Coca-Cola on the island of Ireland and will lead to the elimination of an additional 7,100 tonnes of virgin plastic from circulation annually.

Over €20m has been invested in the last number of years in both developing sustainable packaging solutions through enhancement of its state-of-the-art Coca-Cola HBC plant at Knockmore Hill, Lisburn and in the purchase of recycled plastic material in that period. This investment has enabled the roll out of key packaging innovations, including today’s announcement to move to 100% recycled plastic and the recent introduction of KeelClip packaging in the market.

Coca-Cola is aiming to raise awareness of the need for packaging circularity and to increase recycling rates with a bold new green ribbon design on pack across its portfolio and simple recycling message: ‘I’m a bottle made from 100% recycled plastic*, recycle me again.’ The milestone moment will be accompanied by an out-of-home, digital and social campaign across October and November.

Davide Franzetti, General Manager, Coca-Cola HBC Ireland and Northern Ireland said: “As the bottling partner for The Coca-Cola Company, we have accelerated the move to sustainable packaging ensuring that Ireland remains one step ahead of the global targets by incorporating more recycled material in our packaging.

“The shift to using 100% recycled plastic in our bottles will help eliminate 7,100 tonnes of virgin plastic from circulation annually, and in conjunction with the introduction a deposit return scheme (DRS) in Ireland early next year, will also support our move towards ensuring all of our bottles are used, recovered, recycled and reused, again and again.

“We are committed to driving forward our World Without Waste programme on the island of Ireland as we work with others to address waste and climate issues created by packaging.”

Coca-Cola in Ireland and Northern Ireland has taken a series of measures in recent years to reduce its packaging footprint and improve collection systems that support a circular economy for plastic bottles and cans.

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Mr Franzetti has worked for Coca-Cola HBC Italy since 2018 holding various roles including Modern Trade Director and most recently Sales Director.

He replaces Miles Karemacher who is to take up the role of General Manager at Coca-Cola HBC Italy.

Mr Franzetti will lead the beverage business, which is the bottling partner to The Coca-Cola Company for the island of Ireland and distributes a 24/7 beverage portfolio including locally owned ranges, Deep RiverRock and Fruice. Coca-Cola HBC also distributes premium spirit brands for The Campari Group and Edrington, and coffee brands Costa and Caffé Vergnano.

LEADING TRANSITION

His tenure as General Manager begins at an exciting time for the organisation following the announcement of a new canning line at Coca-Cola HBC Ireland and Northern Ireland’s production facility in Lisburn, in a £17m/€20m investment announced earlier this year.

Mr Franzetti’s role will also encompass leading the transition to NetZero by 2040 and working with customers and other industry partners as the sector prepares for the roll-out of the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS), which due to go live in the Republic of Ireland in February 2024.

Speaking on his first day in post, Davide Franzetti, General Manager of Coca-Cola HBC Ireland and Northern Ireland said: “Coca-Cola HBC Ireland and Northern Ireland has a long and rich history going back over 80 years and has a well-established reputation for strong portfolio development, a deep commitment to sustainability and sustained investment in its people and the communities it serves.

‘DEVELOPMENT OF LOCAL TALENT’

“My goal is to further strengthen our position as the leading 24/7 beverage partner to our customers, to listen to their needs and to bring greater value to our relationships.

“I am honoured to be joining an incredible team of people and look forward to playing my part in the development of local talent which contributes so strongly to The Coca-Cola System; to delivering the £17m/€20m investment into our Knockmore Hill production facility; and to supporting the delivery of a well-functioning and efficient Deposit Return Scheme, the biggest change to waste collection in Ireland in a generation.”

Prior to joining Coca-Cola HBC, Davide was the General Manager for the Italian division of the global brewer, AB Inbev. The appointment took effect from Thursday 1^st June.

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