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Ehrmann Cornish Dairy has promoted chief commercial officer Ed Watts to CEO, effective immediately.
Watts takes the helm as the company enters the next phase of its UK growth strategy following the integration of Cornish Dairy Co and a period of investment in its operations.
As CEO, he will oversee the company’s long-term development plan, with a focus on expanding manufacturing capacity, establishing the Ehrmann brand in the UK and strengthening its branded and own-label dairy operations.
Ehrmann Cornish Dairy is currently investing in a new desserts facility, scheduled for completion by the end of 2026. A wider programme of efficiency projects is also expected to generate cost savings by early 2027.
Watts has more than 20 years of experience in the FMCG sector, including senior commercial roles at Johnson & Johnson, Reckitt and Mars. Before joining Ehrmann Cornish Dairy in 2025, he served as UK commercial director at JDE Peet’s, where he led the commercial strategy for its UK coffee business.
During his tenure as chief commercial officer at Ehrmann Cornish Dairy, Watts helped strengthen customer relationships, advance innovation and support the integration of Cornish Dairy into the wider Ehrmann business.
Watts said: "This is an incredibly exciting opportunity to lead a business with such strong foundations, exceptional people and genuine ambition. We've already made significant progress in stabilising the business, investing in our operations and building long-term partnerships with customers and farmers, and now we're focused on accelerating that momentum."
"My vision is for Ehrmann Cornish Dairy to become recognised as one of the top three dairy companies in the UK. We have the scale, expertise and investment behind us to achieve that, and by continuing to innovate, investing in our manufacturing capabilities and delivering outstanding products for both branded and own-label customers, I'm confident we can establish ourselves as one of the defining businesses in the UK dairy sector."