Leading Oceania company and the market leader for energy drinks in Australia and New Zealand, Frucor Suntory Oceania, has today announced the appointment of Ian Roberts as Chief Supply Chain Officer.
With an extensive background in end-to-end FMCG operations, Ian brings a wealth of experience to his new role at Frucor Suntory Oceania. His impressive career includes serving as the Executive General Manager of Retail at Visy and over two decades at Lion in various senior Supply Chain Director roles.
Most notably, Roberts recently established Visy's innovative retail-facing division. During his tenure as Lion's Chief Supply Chain and Technical Director, he played a pivotal role in transforming its Supply Chain processes. His efforts fostered a lean manufacturing culture and increased customer service.
Darren Fullerton, CEO of Frucor Suntory - Oceania, expressed his enthusiasm about Ian's appointment, stating that the organisation was thrilled to welcome Roberts to Suntory.
“His extensive experience in leading supply chain transformation and his unwavering commitment to safety, quality, and continuous improvement perfectly align with our values and the Yatte Minahare spirit that drives our global Suntory business,” said Fullerton.
In his new role at Frucor Suntory Oceania, Roberts will lead the trans-Tasman supply chain, including the business operations based in Wiri, New Zealand and the highly anticipated $400+ million manufacturing and distribution facility currently under construction in Ipswich, Queensland. Operational from mid-2024, this net-zero facility will hire over 160 roles to support its multi-beverage mandate.
Robert's appointment follows the recent announcement that Frucor Suntory and Beam Suntory ‘are partnering to create a three billion dollar multi-beverage group, ‘Suntory Oceania’. Together, the two Suntory businesses will create the fourth-largest beverage group in the region, with complete end-to-end control of its portfolio, including manufacturing, sales and distribution. The partnership is set to be operational in mid-2025 in Australia and 2026 in New Zealand.
Ian Roberts commented on his new role and said that Frucor Suntory has experienced an incredible growth trajectory. With the future Suntory Oceania partnership ahead, he is excited to join the business during this critical period of transformation.
“Suntory's core values of craftsmanship, innovation, and sustainability align perfectly with my commitment to delivering excellence and driving positive change in the supply chain. Together, we will work towards building a world-class supply chain that will deliver exceptional results for our multi-beverage portfolio in Oceania,” said Roberts.
Roberts will be based in Sydney and pivotal in the Oceania Leadership Team. After ten years of dedicated service, the former Chief Supply Chain Officer, Jon Sackree, departed Frucor Suntory earlier this year.
