St Pierre Groupe expands board to support US growth plans  

St Pierre Groupe has appointed two new members to its board of directors in a boost to its international growth plans.

David Wagstaff and Jen Danby, previously chief operating officer and chief marketing officer respectively at the American egg producer The Happy Egg Co, joined the board, signaling the bakery firm’s clear intent to bolster growth in the US market.

Danby will serve as international marketing director at St Pierre Groupe whereas Wagstaff’s role will be to guide the business teams enabling the St Pierre brand to continue its growth across the US, as board director.

St Pierre, the lead brand for the Manchester-headquartered group, is the number one brioche brand in the US.

Wagstaff created and launched the Happy Egg Co, introducing a new production model and building a national branded business of some $40 million (£31 million) in only four years.

He previously worked as a leading partner in a consulting firm specialising in food and drink, with an FMCG experience spanning almost three decades and brands including McCain Foods and Dairy Crest.

Wagstaff said: “St Pierre is a brand experiencing dynamic growth – in the USA it’s up 57 per cent year-on-year. The team have already achieved amazing results, so with some extra direction, there is genuine excitement around and no limit to what this brand can do.”

Danby will head up the recently expanded marketing department with a focus on brand-building both in the UK and US markets.

“It’s an incredibly exciting time to join the business. Its growth has been phenomenal this year, especially considering the challenges faced due to the pandemic. There’s a great team in place and real momentum behind each of the brands to continue growth – with ambitious targets in place for the next three years,” she commented.

The group’s portfolio also includes popular bakery brands like Baker Street and Paul Hollywood.

Paul Baker, founder of St Pierre, added: “We have three brilliant brands in our portfolio and an incredible opportunity – particularly in the US for St Pierre – to build brand identities that connect with consumers. Our team has always been our greatest strength and now we have an incredible senior team in place to direct strategy and drive the growth of which we know we are capable.”