Private equity-backed soft drinks manufacturer Clearly Drinks has appointed Mick Howard as its new CEO, following a strong 2018 in which the company increased headcount by 45 per cent and expanded its product offering.
Howard moves into the role following nine months as Clearly Drinks’ Chief Operating Officer, where he oversaw headcount growth from 76 to 110 in 2018. He brings 25 years of experience within the food and drink industry to the role, having held senior positions at major companies including Britvic, SAB Miller and Puratos.
As CEO at Clearly Drinks, Howard will build on the company’s top-quality product offering with the launch of UPSTREAM, the naturally flavoured premium sparkling water and will also focus on strengthening Clearly Drinks’ partnerships and the management team with a number of key appointments in the coming months.
Founded in Sunderland in 1885, Clearly Drinks is a soft drinks manufacturer and bottler operating in the fast-growing flavoured sugar free spring water sector. The company specialises in sugar-free products, with brands including Perfectly Clear, Whisper, PC Kids, and Northumbria Spring. All of the company’s products are sourced from the firm’s on-site spring.
Clearly Drinks’ growth has been supported by private equity house NorthEdge Capital, which invested for a significant majority stake in 2017. The company has since developed its capabilities through the bolt-on acquisition of the IP and distribution rights of the Powerful Water Company (POW).
Howard says: “Clearly Drinks is a company with a rich heritage and strong culture with people at its core. We have fantastic quality products and the potential to build on that further with strong demand and a growing flavoured water market in place. I am delighted to take on the role of CEO following a year in which we have expanded the business and our team. We now have a strong platform to take advantage of market opportunities and optimise our production and I’m very much looking forward to being at the helm to lead the next chapter of this business’ development.”
Lloyd Williams, Portfolio Director at NorthEdge Capital, says: “Clearly Drinks has made great progress in the last year, with the strengthening of product lines as well as the growth of the team. Having played a key role in this journey, we are delighted to see Mick take on the role of CEO. His experience within the business and the industry more widely is a huge asset to the company, and we look forward to working closely with Mick and the rest of the management team as the business continues to develop.”
