The recent appointment of a new president, the creation of some new senior marketing positions and the strengthening of its regional marketing operations are all part of Labatt’s strategy to become the leading brewery in the Canadian marketplace.
Labatt has also formed a new specialty brands division to help it strengthen its market share in Ontario, the country’s most competitive beer market.
While the company’s growth has been slower in Ontario, performance overall has been steady over the past five years and the brewery now has a national market share of 46%, a record high for Labatt.
Its major competitor, Molson Breweries of Canada, controls 47.2% of the Canadian market.
Labatt’s ambitious plans for the next 10 years have prompted it to do some restructuring at senior levels, including the hiring of a new president.
On March 1, Don Kitchen returns to Canada to take over that position, leaving Hugo Powell, who has been doing double duty, to focus on his role of coo of the Americas operation for Interbrew S.A.
Canadian-born Kitchen has had a long career with Colgate-Palmolive, most recently based in New York as vice-president sales, North America.
A new tier has also been added to Labatt’s marketing organization with David Kincaid, previously director of strategic brand planning, becoming vice-president of marketing for Canada.
James Taylor is leaving Miller Brewing Company, where he has been group director of The Plank Road Brewery and Allied Brands, to be based in Toronto as vice-president of marketing, responsible for international markets.
Kincaid says it’s no secret Labatt wants to be the leader in the Canadian marketplace, not only in market share, but also in product and marketing innovation.
He sees growth for Labatt in the near future coming from two areas: new, emerging segments, such as premium and specialty beers, for which Labatt has established its specialty brands division; and regional marketing efforts.
Most regions now have a director of marketing and a director of sales but the functions have been combined in some places.
The position of director of marketing for Ontario has not yet been filled, although Terry Zuk, previously director of public affairs for the Atlantic region, has been named director of sales.
In b.c., Bryan Semkuley, who was marketing manager for Budweiser, has been appointed to the new position of director of marketing.
Mike Glover, director of regional and price brands in b.c., has moved to Edmonton as director of marketing and sales.
In the Atlantic region, Jeff Clark is director of marketing and sales, while Quebec has a vice-president of marketing and sales, Louis Fortier.
Most recently in Quebec, Marcel Boisvert, president of La Brasserie Labatt, has been appointed executive vice-president, Western Europe, for Interbrew S.A., effective March 1.
Louis Morin, currently president of the Prairie Region, will replace him.
