Case Study 2: Marie Brizard Polska

Marie Brizard Wine & Spirits experienced challenging results. Onboarded as MD to diagnose the problems and turn around the business. Restructured commercial contracts; focused organisation on profit; relaunched key brands; improved efficiencies in packaging plant and logistics operation; and directly led all work streams. Succeeded in stabilising the business, delivering €20M profit growth, taking the business from loss to profit in all business units, and selling the Polish operation to local buyer.

2019-2020        Managing Director, Poland & Baltics Marie Brizard Wine & Spirits

Sales, marketing, distribution, distilling & bottling wine & spirits business in Poland with 900 employees, 10% market share & €200m turnover.  Member of Marie Brizard Extended Global Executive

Benefits delivered:

• €20m profit growth in 18mths, from loss making to sustainable positive profit, all business units

• Fixed commercial contracts & focused organization on profit rather than loss making volume

• Relaunched Krupnik brand with new imagery, packaging & flavour portfolio

• Successfully commissioned 30m litre distillery

• Improved efficiencies in packaging plant & logistics operation, and embedded S&OP process (improved Customer Service OTIF from 80% to 98.5%, Sales Forecast Accuracy from 40% to 75%)

• Right sized organization structure, upgraded key personnel

• Successfully lobbied Polish government to delay discriminatory tax on small size bottles

• Successfully sold business to local industry player