Waitrose has poached Diageo head of transformation and strategy Miriam Tellis to be its new head of category proposition group with responsibility for bakery and meal solutions.
Tellis started her new role today (30 September), having left Diageo last week. She will report into Waitrose trading director Louise Dolan.
As head of category proposition group, Tellis will be responsible for setting the strategic direction of bakery and dine-in offer in stores and online over the next five years. She’ll also help to steer Waitrose’s innovation efforts in the category. This will include growing its network of third-party tie-ups with the likes of Gail’s, Wildfarmed and recently launched Crosstown Doughnuts.
Since joining Diageo in 2022, Tellis has worked on “big strategic projects” across all brands, including on and off-trade. She started her career as a buyer at home retailer The White Company, before spells at M&S, Superdrug and Danone. Diageo is yet to appoint her replacement.
Tellis said it was an “exciting time” to be joining Waitrose after its recent period of improved growth.
“On a personal level I’ve always been really passionate about good food and how it can bring people together,” Tellis told The Grocer.
“The majority of my career more recently has been in the consumer goods space, so I’m excited to build new and strong relationships with the supply base.”
Her appointment comes as a now buoyant Waitrose prepares for one of its “biggest” expansion periods of recent years, with plans to open 100 new convenience stores and four new supermarkets over the next five years.
Waitrose executives have previously highlighted bakery and meal solutions as important areas of focus, after seeing increased demand from customers for food to go and dine in lines over the past two years. Both categories are seen as key elements to the new convenience store rollout.
“This is a really important role for us, and I’m excited to welcome Miriam to the team,” Dolan said.
“Our customers are increasingly looking to us for convenience, without compromising on quality, so meal solutions is a real area of opportunity. Similarly, it’s a really exciting time for our bakery category, with recent successes like our partnership with Gail’s.
“With Miriam’s background spanning retail and high-profile consumer brands, she joins with exciting ideas and ready to make an impact.”
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