02 June 2025

Kitwave Group plc

("Kitwave", the "Group" or the "Company")

Appointment of Non-Executive Chair

Kitwave Group plc (AIM: KITW), the delivered wholesale business, is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr Marnie Millard OBE to the Board as Non-Executive Chair, effective from 30 May 2025. Marnie has replaced Steve Smith as Chair, who resigned as a director of the Company upon the appointment.

Marnie currently serves as the Non-Executive Chair of Marks Electricals Plc, University Academy 92 Limited and MyPura.Com Limited. She also joined the board of Applied Nutrition plc ahead of its IPO last year and continues her role as a Senior Independent Director and Chair of the Remuneration Committee. She has acted as a board advisor for Belvoir Group and was on the board for Finsbury Food Group Plc as a Non-Executive Director and Chair of the Remuneration Committee. 

Marnie was Chief Executive Officer of Nichols Plc, the diversified soft drinks group, for eight years. During her time as CEO, she delivered a strong track record of consistent growth, increasing the market capitalisation by 60% to £450 million. Under her leadership, Nichols Plc completed five acquisitions and doubled Vimto's retail sales value to £110m. Before her role at Nichols Plc, Marnie held a series of other senior positions in the beverages industry, including Sales and Marketing Director at Macaw Limited, Commercial Director for Gerber Juice Company Limited and Managing Director for Refresco Beverages UK Limited.

Marnie's contributions to the UK beverages industry have been widely recognised. She previously held prominent industry leadership roles as President of the British Soft Drinks Association and CBI Northwest Regional Chair. In 2018, she was awarded an OBE for Services to Business in the Northwest and International Trade in the Queen's Birthday Honours. She also holds an Honorary Doctorate in Business Administration from Salford University.

Ben Maxted, Chief Executive Officer of Kitwave, commented:

"On behalf of everyone at Kitwave, I am delighted to welcome Marnie to the Board as our new Chair. We believe that her experience and expertise will be of huge value as we continue to drive our growth strategy and enhance our customer offering. We are all looking forward to working with Marnie and, together, delivering further value for the Group and its shareholders.

"We are also hugely thankful to our outgoing Chair, Steve Smith, for his unwavering commitment and support. Steve joined in 2016, playing an integral role in our corporate development, which later led to our IPO in 2021 and our subsequent expansion as a public company. We wish him all the best in his future endeavours."

Dr Marnie-Jane Millard OBE, aged 60, holds or has held the following directorships/partnerships in the past five years:

Marnie was a director of Luscious Food & Drink Company Limited from May 2006 to July 2007. Luscious Food & Drink Company Limited went into administration in December 2007 and was subject to a creditors' voluntary liquidation in 2009.

Marnie's former surnames were Tabbitt (maiden name) and Mumby (former married name).

Save as set out above, there is no further information to be disclosed in relation to Dr Millard's appointment pursuant to AIM Rule 17 or paragraph (g) of Schedule Two of the AIM Rules for Companies.

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Company Overview

Founded in 1987, following the acquisition of a single-site confectionery wholesale business based in North Shields, United Kingdom, Kitwave is a delivered wholesale business, specialising in selling and delivering impulse products, frozen, chilled and fresh foods, alcohol, groceries and tobacco to approximately 46,000, mainly independent, customers.

With a network of 37 depots, Kitwave is able to support delivery throughout the UK to a diverse customer base, which includes independent convenience retailers, leisure outlets, vending machine operators, foodservice providers and other wholesalers, as well as leading national retailers.
 

The Group's growth to date has been achieved both organically and through a strategy of acquiring smaller, predominantly family-owned, complementary businesses in the fragmented UK grocery and foodservice wholesale market.

Kitwave Group plc (AIM: KITW) was admitted to trading on AIM of the London Stock Exchange on 24 May 2021.

For further information, please visit: www.kitwave.co.uk.