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MGP CEO David Bratcher steps down
US producer MGP Ingredients has appointed Brandon Gall as its interim president and CEO after David Bratcher announced his retirement.
Bratcher took on the CEO position on 1 January 2024 after joining the business in 2021 as part of MGP’s US$475 million acquisition of American whiskey maker Luxco. Before becoming CEO, Bratcher was MGP’s chief operating officer and president of the branded spirits division.
Gall, who has been MGP’s chief financial officer since April 2019, stepped into the interim role on 1 January 2025.
Bratcher will remain with the business in an advisory capacity to help with the transition.
Bratcher said: “It has been a privilege to serve as president and CEO of MGP after leading Luxco for many years. I am deeply grateful to our incredible team for their hard work, dedication, and commitment to our shared vision.”
Furthermore, Luxco’s former president and CEO Donn Lux, a current member of the MGP board, will succeed Karen Seaberg as chairman of the board.
Lux will lead the board search for a permanent CEO to help the business drive ‘dynamic growth’ of its branded spirits portfolio.
Seaberg, who will remain a member of the board, noted that Lux’s “decades of branded spirits experience, vision, and leadership uniquely positions him to guide MGP toward becoming a premier branded spirits company”.
Lux added: “As we look ahead, I am excited to work alongside our talented board and executive team to drive MGP into the next phase of growth and emerge even stronger as a leading player in the branded spirits industry.”
MGP Ingredients announced in November 2024 that it planned to scale down its whiskey production and focus on its branded spirits business this year.
The company’s branded spirits arm posted a 6% sales drop to US$62.6m for the third quarter of 2024, led primarily by a decline in the mid- and value-priced portfolio.
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