MGP names new CEO
Former Constellation Brands executive Julie Francis has joined MGP Ingredients as CEO and president to drive the group’s branded spirits strategy.
Francis took over the role, effective immediately, from interim CEO Brandon Gall. Gall stepped in after the retirement of David Bratcher on 1 January 2025.
Francis joins the leading third-party supplier for American whiskey after serving as chief operating officer at frozen food firm Schwan’s Company.
“MGP’s strong foundation, built on a legacy of quality, operational excellence, and a portfolio of attractive alcoholic spirits brands, is a true credit to this talented team,” Francis noted.
“I am excited to partner with Brandon and the MGP team as we build upon this excellent platform to grow our brands, deepen consumer connections, and create value for all stakeholders.”
Prior to Schwan’s, Francis was the senior vice-president of commercial and category development for Constellation Brands’ total beverage alcohol platform.
Francis previously held multiple leadership positions at The Coca-Cola Company and Coca-Cola Enterprises, where she played a key role in the integration of their US segments to create the Coca-Cola Refreshments subsidiary.
Kansas-based MGP is hopeful that Francis will be able to help the company advance on its goal of becoming a branded spirits business.
In November last year, the third-party producer announced it would scale back its whiskey production to focus on branded spirits after posting a 24% third-quarter net sales drop.
‘Proven leader’
“Julie is a proven leader with decades of experience driving growth and value creation across the food and beverage space, making her the ideal candidate to lead MGP forward,” said Martin Roper, who became chairman of the MGP board in May this year.
“We are confident in her ability to advance our long-term vision of becoming a premier, branded spirits company, while building on the actions that Brandon and the MGP team have taken to better align our businesses with current consumer trends.”
Gall will remain at the company in his previous position of chief financial officer.
“I look forward to working closely with Julie to build on our progress,” Gall added.
“Her leadership, strategic vision, and collaborative approach will serve the company well and help unlock new opportunities for growth, innovation, and long-term shareholder value creation.”
The appointment of the new CEO comes at a time of financial strain for MGP, which has suffered from whiskey oversupply and declining demand.
The company’s 2024 full-year sales fell by 16% to US$703.6 million. In May 2025, MGP reported a further slump in first-quarter sales, which plummeted by 29%.
At the same time as announcing its new CEO, MGP restated its fiscal 2025 guidance (initially announced in May) with sales projected to be in the range of US$520m to US$540m.
MGP will report its second-quarter financial results on 31 July 2025.
From gin softening to other categories showing resilience, myriad factors have contributed to a change in demand for third-party spirits.
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