Perfetti Van Melle has named Rob Lockley as its new Commercial Managing Director for the UK, following a successful tenure as Sales Director over the past 18 months.
Since joining the confectionery giant, Lockley has played a pivotal role in driving growth across its four major brands—Mentos, Chupa Chups, Fruit-tella, and Smint—helping the business outpace the market.
Perfetti Van Melle enters 2025 with strong momentum, posting a +3.6% growth rate, well ahead of the market’s -0.9% decline. Key product innovations, such as Mentos Discovery, contributed to this success, generating £1.3 million in value sales. In the final month of 2024, the company’s 9.1% value growth, led by Mints and Sweets, helped secure a 4.85% market value share.
With a career spanning three decades, Lockley has held senior roles at Kellogg’s, CCEP, Mars Wrigley, and Müller, bringing a wealth of experience to his new position.
Commenting on his appointment, Lockley said:
**“I am thrilled to take this next step with Perfetti Van Melle. Over the past 18 months, I’ve immersed myself back into the dynamic world of confectionery—a market now worth £1.6 billion in the UK—and the opportunities are endless.
The retail landscape is evolving rapidly, and we must keep pace by embracing fresh thinking and new shopper missions. Our brands already stand out for their quality—crucial in a category where taste is the number one purchase driver. As challengers, we have a mischievous role to play; we can be fun, bold, and disruptive to achieve our goals. In 2025, agility will be key as we harness the skills and creativity of our exceptional team to thrive in a market ripe for change.”**
With Lockley at the helm, Perfetti Van Melle is set to continue its strong trajectory, bringing innovation and energy to the UK confectionery sector.
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Joseph Clarke
Editor, International Confectionery
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Email: editor@in-confectionery.com
