Keurig Dr Pepper has appointed a new chief supply chain officer as part of "a strategic realignment" that will also see the promotions of two other supply chain executives, according to a news release Thursday.
Roger Johnson most recently served as KDP's chief product officer and has been with the company since 2016. He will report to KDP CEO Ozan Dokmecioglu in his new role leading the beverage giant's supply chain starting Monday.
"I have worked with Roger for almost seven years, and I am confident that his strong leadership and deep experience in global supply chains will position him well, as we strengthen our focus on growth and operational excellence," Dokmecioglu said in a statement.
As chief product officer, Johnson was responsible for establishing the company's Singapore operations center "that successfully diversified KDP's brewer manufacturing network across Asia," per the release. The company also touted Johnson as "the principal architect" for its brewer innovation strategy.
Johnson succeeds Tony Milikin, who will depart the company effective Oct. 28, according to a securities filing. Milikin has held the position since September 2021 and is leaving "to pursue new opportunities," the release said.
"Milikin was instrumental in successfully leading KDP through the unprecedented macro supply chain disruption that began in 2021 and positioning the Company for success as it transitions to the new, more focused structure," the release added.
As part of that revised structure, KDP promoted two supply chain executives into new roles that both report to Johnson.
Christopher Martin has been named senior vice president of Coffee Supply Chain, after serving as senior vice president of Logistics Operations. Paul DaRosa has been promoted to senior vice president of Cold Beverages Supply Chain, and most recently held the position of senior vice president of Quality, Employee Health & Safety and Technical Services.
The focused leadership roles in coffee and cold beverages will help the company "strengthen focus, speed and accountability at the Business Unit level," the release said.
The realignment comes as KDP has grappled with various supply chain disruptions. The company recently faced a supply shortfall for its coffee pods after the COVID-19 omicron variant sparked a labor shortfall, KDP Executive Chairman Bob Gamgort said in an April earnings call. That limited manufacturing output during a period in which demand was at a record high.
KDP rebounded from those disruptions ahead of schedule through a recovery program in which it accelerated its efforts to rebuild capacity and increase finished goods inventory.
"While that success came at a cost, as we discussed last quarter, it sets us up for a strong second half of the year," Dokmecioglu said in a July earnings call.
