By James Atkinson
Australian Liquor Marketers (ALM) recently appointed a former Bakers Delight executive as the Metcash division’s new Victorian head.
Chris Caldwell was general manager of Bakers Delight for six years prior to joining ALM in November.
He filled the state GM’s role that had remained vacant since February when Paul Everard moved across to Metcash’s Food and Grocery division.
Caldwell told TheShout that in addition to a solid retail background, he brings to ALM the relevant experience of working with independent businesses at Bakers Delight, where 550 of its national network of 600 stores are franchises.
“I’ve spent the last decade working with franchisees or licensees of varying types,” Caldwell said.
“The great retailers do well whether they are selling bread or alcohol. I’ll be transferring those skills I’ve learnt from working with the Bakers Delight franchisees to those independent businesspeople that run Cellarbrations, The Bottle-O, or IGA bottleshops.”
“I think those are probably the skills that Scott Marshall [ALM CEO] was looking for.”
“I want our team that’s on the road to be providing more support to those people that need it and learning from the retailers that do it really well – they do it better than anyone in a corporate office can do.”