MGP Ingredients appoints Julie Francis as New President, CEO

USA – MGP Ingredients, Inc., a leading producer of speciality wheat proteins and starches, has appointed Julie Francis as its new president and chief executive officer.

Francis succeeds David Bratcher, who resigned from the company on December 31, 2024. Since January, Brandon Gall, the chief financial officer, had served as interim president and CEO. Gall now resumes his role as CFO.

Julie Francis brings over three decades of executive leadership in the branded food and beverage sector.

Most recently, she led JF Advisory Services, providing strategic counsel to companies navigating supply chain and commercial growth challenges. Before founding the advisory firm, Francis served as Chief Operating Officer of Schwan’s Company, a prominent player in the frozen food category, and as President of Schwan’s Consumer Brands.

Her earlier roles include senior vice president of commercial and category development at Constellation Brands, where she oversaw the Total Beverage Alcohol portfolio. She also spent nearly two decades at The Coca-Cola Company and Coca-Cola Enterprises, where she played a central role in the integration of the U.S. operations that formed Coca-Cola Refreshments.

“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, chairman of the board at MGP Ingredients.

Roper expressed confidence in Francis’s ability to advance the company’s 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 the businesses with current consumer trends.

Francis currently serves on the board of directors of Ascend Wellness Holdings and previously held an advisory board role at innovation firm Nottingham Spirk. She holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Alfred University in New York.

In addition to specialty wheat proteins and starches, MGP Ingredients, headquartered in Atchison, Kansas, is known for its role as a major supplier of premium distilled spirits and its growing portfolio of branded spirits under brands such as Remus, Rossville Union, and George Remus Bourbon.  

In recent years, the company has been focused on expanding its branded business segment while maintaining strong positions in bulk alcohol and food ingredient markets.

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