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Keurig Dr Pepper has appointed Kimberly-Clark executive Russ Torres to lead its coffee division as the company prepares to separate its beverage and coffee businesses. Torres is the third person selected for the role since the split was announced; his predecessor, Rafael Oliveira, left to become Heineken’s CEO.
Keurig Dr Pepper has named Russ Torres, a Kimberly-Clark executive, to lead its coffee division as CEO ahead of the planned separation of the company’s coffee and beverage operations. Torres is scheduled to join on Nov. 3 and will oversee the integration of Keurig Dr Pepper’s coffee business with JDE Peet’s; he is the third person selected for the role since the split was announced.
Torres will report to Keurig Dr Pepper CEO Tim Cofer, who is expected to lead the beverage business after the separation. In his new role, Torres is set to lead the coffee operation and the integration of Keurig Dr Pepper and JDE Peet’s coffee businesses. The company has not specified in the source report when the separation will be completed.
Torres joins from Kimberly-Clark, where he was president and chief operating officer. He previously served as the company’s group president for North America. His earlier experience includes roles at Newell Brands, Bain & Company and Mondelēz International.
Keurig Dr Pepper chair Pamela Patsley said the company had conducted a global search. The appointment follows the departure of Rafael Oliveira, whom Keurig Dr Pepper had selected for the position before he left to lead Heineken. The company first named its own chief financial officer, Sudhanshu Priyadarshi, for the coffee leadership role.
Leadership for the Planned Coffee Split
The appointment gives the planned coffee company a designated leader while Keurig Dr Pepper works toward separating its coffee and beverage businesses. Torres will have responsibility for combining the coffee operations of two businesses, a central management task ahead of the proposed split. The source report does not describe the integration timetable or specific operational milestones.
The scale of the proposed business makes the CEO choice consequential for investors, employees and retail partners tracking the separation. Keurig Dr Pepper expects the standalone Global Coffee Co. to generate $16 billion in annual revenue, with brands including Keurig, Peet’s and Green Mountain Coffee Roasters. That figure is an expectation cited in the report, not a reported result for the separated company.
The leadership changes also leave a practical question for the company: how quickly the coffee organization can settle into a stable management structure while its operations are being brought together. Naming Torres fills the position after two earlier selections did not result in a lasting appointment.
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Two Earlier CEO Selections
Keurig Dr Pepper announced plans to split its beverage and coffee units last year. It later bought JDE Peet’s for $18 billion, with the stated plan of spinning out the coffee operation as a separate company. The acquisition expanded the portfolio that will be part of the proposed Global Coffee Co.
The role has changed hands before Torres’s appointment. The company initially selected CFO Sudhanshu Priyadarshi, then chose JDE Peet’s CEO Rafael Oliveira. Oliveira left during the summer to take a CEO opportunity at Heineken, according to the Food Dive report. Torres’s appointment is therefore the third selection for the planned coffee-company leadership job.
Keurig Dr Pepper’s most recent quarter provides a measure of the combined company’s recent scale, but not a forecast for the future coffee spinout. The company reported $7.31 billion in net sales, up 75.6% year over year, with the increase attributed to the JDE Peet’s acquisition. Excluding that acquisition, sales grew 7.3%, according to the report.
““Russ is a proven leader with extensive experience building consumer brands, guiding global organizations through complex change, and delivering consistent results with high performing teams. That is precisely what Global Coffee Co. requires.””
— Pamela Patsley, Keurig Dr Pepper chair
espresso machine for light roast coffee
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Separation Timeline Still Unspecified
The source report does not give a completion date for the separation, a detailed timeline for integrating the coffee operations or the planned structure of the two independent companies. It also does not specify when the Global Coffee Co. will begin operating independently or what governance arrangements will apply after the split.
The expected $16 billion in annual revenue is a company expectation reported by Food Dive, not a realized result for a standalone business. The report does not provide the assumptions behind that projection. It also remains unclear whether additional leadership appointments or organizational changes will be announced as the integration proceeds.
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Torres Starts November 3
The next confirmed step is Torres’s planned start at Keurig Dr Pepper on Nov. 3, 2026. He is expected to lead the coffee business and oversee integration work, reporting to Tim Cofer while the company prepares for the planned separation.
Readers and investors will be watching for further company announcements on the spinout schedule, the structure of Global Coffee Co. and progress combining the coffee operations. No additional milestones or dates are provided in the source report.
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Key Questions
Who will lead Keurig Dr Pepper’s coffee business?
Russ Torres, currently president and chief operating officer of Kimberly-Clark, has been appointed CEO of Keurig Dr Pepper’s coffee division. He is due to join the company on Nov. 3, 2026.
Why is Torres’s appointment the third one?
Keurig Dr Pepper first selected CFO Sudhanshu Priyadarshi for the position, then named JDE Peet’s CEO Rafael Oliveira. Oliveira later left to lead Heineken, prompting the company to appoint Torres.
What will Torres be responsible for?
He will lead the coffee business and oversee the integration of Keurig Dr Pepper and JDE Peet’s coffee operations ahead of the planned separation. He will report to CEO Tim Cofer.
When will Keurig Dr Pepper split its coffee and beverage businesses?
The source report describes a planned separation but does not provide a completion date. The timing and further details remain unconfirmed in the material provided.
Source: rss
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