Purity Soft Drinks has appointed food industry and beverages executive Jonathan Duffin as CEO of the UK-based juices business.
Duffin fills the seat of Sarah Baldwin, who is set to join wine and spirits manufacturer Kingsland Drinks Group as managing director in April, as was announced in February.
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Purity Soft Drinks confirmed in a statement issued last month that Baldwin is due to depart the Wednesbury, West Midlands-based business as CEO at the end of March. She held the role for close to seven years.
The career history of Duffin includes executive appointments at producers of juices, biscuits, snacks and breakfast cereals in the UK.
He was most recently at prebiotic gut-health drinks business Deeply Foods, joining that company from the Bahlsen Group biscuits maker, according to his LinkedIn page.
His other previous roles include management positions at juices and snacks producers Ocean Spray Cranberries, Jordan Cereals and United Biscuits.
United Biscuits is owned by Turkey’s Yildiz Holding under which sits the Pladis company and the McVitie’s brand.
“I am excited to be joining Purity Soft Drinks and am looking forward to working with the team and developing its brands to take Purity forward to the next level,” Duffin said in a statement announcing his immediate appointment.
Set up in 1892, Purity Soft Drinks owns the Juice Burst and Firefly beverages brands.
Its most recent accounts filed with Companies House, show the business generated a turnover of £29.9m ($38.6m) in the year to 29 March 2024, an 11% increase over the corresponding 12 months.
Net profit after tax almost doubled to just over £4m from £2.6m.
Commenting on Duffin’s appointment, Purity Soft Drinks’ chairman Rooney Anand said: “His leadership experience, together with proven ability to build brands and businesses, make him an excellent appointment for Purity and I look forward to working with him to steer the business forward.”
Baldwin said, as her departure was announced in February: “It has been an absolute privilege to have run Purity Soft Drinks, and I feel I’m leaving the business and the Juice Burst brand in strong shape for the future.”
