Crisp manufacturer Kettle Foods Ltd. appoints new managing director

A former Tesco commercial director is to replace outgoing Kettle Foods Ltd chief Dominic Lowe who is to retire after four years at the helm.

His successor, Ashley Hicks, will take up the role of managing director on August 31 - joining the company from Tesco where he was commercial director of Tesco Hungary.

It comes after Kettle Foods’ parent company Diamond Foods announced in February that it had taken a 51pc stake in Dutch firm Yellow Chips as it looks to break into the growing market for vegetable crisps.

The premium crisp manufacturer which employs 400 staff at its Bowthorpe factory, was launched in 1988.