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Keurig Dr Pepper has appointed Kimberly-Clark executive Russ Torres to lead its coffee business, the third person selected for the role since the planned separation was announced. Torres starts Nov. 3 and will oversee integration of Keurig Dr Pepper’s and JDE Peet’s coffee operations ahead of the planned spinout.
Keurig Dr Pepper has named Russ Torres, currently a senior executive at Kimberly-Clark, to lead its coffee business as the company prepares to split its coffee and beverage operations into separate companies. Torres is scheduled to join on Nov. 3, becoming the third person chosen to head the planned coffee spinoff since the separation was announced.
Torres will serve as chief executive of the coffee business and lead the integration of Keurig Dr Pepper and JDE Peet’s coffee operations, according to the company. He will report to Keurig Dr Pepper CEO Tim Cofer, who is expected to lead the beverage business after the separation. The report did not specify when the split is expected to close.
Torres joins from Kimberly-Clark, where he was president and chief operating officer. He previously led the company’s North American business as group president. His earlier experience includes roles at Newell Brands, Bain & Company and Mondelēz International. Keurig Dr Pepper said his background in consumer brands and managing organizational change informed its selection.
The appointment follows two earlier choices for the coffee leadership position. Keurig Dr Pepper first selected its chief financial officer, Sudhanshu Priyadarshi, and later tapped JDE Peet’s CEO Rafael Oliveira. Oliveira left during the summer to take a CEO role at Heineken, according to Food Dive. Torres is now the company’s third named leader for the planned business.
Leadership for the Coffee Spinout
The appointment puts a named chief executive in place to guide an integration that will determine how Keurig Dr Pepper’s coffee assets operate as a separate company. That work spans businesses and brands including Keurig, Peet’s and Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, as well as the combination of the companies’ coffee operations. The role matters beyond an executive change: the integration and leadership plan are central to preparing the proposed standalone business.
Keurig Dr Pepper expects the separated Global Coffee Co. to generate about $16 billion in annual revenue, according to the source report. That is a company expectation, not a reported result for an already independent business. Investors have shown mixed optimism about the planned separation, Food Dive reported, and the new appointment offers a leadership update without resolving questions about execution, timing or the eventual performance of the spinoff.
The company’s recent results also reflect the scale of the transaction behind the plan. Keurig Dr Pepper reported $7.31 billion in net sales in its most recent quarter, up 75.6% year over year, with the increase attributed to its acquisition of Peet’s. Excluding that acquisition, sales grew 7.3%, according to the source report. The figures show why reported growth needs to be read alongside the effect of the acquisition as the company prepares to divide its businesses.
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Three Picks Since the Split Plan
Keurig Dr Pepper announced plans to separate its beverage and coffee operations last year. It then bought JDE Peet’s for $18 billion, with the intention of placing the coffee operation in a standalone business, which the company has referred to as Global Coffee Co. The intended portfolio combines Keurig Dr Pepper coffee assets with JDE Peet’s operations and brands.
The leadership search has changed as the corporate plan has advanced. Priyadarshi was initially selected for the coffee post before Oliveira was named. Oliveira subsequently departed for the Heineken CEO opportunity over the summer, leading the company to select Torres. Food Dive reported that Keurig Dr Pepper described the search for Torres as a rigorous global process; the reported material does not provide further detail on the candidates considered or the selection criteria.
Torres’s appointment is therefore both a personnel change and a step in preparing the business for separation. It does not, by itself, establish that the spinout has been completed or that its final structure and timetable are settled.
“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
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Spinout Timing and Structure
The report does not give a date for the separation, specify its final corporate or financial structure, or describe what will happen to particular assets beyond the broad coffee-and-beverage division. It is also not clear what integration milestones Torres will be expected to meet or how the company will measure readiness for the spinout.
The expected $16 billion in annual revenue is a projection for Global Coffee Co., not a figure from a completed standalone company. Keurig Dr Pepper has not, in the material cited, provided a separate earnings outlook or detailed financial terms for the new entity. Those points will matter to investors and employees as more separation plans emerge.
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Torres Starts in November
Torres is scheduled to join Keurig Dr Pepper on Nov. 3, 2026, and will then take on leadership of the coffee business and integration of the two companies’ coffee operations. The next milestones to watch are any company announcements on the separation schedule, the structure of Global Coffee Co. and how leadership responsibilities will be organized as the split approaches.
Until Keurig Dr Pepper gives more detail, the appointment confirms who is set to lead the coffee operation, but not when it will become independent. The company’s future updates should clarify the timetable and the operational steps required to separate the coffee and beverage businesses.
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Key Questions
Who will lead Keurig Dr Pepper’s coffee business?
Russ Torres, currently president and chief operating officer at Kimberly-Clark, has been named CEO of the coffee business. He is scheduled to join Keurig Dr Pepper on Nov. 3, 2026.
Why is Torres the third person selected for the role?
Keurig Dr Pepper first selected CFO Sudhanshu Priyadarshi, then named JDE Peet’s CEO Rafael Oliveira. Oliveira left during the summer to take a CEO position at Heineken, prompting the company to appoint Torres.
What will Torres be responsible for?
He will lead the coffee business and oversee integration of Keurig Dr Pepper’s and JDE Peet’s coffee operations as the company prepares to separate coffee from beverages.
When will the coffee business spin off?
The report does not provide a date for the separation. Torres’s Nov. 3 start date is confirmed, but the spinout timetable remains unclear.
How large is the planned coffee company expected to be?
Keurig Dr Pepper expects the separated Global Coffee Co. to generate about $16 billion in annual revenue. That is an expectation reported by Food Dive, not a result from an independent company that has already been formed.
Source: rss
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