Pedigree Wholesale appoints head of customer

Pedigree Wholesale has appointed Chris Kirton to the brand new role of head of customer.

Kirton brings a variety of experience across many companies, having worked at Coca-Cola, Hardy’s Wines, Princes Foods, and AG Barr. Starting his career in licensed Wholesale, he moved into FMCG, working for branded manufacturers across multiple categories such as food, drink, and personal care. He also spent two years in white goods, focusing on both national and independent retailers. 

According to the group, the main priorities of the head of customer are to drive both sales and customer agenda. 

Kirton said: “For Pedigree Wholesale to be successful, we must be the UK’s Wholesaler of Choice for Specialist Pet stores. However, this must be earned, and to this end, we must help our customers be successful. 

“We can achieve that through consistently delivering for our customers both commercially and operationally. We must work hard to exceed our customers’ expectations and excel in our role as Trusted Advisors.”

After being in his role for six weeks, he added: “I can honestly say that I have been impressed by the passion I’ve seen for the Pet Industry both at Pedigree Wholesale and from the suppliers and customers I’ve met so far. 

“As someone new to Pet, Interzoo was pretty mind-blowing but an amazing opportunity to network and see the sheer scale and innovation. I look forward to spending more time with the team and getting out and about, meeting more of our customers.”

Gerard O’Mahony, managing director, Pedigree Wholesale, said: “Our customers are at the heart of our business, and improving and finding better ways to serve them is a key focus for us in 2022 and beyond. We appointed the new role to do exactly that. Chris brings a wealth of knowledge and experience that will prove vital in ensuring we fulfil our Wholesaler of Choice commitment to our customers. We wish him all the success in his new role.”