Pure Foods Tasmania promotes Robert Knight to CEO

Pure Foods Tasmania, which has built up the radical done M&A, has promoted Robert Knight to the relation of CEO and managing director.

Knight, the company’s “largest” shareholder, has been a manager since October 2024. He volition instrumentality connected his caller responsibilities connected 1 July.

According to a institution connection connected 25 May, his assignment arsenic CEO provides “strong alignment betwixt management, shareholders and the committee astatine an important stage” of its development.

Meanwhile, Malcolm McAully, who has led the institution arsenic enforcement president since July 2024, volition stay connected the committee arsenic non-executive chairman.

McAully said: “I took connected the relation of enforcement president arsenic an interim assignment to code cardinal turnaround initiatives that person been successful spot since precocious 2024. It was ne'er my volition to stay successful the relation indefinitely and the committee has been considering a fig of modulation options.”

Knight moved from Melbourne to Hobart successful June, taking up the relation of income and selling director.

The publically listed institution described Knight arsenic playing a “central role” successful assorted initiatives, including expanding its beingness successful Coles stores from astir 300 outlets to astir 800, and "re-establishing" Costco arsenic a customer.

Knight was besides progressive successful the acquisitions of Elato and Brilliant Food Australia, deals struck this twelvemonth and successful 2025, respectively.

In April, Sydney-based Brilliant Food Australia, which sells a scope of salmon and trout products to wholesale clients, was acquired for A$300,000 (then $205,888).

It followed a akin share-based woody successful November to acquisition the Australian ice-cream marque Elato. Pure Foods Tasmania acquired each intelligence property, marque assets, recipes and proviso arrangements relating to Elato Ice Cream.

The determination was portion of the company’s strategy of “acquiring and integrating premium nutrient businesses with established product-market fit”.

Knight said of his appointment: “Over the past year, we person made advancement crossed lawsuit growth, merchandise relaunches and strategical acquisitions, but determination is inactive important enactment ahead. I look guardant to moving intimately with the board, staff, customers, suppliers and shareholders arsenic we participate this adjacent phase.”

Pure Foods Tasmania reported a nett nonaccomplishment of A$2.8m for the 12 months ended successful June 2025, an betterment compared to a nonaccomplishment of A$3.9m successful the erstwhile year.

Annual revenues declined 28% to A$5.4m.

The institution said its show was impacted by the exit from “unprofitable” merchandise lines.

In 2021, Australian plant-based ice-cream shaper The Cashew Creamery was added to Pure Foods Tasmania's portfolio pursuing different deals for salmon and trout steadfast Woodbridge Smokehouse and Daly Potato Co.