SPAIN - FrieslandCampina has appointed Martina Müller as the new managing director of its operations in Iberia, Italy, and France. 

Müller officially assumed the role in October, taking responsibility for driving the company's strategy across these key European markets. 

With her extensive experience, she is set to tackle the challenges of expanding FrieslandCampina's business in territories critical to the dairy giant's growth plans.

Müller steps into her new position after serving as the Commercial Director of QSR and coffee & tea at FrieslandCampina Professional. In that role, she managed key accounts with major international fast-food chains, including McDonald’s and Burger King. 

Her efforts were credited with strengthening strategic partnerships that have benefitted the company's professional division. Müller's expertise in managing large-scale accounts is expected to play a pivotal role in advancing FrieslandCampina’s objectives in Southern Europe.

Before joining FrieslandCampina, Müller built a robust career with more than 19 years of experience in marketing and business administration. She has held leadership roles at multinational companies such as Mondelez and Pepsico in Brazil and Reckitt-Benckiser in the UK. 

Müller holds a business administration degree from IE Business School and London Business School, which has given her a solid foundation to lead complex operations in competitive markets.

As she steps into her new role, Müller’s priorities include enhancing operational efficiency and refining FrieslandCampina’s presence across various distribution channels. 

With a keen eye on sustainability trends and shifting market demands, Müller will guide the company's strategy to stay competitive in an evolving industry. Her focus on adapting to the changing retail environment aligns with FrieslandCampina’s broader objectives of innovation and market responsiveness.

FrieslandCampina, one of Europe’s leading dairy cooperatives, has a substantial presence in Southwest Europe, where it markets several well-known cheese brands such as Millán Vicente, Castillo de Holanda, Recién Cortado, and Campina. 

These brands are distributed through major retail chains across the region, strengthening FrieslandCampina's footprint in the dairy sector. In addition to cheese, the company is also known for its Debic brand, which supplies creams and butters to the professional market, Chocomel in the milkshake category, and Valess, a meat alternative product.

Müller’s appointment comes at a time when FrieslandCampina is actively looking to bolster its presence in the competitive European market. The company has recently been involved in an anti-dumping probe initiated by China, targeting European dairy exporters. 

FrieslandCampina, alongside other EU-based firms, has been selected for a sampling exercise as part of this investigation, which focuses on whether EU dairy products are being dumped into the Chinese market at unfair prices. 

This situation presents an additional layer of complexity for Müller, who will need to navigate international trade challenges while ensuring growth in the company’s key European markets.

FrieslandCampina reported a revenue of €13.1 billion (US$14.2 billion) for 2023, a 7.1% decline from the previous year. The company posted a net loss of €149 million (US$161.8 million) during this period, following a €292 million (US$317.1 million) profit in 2022.