Coffee industry senior appointments: october 2026. 2 November 2026 A round-up of senior appointments from across the global coffee industry, including new leadership for Keurig Dr Pepper's coffee division, Paris Baguette's global operations and Panera Bread's US franchise business Keurig Dr Pepper appoints new CEO for Global Coffee Co spinoff The US beverage group has named former Kimberly-Clark Chief Operating Officer Russ Torres as the new CEO for its planned Global Coffee Co spinoff, three months after its first choice for the role left the business. As part of its $18bn acquisition of JDE Peet's, KDP is planning to split into two US-listed companies, Global Coffee Co and Beverage Co, to manage its sizeable coffee and soft beverages portfolios as standalone listed businesses. The separation is expected to take place in the first quarter of 2027. Torres' appointment comes six months after JDE Peet's CEO Rafael Oliveira was appointed to the role - one he left three months later to join Dutch beer giant Heineken. SPC Group appoints Samsung and eBay exec as Paris Croissant CEO Kang Shin-bong has been appointed the new CEO of Paris Croissant, the parent company of global bakery-café franchise, Paris Baguette. Kang will be responsible for unearthing future growth engines for Paris Baguette as it seeks to more than double in size and reach 12,000 stores globally by 2030. Alongside international growth, the former Samsung executive will also be responsible for increasing Paris Baguette's brand exposure in an acutely competitive and crowded South Korean branded coffee shop market. Former Burger King exec joins Panera Bread to lead US franchise expansion Panera, the third-largest operator in the US branded coffee shop market by outlets, has appointed former Kraft Heinz executive Renato Gueraldi as new Senior Vice President for Franchise Operations to accelerate outlet growth across North America. Some 55% of Panera's 2,250 store network is franchised, with Ohio-based Covelli Enterprises the group's largest franchisee, operating nearly 300 stores across five US states. Gueraldi is Panera's fourth senior hire of 2026 as it chases a $7bn sales target by 2028. New CEO for Colombian coffee group Juan Valdez Colombian coffee group Juan Valdez has a new CEO for the first time since 2018. Succeeding Camila Escobar, Luis Guillermo Quintero Martínez is tasked with building on Juan Valdez's record annual revenues and accelerating international expansion, while returning the brand to profit growth. Juan Valdez achieved 20% year-on-year revenue growth during the 12 months ended 31 December 2025 to reach a record COP 967.8bn ($271.1m). However, despite revenues rising a further 18.2% during the first half of 2026, group profit fell 34% year-on-year during the same period amid higher green coffee costs and labour expenses. New leadership for Tchibo in Poland German coffee group Tchibo has appointed former Miele and Adidas executive Zofia Korecka-Rejczak as the new Managing Director for its business in Poland. Founded in Hamburg in 1949, Tchibo began distributing packaged coffee in Poland in 1992 and opened its first bricks-and-mortar retail store in Warsaw in 2005. The coffee roaster and retailer currently operates 53 coffee bars in Poland, where it also sells its packaged coffee brands, as well as an alternating range of clothing, furniture, household items and electrical appliances. Korecka-Rejczak joins Tchibo with a strong pedigree in FMCG and brand strategy. TOUS les JOURS hires ex-McDonald's exec to revive North American growth Premium South Korean bakery-café chain TOUS les JOURS has hired long-serving McDonald's executive Max Gallegos to reignite its growth strategy in North America. Gallegos joins as Chief Marketing Officer for North America after more than 25 years in senior marketing roles at fast-food giant McDonald's, and will be responsible for improving brand awareness, customer footfall and digital engagement to support outlet growth. His appointment comes as TOUS les JOURS seeks to close the gap on key competitor Paris Baguette, which has outpaced its South Korean rival in the US over the last few years.

Panera Bread releases statement, mum on reason behind closure in Dillon. The restaurant chain thanked the community but offered no explanation for its decision to shutter the cafe after three years in business. NewsNews | Oct 29, 2026 Panera Bread has confirmed the permanent closure of its Dillon restaurant but declined to provide a specific reason for shuttering the business less than four years after opening. The Panera at 257 Dillon Ridge Road closed in early October, roughly three and a half years after first welcoming customers in April 2023. "After a couple years of serving the Dillon community, we have made the difficult decision to close our Dillon Panera Bread cafe," Jennifer Arnold, the company's director of non-traditional sales and marketing, said in a statement provided to Summit Daily News. "This decision was not made lightly," Arnold stated. "Over the years, we have had the privilege of being part of your daily routines, family gatherings, business meetings and special moments." She didn't respond to a request for comment on what prompted the closure at this time or how many workers the Dillon restaurant employed. "As the needs of our guests continue to evolve, we are making changes to better serve our communities," Arnold stated. The town of Dillon also has little information about the closure. In response to a public records request, Town Clerk Adrienne Stuckey said the town had not received any communication from Panera representatives regarding the business's closure. Road signs stationed along Interstate 70 near the Silverthorne exits still advertise the Panera location. Oct 29, 2026

Cultural foods heat up autumn. October 28, 2026 Students celebrate a variety of cultural celebrations during the fall by gathering around the dinner table with their families. Beyond traditional fall favorites like pumpkin pie, different communities bring their own cultural flavors to the celebration. American culture With holidays such as Thanksgiving and Halloween coming up, many people describe a comforting, delicious, warm meal as a fall food. Three of the eight great flavors are pumpkin spice, apple, and maple according to Gold Medal; some sweet treats during the holidays include apple cider donuts, pumpkin spice snickerdoodles, and apple-pear crumble pie. Story continues below advertisement According to Tasting Table, Panera Bread's store-bought broccoli cheddar soup ranks as their top choice for soups because of its well balanced broth and "uniquely creamy" taste. "I think if they like soup, and if they like cheese and broccoli, they should try it," senior Emma Bishop said. "I think it is better than chicken noodle soup, but that's just me." According to The Greenhouse, this popular broccoli cheddar soup is the perfect comforting and warm soup, especially on a chilly day. A simple recipe mixed with three main ingredients of cheddar cheese, broccoli and chicken base brings family and friends together. "It was something we had a lot during fall and winter time," Bishop said. "My mom likes to make it. It was easy to throw into the crockpot and have it for dinner." Chinese culture According to Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, the Mid-Autumn Festival in Chinese culture is a big tradition where families gather and celebrate what is believed to be the brightest and roundest moon of the year on the 15th of the eighth lunar month. During the celebration, people most commonly eat mooncakes, a sweet, chewy and filling snack, alongside other foods such as crab and duck. The round shape of a mooncake mirrors a full moon, symbolizing unity and family, which creates a sense of belonging among those who share the treat. "My favorite fall food is probably red bean mooncakes," freshman Abigail Zhang said. "During the Mid-Autumn Festival, you have your family over and you eat certain foods. It's very family heavy." Mooncakes are often filled with ingredients such as red bean or egg yolk. They are usually sliced into small wedges and shared with loved ones. "We usually buy them from a Chinese store," Zhang said. "I would say that it tastes very homey, and if you want some sweet kind of snack, dessert, whatever, it all falls into those categories. And just enjoy it." South Asian culture A popular South Asian festival, Diwali, takes place between mid-October to mid-November. During the five-day celebration, which occurs during the darkest new moon, families gather to celebrate new beginnings and the triumph of good over evil. According to Festive Flavours, Diwali is a celebration with no shortage of delicious sweet treats, such as kaju katlis (fudge made from grounded cashews, sugar, and ghee), gulab jamuns( soft, deep fried balls soaked in sugar) and laddos (bite-sized roasted ball with flour, ghee, sugar, and nuts). "My favorite food is gulab jamun," freshman Hiranmayi Iruku said. "We make that for Diwali, it's an Indian food. We [offer] it to the god, and then we eat it. It's super sweet, soaked into syrupy sugar, it's really good." According to Manmohan Sweets, gulab jamun symbolizes love, joy and togetherness. These soft, golden fried dough balls are highly popular during the festival season. "When I was six years old, my mom made gulab jamun," Iruku said. "The first time I tried it, my face lit up. It was amazing. It's like a Dunkin' Munchkin but soaked in syrup." Central America Not only Mexicans, but also Central American countries such as El Savador and Guatemala celebrate The Day of the Dead from Oct. 31 to Nov. 2. According to History, Día de los Muertos turns grief into a celebration - welcoming back the souls of their loved ones in a vibrant, food-filled family reunion. Some people eat foods like tamales (filled with chicken, pork, beans, sweet filling wrapped with corn husks or banana leaves), pan de muerto (sweet egg bread dusted with sugar) and pozole (hominy with meat stew). "My favorite food would have to be tamales from Guatemala and El Salvador," senior Samantha Diaz Quinonez said. "I personally like the tamales from El Savador better because it is not that spicy. There's a bit of sauce with potato and the chicken inside so it brings flavor. It's really good." Tamales played an important role in cultural and religious ceremonies. They are offered to gods, symbolizing gratitude and abundance according to Houston Food Bank. Families don't only gather during holidays, but often simply to catch up and connect, which is followed by a lively meal that creates unforgettable memories and the beginning of traditions. "I have family who lives in Guatemala and they come here to America," Quinonez said. "So every time I eat tamales, I just remember all the time we spent together. We would all gather around this piece of big bread with tiny little babies inside. If you get the baby, you're going to make the tamales for everyone in the family." Donate to The Purple Tide Contributed Your donation will support the student journalists of Chantilly High School. Your contribution will allow Chantilly to cover its printing and annual website hosting costs.