Co-founder of Taste Holdings, owner of Starbucks, steps down as CEO

Starbucks managing executive Clive Liversage with Taste Holdings chief executive officer Carlo Gonzaga.

Starbucks managing executive Clive Liversage with Taste Holdings chief executive officer Carlo Gonzaga.

Published Feb 12, 2018

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JOHANNESBURG - Taste Holdings, which owns Starbucks and Domino's Pizza, announced on Monday that its co-founder Carlo Gonzaga had resigned as chief executive.

Taste, a South African-based management group that owns and licenses a portfolio of franchised and owned retail brands, said Gonzaga would remain employed for six months, supporting the new interim CEO and the board.

Gonzaga co-founded the Taste Group with his father, Luigi, and Duncan Crosson - currently an executive director of Taste - in 2000 with a single pizza outlet in Westville, Durban.

He has led the organisation for 18 years and seen it transform from a single franchise brand into a vertically integrated business across jewellery and food, licensing some of the world’s leading brands in their categories, in addition to owning their own brands and outlets.

"Despite being a co-founder I have always believed that I am a temporary steward of the company and that there would one day come the time to hand over the baton to a set of fresh eyes and legs. Given the recent changes to the board and shareholding I am of the view that the time is now," Gonzaga said.

"I am looking forward to being a real customer in one of our outlets for the first time. I owe a debt of gratitude to all those partners that strive to delight our customers every day, as I am to our network partners that have shared and contributed to our business vision and success.”

Taste said non-executive director Tyrone Moodley would be appointed to the group CEO role effective Monday.

Last year, Taste Holdings reported a loss of more than R65 million in its interim financial results for the six months ended 31 August.

- African News Agency (ANA)

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