Woodlands Dairy appoints Helen McDougall as new CEO

SOUTH AFRICA – Woodlands Dairy, the leading South African dairy processor, has announced the stepping down of its Founder and CEO Lex Gutsche, after 23 years of leading the company.

The company has appointed Helen McDougall,  a veteran of the food industry in South Africa, as the new CEO, effective October 1, 2024.

“After founding and opening Woodlands Dairy 29 years ago and actively leading it as CEO for 23 years of that time; it has come time for me to step down and handover the baton to my successor.  Whilst never an easy decision to step back from the daily action, it has been made easier through the appointment of a strong person to take my place,'” said Gutsche in a note.

He further announced that he has taken the role of Executive Chairman for the dairy company for a period to be determined later.

Ms. McDougall, the current General Manager of Mars South Africa, has a great depth of over 22 years of experience in the FMCG industry. She has been the with Mars South Africa for nine years.

Prior to joining Mars South Africa, Ms. McDougall spent five years at Danone South Africa, serving in various roles.

“I am confident Helen brings new diverse ideas to the table, is a determined successful woman who will not only inspire her management team, but also all the other female members of our company.  I am excited by Helen’s appointment and look forward to seeing her fly,” Gutsche noted.

Gutsche Family Investments (GFI), a family-owned business, is the major shareholder in the Woodlands Dairy Group and owns 75% of the business.

Two black-owned partners, namely African Pioneer Group (Pty) and Nozala Investments (Pty) Ltd, jointly hold 25% of the company.

Woodlands Dairy has been under the leadership of Gutsche since 1995, when the diversified food industry investment group took over a modest milk packaging plant for the Woodlands Farms.

The company has since grown into one of South Africa’s largest manufacturers of UHT milk under the First Choice brand. It is also a processor and packer for leading retailers such as SPAR, Pick ‘n Pay and Woolworths.

Located in Humansdorp in the Eastern Cape region, the dairy employs more than   1700 staff we uphold its reputation for innovative thinking, rapid product development and exceptional customer service, according to the firm.

As Lex steps us in hois new role, he shall be transitioning and leaving the day-to-day operations of a company that has since changed substantilly from the humble beginnings of 1995.

In 2022, the dairy acquired 100% of Fairfield Dairy, located in Kwa-Zulu Natal province of South Africa – thereby accelerating its growth into new territories and product categories.

With a wide variety of products under the First Choice and Fairfield brands, the dairy is well known for its growing range of products such as yoghurts, fresh milk, cheeses, butter, cream, amasi, custard, flavoured milk, extended shelf life (ESL), UHT milk, milk powder, dairy desserts, dessert toppings, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, dips, and ice cream.

Sustainability at the core of Woodlands Dairy

The dairy is a well known advocate for sustainable dairy production and consumption in South Africa.

During the latest launch of its Low-Fat Drinking Snack and Low-Fat Dairy Snack designed to cater for health-conscious consumers, the company announced plans for in-store Point of Sale displays, engaging wet demos, active social media support, and consumer competitions in the coming year.

This is part of a series of investments and partnerships the company is pursuing to expand and meet consumer demand.

Analysts have revealed that Woodlands Dairy stands at the forefront as the pioneer adopter of the tethered cap design in South Africa, in direct response to consumer demands for functional packaging that facilitates beverage storage and consumption over time.

The dairy processor recently partnered with Nampak Liquid Cartons, to introduce South Africa’s first tethered cap carton, designed to tackle the issue of plastic pollution by preventing cap detachment during recycling.

Recent research from Capgemini found that more than half of people have an emotional connection with brands that are sustainable, with 64% saying that buying more sustainable products makes them happy.

When considering the functionality of packaging, research conducted by Carnelley Rangecroft Consultancy for Nampak Liquid Cartons found that 90% of South Africans would opt for a carton with a cap as opposed to one without.

Based on the findings from the two studies, the partnership could give Woodlands Dairy a competitive edge in consumers’ choices when buying dairy products.

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