Bell takes chair at Premier

Mr Bell, who has been a non-executive director at Leeds-based Northern Foods since 2005 will resign from the role immediately and take up the new post at Premier in October.

Mr Bell was previously president of Kraft Foods Europe.

Premier Foods, which makes Quorn in Stokesley in North Yorkshire, is spending more on TV advertising to counteract the rising popularity of discounted rivals and special offers.

The group, whose brands include Hovis bread, Branston pickle and Bisto gravy, said first-quarter sales fell 5.1 per cent, but kept its full-year outlook unchanged.

First-quarter sales of its key brands, products that it is focusing on growing such as Hovis and Mr Kipling cakes, rose 3.4 per cent.

The group said branded chilled sales fell 4.7 per cent in the first quarter following the heavyweight Quorn campaign during the same period last year.

The restructuring of the Quorn supply chain is continuing and the group said the anticipated cost savings are being delivered to plan.