Inge Demeyere is the new CEO of Poppies Bakeries, an European leader in sweet pastries

Since January 5th, Inge Demeyere has joined the fifty-year-old family business in Zonnebeke. She will become the second external CEO in Poppies Bakeries' history next March. The former Managing Director of Bakery and Ice Cream at Cargill is eager to "shape the next chapter of growth and innovation" for this little-known Flemish gem.

© Gondola Foodservice

"A big thank you to the Castelein and Populier families for their trust and to the current CEO for the confidence and the three months we’ll share to ensure a smooth and inspiring transition," Inge Demeyere recently shared, announcing her arrival at Poppies, the industrial pastry specialist .

A few months earlier, this KU Leuven-trained economist had closed a 24-year chapter at the multinational food company Cargill. Looking back on her career, from her position as sales and purchasing manager for oils to Managing Director of Bakery, Icecream and Confectionery EMEA, she feels proud of everything she and her teams accomplished.

"Leading the growth of Cargill’s European chocolate business has been full of opportunities and challenges. We could transform the business into one of the biggest players and become a trusted partner for our customers. Embarking on the gourmet journey, we made 3 acquisitions with each of them being unique. The house of chocolate is now our diamond to innovate together with customers," recalls Inge Demeyere.

The new recruit at the Zonnebeke-based bakery says she is truly eager to embark on this adventure and "build upon the company's solid foundations and shape the next chapter of growth and innovation." She will succeed Patrick Reekmans, CEO of Poppies Bakeries since 2018, who wishes her "good luck in this wonderful venture." Under his leadership, turnover has increased by nearly 70%, exceeding €500 million.

This Flemish company, little known in Belgium, nevertheless enjoys an international reputation from which it derives the majority of its sales (80%), with Germany and the United States as its main markets, followed by the UK, France, and Belgium. And the challenges posed by Trump's America (loss of purchasing power, tariffs, dollar devaluation) are not discouraging Poppies from exporting more to this vast market.

The American market is the opposite of the European one, where business revolves around private label brands. The industrial pastry manufacturer primarily sells its Delizza (frozen cream puffs and éclairs) and Poppies brands there. But the manufacturer also produces private label products for Aldi, Lidl, and Ahold, as Patrick Reekmans recently explained to Trends . Add to that collaborations with Nestlé, for its KitKat donuts, for example, or Starbucks, for cookies.

The founding Castelein and Popelier families remain the driving force behind Poppies, with five members of the second generation holding strategic positions, ranging from sales management to human resources. However, to succeed the current CEO, the heirs have opted for external expertise. At the end of March, Inge Demeyere will become the second adoptive CEO.