The pair’s brief is to further enhance Puratos’ global impact and to achieve the company’s €5bn turnover target by 2030, and their appointments underscore the company’s legacy, historical continuity and ambitious plans as a family company.
Tossut has successfully led high-performing teams throughout his 26-year career at Puratos. He was directly responsible for Puratos’ R&D, marketing, product management and sales divisions and structured the group’s health and wellbeing approach, a cornerstone of the company since its conception. Prior to this, he led the expansion of the group’s worldwide R&D footprint, heading an international team of 475 people driving research across the globe.
He succeeds Daniel Malcorps, who successfully led the Belgian company for 20 years.
Tossut said: “The people we work with and Puratos’ singular focus on our client have always been key to our success and we will ensure that these remain at the centre of operations. At Puratos we believe that food has extraordinary power to feed, nourish, celebrate, comfort and unite people of all backgrounds.
“Food innovation is energy for good, and this is why we constantly strive to extend our positive impact with the creation of pioneering and innovative food solutions that promote health and well-being, and steadily move businesses, customers, people and the planet forward. We have ambitious plans to achieve much more in the coming years, with the clear goal of reaching a five-billion-euro turnover by 2030.”
He is joined by Van Belle as the new Chairman of the Board. Van Belle was first appointed to the Board of the Puratos Group in 2016, as part of the third generation of shareholders.
Cacao Foundation
He has been managing the family-owned worldwide network of chocolate museums, Choco-Story, since 2003. He is an active member of several committees within the Group and is Chairman of the Next Generation Cacao Foundation, a Puratos charity initiative with a mission to contribute to the social, economic and environmental development of cocoa farmers and communities.
Van Belle said: “One of the strengths of family-owned companies like Puratos is thinking in terms of generations rather than quarterly results. This is why we have actively committed to an operating model that goes beyond the creation of economic value - and is also sustainable, respectful and balanced.
“To this end, we are implementing plans to achieve CO2 neutrality, minimise our water usage and reduce waste. Our raw materials are sourced responsibly and we aim to ensure a safe and stable revenue for farmers.
“We work in harmony with the communities we are part of, and invest in providing life-changing, educational opportunities in our bakery schools. Furthermore, we are committed to creating a caring working environment for our employees, which welcomes diversity and promotes personal development. I am excited about Puratos’ future and the continued growth of our company.”