Libstar has named Cornél Lodewyks as its group COO with effect from August 1.He is currently an executive director of Libstar and managing executive of Lancewood, the consumer goods group’s largest operating division.Libstar’s brands also include Denny Mushrooms, Cape Herb & Spice and Montagu Foods.Lodewyks will continue to serve on the board as an executive director, Libstar said in a statement on Monday.“Cornél has been a valued member of the Libstar leadership team for several years and has made a significant contribution to the group’s operational performance, strategic execution and value creation,” Libstar said.“His extensive experience in the fast-moving consumer goods sector, together with his proven operational, commercial and leadership capabilities, position him well to support the continued execution of Libstar’s strategy and long-term growth ambition.”The vacancy arising from his appointment as COO will be filled by a senior executive from within Lancewood.Business Day reported in June that Libstar is continuing with its share repurchase programme and portfolio reshaping strategy despite reporting weaker-than-expected trading for the first 21 weeks of 2026, with the group citing consumer pressures, rising costs and operational challenges.The food producer said that it had spent about R43.3m to repurchase 9.4-million Libstar shares at an average price of R4.59 apiece. The group plans to continue the buyback programme during its closed period, subject to regulatory requirements and board approval processes.The share repurchases come as Libstar reported that revenue for the period to end-May was broadly in line with the previous year, increasing 0.9%. Volume growth was 0.3%, while price and mix contributed 0.6%.The group’s trading performance was below its original expectations, with its performance affected by a constrained consumer environment and higher manufacturing costs, it said previously.Business Day