Orior appoints former Migros executive Peter Müller as CEO

SWITZERLAND – Swiss food and beverage producer Orior has named former Mibelle Group chief executive Dr Peter Müller as its new CEO, replacing Monika Friedli-Walser, who has been overseeing the company in both executive and board leadership roles for nearly a year.

The company said Müller will officially assume the position on September 1, while Friedli-Walser will continue serving as chairwoman and Delegate of the Board of Directors.

In a statement released by the company, Friedli-Walser said Müller’s background in corporate leadership, restructuring projects and acquisitions made him suitable for the role at a time when Orior continues to adjust its business strategy.

Before joining Orior, Müller held several senior management positions at Mibelle Group, which previously operated under the Swiss retail company Migros, after joining the business in 2015 to oversee operations and supply chain activities.

He later became CEO of Mibelle at the end of 2021 and was recently involved in separating the business from Migros ahead of its sale to Spain-based Persán Group.

Migros completed the divestment of Mibelle in March 2025 as part of efforts to concentrate more heavily on its retail operations in Switzerland.

Earlier in his career, Müller also worked at Cham Paper Group, where he eventually rose to managing director after holding multiple leadership roles within the company.

Strategy review

Meanwhile, Orior confirmed in March that it would retain its ready-meals division after completing a review linked to its broader business restructuring plans.

The company announced in August 2025 that it was considering several options for Belgium-based Culinor Food Group, including a potential sale, as part of a debt-reduction programme that involved operational changes across the business.

However, after examining what it described as all available strategic alternatives, Orior stated that none of the proposals reviewed delivered sufficient value for the company.

Financial results released alongside the update showed that Orior’s organic sales revenue for 2025 declined by 1.5% to about US$748.9 million from Swiss franc-denominated results.

However, the decrease was smaller than the projected 2% to 4% drop.

Net profit improved to approximately US$11.2 million, compared with a loss of around US$42.2 million a year earlier.

Sales in Orior’s international division, which includes Culinor, Casualfood, Gesa and Spiess Europe, slipped 1.3% to nearly US$238 million.

In contrast, revenue in its convenience division, which includes Fredag, Le Patron, Pastinella and Biotta, fell 4.5% to roughly US$240.7 million.

Separately, Orior acquired the remaining 81% stake in Italian pasta producer Pastificio Gaetarelli in March for what the company described as a consideration in the mid-single-digit millions of US dollars, completing its full takeover of the Lake Garda-based business, which supplies retail and foodservice customers.

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