Refresco appoints Minsok Pak as President and Chief Strategy & Transformation Officer

Refresco, the world’s leading independent beverage solutions provider, has appointed Minsok Pak as President and Chief Strategy & Transformation Officer, effective July 15, 2026, as the company strengthens its global growth strategy and transformation agenda. 

The newly created executive role sits on Refresco’s Executive Committee and reports directly to Chief Executive Officer Steve Presley. Pak will oversee the company’s global enterprise strategy, mergers and acquisitions (M&A) agenda, and enterprise-wide transformation programme aimed at improving operational performance and commercial effectiveness. 

According to Refresco, the appointment supports its ambition to deepen its position as the only independent supply chain partner with the scale, category breadth and geographic reach to serve the global beverage industry. 

Pak brings 35 years of experience in consumer-facing industries and international leadership. Most recently, he served as Chief Executive Officer of CJ CheilJedang Foods, South Korea’s largest food company, where he led a business generating more than US$9 billion in revenue across over 75 markets.  

He also served on the board of Primo Brands and previously held the position of Senior Vice President at The LEGO Group, where he oversaw branded retail and channel development across more than 200 stores worldwide. 

Steve Presley, CEO of Refresco, said, “Refresco has built a strong global platform that serves the beverage industry across brands, retailers and categories. Minsok has spent his career leading large-scale strategy and transformation at companies operating at this scale.  

He brings a strong track record of creating long-term value, along with deep experience in M&A and operations, and I’m confident he is well suited to lead the business at this important stage in Refresco’s growth.” 

Pak said the beverage sector is undergoing significant structural change, creating new opportunities for manufacturers with scalable production capabilities. 

“The beverage industry is changing faster than at any point in a generation. Brands are outsourcing production, private label is taking structural share, and entirely new categories are scaling faster than most manufacturers can follow,” he said. 

He added, “Refresco’s platform is uniquely positioned to win, with the scale, flexibility, and customer relationships to capture demand others cannot serve. I am excited to help shape what comes next and look forward to what we will build together.” 

The appointment follows Refresco’s recent acquisition of SunOpta, a North American supply chain solutions provider.  

The transaction expanded Refresco’s capabilities in plant-based and protein beverage manufacturing, strengthened its presence across North America, and broadened its access to the foodservice channel, reinforcing the growth strategy Pak will now lead. 

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