Sheffield-based gluten- and dairy-free specialist Delicious Alchemy has appointed Iain Macpherson as the company’s new chief executive officer.

Macpherson will be responsible for building on the business platform that founder, Emma Killilea, has developed in the past 10 years, overseeing expansion into new areas and ventures.

Macpherson commented: “This is a great opportunity to develop a forward-thinking and ambitious business. My intention is to build the customer base, breadth of the business, international reach and NPD activities.”

After an early career in global FMCG businesses in international sales and marketing roles, Macpherson moved into SMEs in pet food at Bakers Complete, where he doubled the business, and ice cream complements manufacturer Askeys, where the business also doubled.

The last eight years has seen him at the helm of Fiddes Payne, a privately owned manufacturer of home baking and savoury products, where turnover grew from £7m to £17.6m under his leadership, with pre-tax profits rising to £1.5m.

Delicious Alchemy celebrates its 10-year anniversary this year, and has a range of 14 gluten- and dairy-free breakfast cereals, cakes and bread mixes that are stocked in major retailers, including Tesco, Morrisons and The Co-op.