Maggie Beer Holdings (MBH) has appointed Chris Illman as managing director as the company focuses on returning to positive earnings and progressing the sale of its Hampers & Gifts Australia business.
Illman has formally taken the role after joining the company’s board as a non-executive director in November 2025. He has more than 30 years’ experience across the FMCG, liquor and hospitality sectors, including executive roles with Kraft Foods International, Foster’s Group and Southcorp Wines. Most recently he was head of group sales, marketing and hospitality at Bickford’s Group.
Maggie Beer Holdings, chair, Mark Lindh said Illman would lead the next phase of the company’s strategy.
“Chris has made a strong contribution to the Board since joining in November 2025 and brings deep FMCG and customer experience to the executive leadership of the Group,” Lindh said.
FY26 results
The appointment was announced alongside MBH’s FY26 results, which recorded flat sales but improvements in margins and underlying losses.
Net sales from continuing operations declined 0.2 per cent to $75.7 million, while the group’s statutory loss narrowed 60.8 per cent to $9.5 million.
Its trading EBITDA loss improved from $0.7 million to $0.5 million.
Gross margin increased 1.6 percentage points to 49 per cent, while corporate costs fell from $4.7 million to $2.9 million. Inventory was reduced 17.6 per cent to $8.6 million.
The Maggie Beer Products division increased net sales by 8.2 per cent, with EBITDA before impairment charges rising 17.4 per cent to $1.1 million. Sales of stocks and broths increased 18.3 per cent and cheese grew 12.3 per cent, while new products generated $2.1 million in revenue, up from $748,000 in FY25.
Hampers & Gifts Australia sales fell 6.3 per cent, partly due to lower online traffic following the migration of its websites to a new platform in June 2025. Its margin improved from 53.6 to 56.7 per cent.
The proposed $10 million sale of the hampers business remains subject to due diligence, funding and binding documentation, with completion targeted for February 2027.
MBH ended FY26 with no drawn debt and net cash of $1.9 million. Its $4 million NAB facility was undrawn at 30 June.
“The overall FY26 result is not where we want it to be,” Lindh said.
“However, the underlying business improved across a number of key financial measures with a better gross margin, a smaller trading loss, a materially reduced statutory loss, no debt and a stronger balance sheet.”
The company said its FY27 priorities included growing Maggie Beer Products, completing the strategic review of Hampers & Gifts Australia and returning the group to positive trading EBITDA and cash generation.
