Aryzta gears up to offload its US business

The troubled Swiss-Irish food firm aims to strengthen position by pruning struggling divisions and appointing new chief executive

Aryzta has been without a full-time chief executive since the sudden departure of Kevin Toland last November

Bids for the American units of Aryzta, the Irish-Swiss food company, are expected in the next few weeks as attention switches to the appointment of a new chief executive.

Several institutional shareholders in the company have told the Business Post that Gordon Hardie, the newly-appointed non-executive director, is in the running for the chief executive’s role.

Hardie, who is Irish and was educated at UCC and UCD, has worked for companies including the ingredients firm ...