Darby will leave the business in January, six years after he joined.
The report also revealed that Q2 revenue growth of 1% ‘demonstrated portfolio resilience’ despite the hot summer in the UK.
Other key announcements were:
- Net debt reduced by £25.7million since March 2018
- The Mr Kipling brand relaunch delivered revenue growth of +13%
- Group in discussions to drop its Ambrosia brand
Gavin Darby, chief executive of Premier Foods, said: “We are pleased to report revenue growth of +1.3% in the fist half, a +6.2% increase in trading profit and Net Debt £26m lower compared to last year.
“We saw improved resilience displayed by the business during the hot summer experienced in the first half of the financial year; however we are presently experiencing some operational challenges with the implementation of the final Sweet Treats phase of our logistics transformation programme.
“We have a strong innovation plan in place for the second half of the year, and profit expectations for the full year remain unchanged.
“I have decided to step down as CEO on 31 January 2019, which will mark the sixth anniversary of my joining Premier Foods.