Keurig Dr Pepper Named Russ Torres as Coffee CEO

The company appointed the current Kimberly-Clark executive to lead its coffee division ahead of a planned spin-off.

Updated on Oct. 1, 2026 in People

Keurig Dr Pepper Named Russ Torres as Coffee CEO

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Keurig Dr Pepper has appointed Russ Torres, the president and COO of Kimberly-Clark, as the new CEO of its coffee division. Torres will take over the role on November 3 and oversee the transition of the division into an independent, publicly traded entity.

Why it matters

The leadership change arrives as Keurig Dr Pepper prepares to separate its coffee and beverage businesses. Torres is tasked with integrating the company's recent $18 billion acquisition of JDE Peet's to ready the coffee unit for its market debut.

The company successfully integrated the $18 billion acquisition of JDE Peet's earlier this year. Russ Torres brings 30 years of consumer goods experience to the role as the organization prepares for its new structure.

The players

Russ Torres

He is the current president and COO of Kimberly-Clark who will lead the Keurig coffee division.

Keurig Dr Pepper

This is a major beverage and coffee corporation currently planning to split into two distinct public entities.

Tim Cofer

He is the chief executive officer of Keurig Dr Pepper who will supervise Torres.

Rafael Oliveira

He is a former executive who left Keurig Dr Pepper to join the leadership team at Heineken.

The details

Torres will report directly to Keurig Dr Pepper chief executive Tim Cofer as he manages the coffee division. He replaces Rafael Oliveira, who previously left the company to join Heineken after being named for the role earlier this year.

April 2026: Keurig named Rafael Oliveira as the planned coffee company CEO.
August 2026: The company reaffirmed annual forecasts following strong Q2 results.
October 1, 2026: Russ Torres was officially named as the new coffee CEO.
November 3, 2026: Russ Torres will join the company.
Early 2027: The coffee unit is expected to begin operations as an independent public company.

Market Landscape

The separation of the coffee and beverage operations reflects a broader strategy among conglomerates to spin off specialized units into independent entities. This move aims to sharpen operational focus as Keurig Dr Pepper positions itself against traditional rivals in both the beverage and coffee markets.

Average customers should not expect immediate changes to their coffee purchases or product availability during this leadership transition. The focus remains on corporate integration and the long-term structural changes slated for next year.

The takeaway

The appointment of a seasoned executive like Torres signals that Keurig is prioritizing a stable integration of its massive $18 billion JDE Peet's acquisition. Investors and consumers should watch how the division's branding evolves as it prepares to stand alone next year.