As Keurig Dr Pepper moves toward separating its beverage and global coffee businesses in early 2027, its executive team is shifting.

Rafa Oliveira, head of KDP’s Coffee Operating Unit, will leave the company at the end of July for an external chief executive officer role. The company’s board has begun a search for the next chief executive officer of Global Coffee Co. Pamela Patsley, chairman of KDP’s board, will lead the search and will serve as chairman of the board for Global Coffee Co. after the separation.

Tim Cofer, CEO of Keurig Dr Pepper, is expected to serve as chief executive officer of Beverage Co. after the separation. Until the split, he will continue to oversee the coffee business and work with the leadership team of the coffee operating unit as the company pursues integration and separation milestones.

The planned separation comes as Keurig Dr Pepper integrates JDE Peet’s into its coffee business. The company said the combination is intended to create a scaled global coffee company with a broader brand portfolio, multiple formats and deeper category expertise.

“KDP’s acquisition of JDE Peet’s is creating a scaled, global coffee leader with iconic brands, broad participation across formats and occasions and deep category expertise,” Patsley said in a release. “Our conviction in the value creation opportunity for Global Coffee Co. has only strengthened since the transaction’s close. We are confident we will secure the right world-class executive to lead the coffee business and maximize shareholder returns.”

For convenience services operators, the transition may influence product availability, category strategy, account support and future innovation in single-serve coffee, workplace coffee, cold beverages and related refreshment channels.

Why this matters for convenience services operators

• JDE Peet’s integration adds scale to the coffee business, which could influence pricing, supply planning and category management.
• The new CEO of the coffee business, once named, will help shape channel priorities.
• Beverage and coffee buyers may see clearer supplier segmentation after the split, with Beverage Co. and Global Coffee Co. focused on different growth strategies.