Alcoholic beverage manufacturer Constellation Brands named Alex Alvarez SVP and chief supply chain officer for its beer division, according to an Aug. 25 press release.
Alvarez will assume the role on Sept. 14, replacing John Kester, who plans to retire in November. Alvarez will lead the end-to-end beer supply chain organization for Constellation, which makes brands such as Modelo and Corona. He will oversee manufacturing, procurement, planning, logistics and distribution while reporting to Jim Sabia, EVP and president of the company’s beer division.
No stranger to the alcoholic beverage supply chain, Alvarez has more than 30 years of operations and supply chain management experience across manufacturing, distribution, innovation, quality, sustainability and capital management, according to the release.
Prior to this latest appointment, Alvarez spent the last three years as SVP and chief supply chain officer at Suntory Global Spirits, which owns alcoholic beverage brands such as Jim Beam and Maker’s Mark. In that role, he managed the company’s entire global supply chain, including 18 distilleries across the U.S., Mexico, Canada, Europe and India, per the release.
Alvarez got his introduction to the alcoholic beverage supply chain industry in 2007 when he joined Brown-Forman, the company behind brands such as Jack Daniel’s and Woodford Reserve. He left the company in 2023 after serving in several leadership roles, including eight years as SVP and chief production and sustainability officer, per his Linkedin profile.
Beyond the alcoholic beverage space, Alvarez also has experience across other corners of the consumer packaged goods sector, including at General Mills and Procter & Gamble.
"Alex is an accomplished supply chain executive with a proven track record of leading complex global operations, building high-performing teams, and delivering transformational business results,” Sabia said in the release. “His deep expertise across manufacturing, logistics, procurement, and business transformation will help us continue strengthening our capabilities and position us for long-term growth.”
Alvarez will be taking over a role that Kester has held for the last three years after spending his first nine years with Constellation as SVP of operations services, according to his LinkedIn profile. Over the course of those 12 combined years, Kester established a centralized procurement function, integrated key manufacturing assets and constructed a fully integrated end-to-end supply chain, according to the release.
"John's leadership has been instrumental in the growth and evolution of our beer business over the past decade,” Sabia said. “His vision, dedication, and commitment to operational excellence helped build the world-class supply chain organization we have today.”
