Mr Kipling is engulfed by ‘Dessert Storm’ crisis

THE boss of Mr Kipling owner Premier Foods has won the backing of two City heavyweights as he battles to save his job in a row dubbed ‘Dessert Storm’.

Gavin Darby is under fire from shareholder Oasis Management, which has demanded that his ‘shocking reign’ as chief executive is brought to an end.

But ahead of a vote on his future at the company’s AGM on July 18, Lord MacLaurin and Lord Price have thrown their weight behind Darby, 62, who has been in charge since 2013.

MacLaurin, the former chairman of Tesco, said: ‘What Gavin has achieved at Premier Foods has been hugely impressive. He has significantly strengthened the company’s finances and transformed its brands. For Premier Foods to change chief executive at this stage would be a mistake,’

Price, a former boss of Waitrose, said: ‘If these activist investors succeed in removing him [Darby] they risk destroying significant value, rather than creating it.’

Oasis claims Darby has ‘overseen five years of failure’ that have left the company in ‘a zombie-like state’.