Ryan Fuller leaves KB Foods group

Turmoil at the top of Australian seafood processing heavyweight KB Foods continues, with general manager Ryan Fuller this week leaving the group he joined 29 years earlier. The move comes five years after Perth’s wealthy Kailis family sold a 90 per cent stake of their Kailis Bros business to Chinese conglomerate Legend, in a deal rumoured to be worth more than $100 million. A major part of the business, since rebranded to KB Foods, is the export of crayfish to China. However, the once lucrative market is dead for local businesses after China slammed the door shut on exports of Australian lobsters six months ago, as relations between Canberra and Beijing soured. Sources said Mr Fuller was frustrated and disenchanted working for a Chinese business, particularly given the political tensions with its homeland. Mr Fuller could not be contacted. It’s unclear who is stepping up to replace Mr Fuller, but it is understood the role could be shared between several others, including retail sales manager Toby Abbott. Although Mr Fuller joined then Kailis Bros almost three decades ago, he was promoted to his latest position after KB Food’s former chief executive David Bonomini left the business just over a year ago. Mr Bonomini had stepped up to that role from chief investment officer after brothers George and Matthew left the group in 2019. Until then, Matthew Kailis was Perth based chief executive and George Kailis oversaw the east coast operation.