Greggs has 1,400 retail outlets throughout the UK, trading under the Greggs and Bakers Oven brands.
Ferguson has been chief executive of Tate & Lyle PLC since May 2003. Previously, he worked for Unilever where he held a number of senior positions including executive chairman of Birds Eye Walls and senior vice president, corporate development.
He is a former commissioner on the UK Government's Policy Commission on the Future of Farming and Food and also a former president of the Institute of Grocery Distribution.
Gregg is planning to trial an upmarket store format to examine ways it can drive higher customer spend across its estate.
The upmarket format will be located at an as-yet-unconfirmed London site, due to open in April. It will aim to convey a more modern ambience than Greggs' existing outlets and will have a bigger customer area to improve browsing opportunities and queuing. The shop will also be fitted with 'perch' seating and sell higher-quality products.
In the second half of 2008, Greggs' sales rose by 6.6%.
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