As a general rule, the competition for the role of CEO can be quite fierce - it pays well up there. But Food Dive can think of some CEO positions where even the high pay couldn't draw someone to the job. 

Here's a look at four new bosses in the food and beverage industry who find themselves running some particularly challenged companies.

Whether or not they can turn things around in 2015 remains to be seen. But one thing is for sure: these CEOs will earn their money this year.

"Drastic" Dave Lewis 

When the former boss of Unilever's UK operations took over as CEO of Tesco, he likely felt as if he had reached the peak of his career. Tesco is, after all the largest grocer in the U.K and the world's third-largest retailer. Big jobs don't get much bigger than that.

Unfortunately, Lewis took over after Tesco fell into a slump that will take a lot to overcome. The company has had to retreat from some high-profile ventures overseas, has seen its market share fall to discount competitors, and reported a 92% drop in profit amid an accounting scandal. 

Valerie Chapoulaud-Floquet 

When Remy Cointreau's CEO Thierry Pflanz abruptly quit in late 2013, it shocked the industry. Pflanz had held the job for only three months, and his sudden decision to leave suggested that the problems faced by the liquor giant were even bigger than imagined. That was saying something, given that the industry was already well aware that revenue was falling dramatically given Remy Cointreau's problems in Asian markets. 

Enter new CEO Chapoulaud-Floquet, who arrived five months after Pflanz left. Three months later, she was still in the job, but that's about the only bit of good news for the maker of Remy Martin cognac, Cointreau liqueur, and other champagne and spirits. Sales continue to fall. 

Kevin Holt 

When Roland Smith​ resigned in September 2013 as CEO of Delhaize America, parent of supermarket chains Food Lion, Bottom Dollar, and Hannaford, it left the company in limbo at a time of tremendous difficulty in the grocery business. And it wasn't until June 2014 that Delhaize hired a replacement: industry veteran Kevin Holt.

Holt arrived amid a major rebranding of Food Lion and a plan to sell off underperforming stores. The divestments went as planned. But there are suggestions that Food Lion's rebranding is struggling. The president of that unit quit abruptly in October after just a few months on the job.

Emmanuel Faber

Danone is still one of the world's largest dairy companies. But the yogurt giant has struggled mightily in recent years amid skyrocketing prices for milk, the rise of Greek style yogurt in the U.S., and the effects of a false alarm recall of infant formula in Asia. Investors and analysts have been pushing for major changes. And that may be why CEO Franck Riboud said he would step aside after 18 years at the helm.

But Danone named Emmanuel Faber, the loyal second-in-command to Riboud, as the new CEO. And Riboud kept his title as chairman (while adding powers to that role). That's put Faber in the unenviable role of being a weakened successor to his mentor, and left investors fuming amid falling profit.