Former Florette chief executive Mark Newton has joined snack, salad and vegetable specialist Freshtime UK as managing director.
Newton said the Lincolnshire-based 'food-to-go' company is 'ripe for growth'.
“Freshtime is a business I’ve known and kept my eye on for many years. Our product range and our production capabilities are bang on trend – we specialise in fresh, convenience food and snacking products.'
He said Freshtime has got the flexibility to innovate because of the company’s smaller size.
“Because we’re more nimble, we can innovate much more quickly and respond to market trends. Many of the larger corporates talk about innovation, but in reality it takes them a year to get a product from initial concept to market,” he added.
“One of my main goals is to help it develop from a fantastic operation into a world-class business.”
Freshtime was initially set up as part of a growers’ co-operative, but it now supplies value added, ready-to-eat salads, snacks, prepared vegetables and sandwich fillers to retailers and food service operators.
The company employs 350 people, but Newton said there is no doubt that future expansion and growth will lead to more jobs at its Boston HQ, in Lincolnshire.
“This is a great time for me to have got on board and everyone here is up to the challenge of taking this business forward,” he said.
“We have a fantastic team here but the door is open to new people to come on board and help us to grow. We will be developing the workforce, creating jobs in a new structure and continuing to invest in the site itself.”
Newton was previously managing director of Soléco UK, which is part of Groupe Florette, before his role as chief executive of Florette SAS from 2011 to 2013.
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