Food Manufacturing
Food manufacturing is operating in an increasingly complex and fast-changing environment. Rising input costs, supply chain disruption, automation, sustainability targets, food safety requirements, labour challenges and changing consumer expectations are placing greater demands on leadership teams than ever before. In this landscape, securing the right leaders is critical to maintaining competitiveness, driving innovation and delivering sustainable growth.
Our expertise spans the full food manufacturing value chain, supporting businesses across ingredients, food production, processing, packaging, food technology, consumer brands, private label manufacturing and value-added food products. We partner with multinational corporations, private equity-backed businesses, family-owned enterprises and ambitious growth companies to build leadership teams capable of navigating change and unlocking future opportunities.
What sets Eden apart is our combination of extensive food manufacturing expertise, executive search capability and extensive international network. Working across the UK, Ireland, Europe and North America, we help clients secure exceptional leadership talent from both within food manufacturing and adjacent sectors where transferable skills can deliver fresh perspectives and competitive advantage.
Our services include executive search for board, C-suite and senior leadership appointments, interim leadership solutions, market mapping and talent intelligence, succession planning, leadership benchmarking and strategic organisational advisory.
Through continuous engagement with manufacturers, suppliers, investors and industry leaders, Eden maintains a strong understanding of the trends shaping the sector, from automation and digital transformation to sustainability, food security and evolving consumer demands. This insight enables us to identify leaders with the vision and capability to drive growth, transformation and long-term success.
Whether you are strengthening your leadership team, planning succession, scaling operations or entering new markets, Eden provides the expertise, insight and connections to secure exceptional talent across the food manufacturing sector.
If you’re looking to appoint a new person to your leadership or management team or have a specific leadership challenge and would like to find out more about the work we do for clients, please get in touch with David Macaulay or Morten Andresen for a confidential discussion.
David Macaulay
As Founder and Managing Director of Eden Search & Select, David has spent his career working with a diverse range of businesses in the food and farming sectors – supporting their strategy and helping them recruit and retain Directors and Senior Managers. During this time, he has developed a deep understanding of the industry and the skills and attributes required by businesses to deliver high performing board and executive teams. This experience and track record has made him a credible sounding board on succession planning for both his clients and industry peers. Results-driven, David’s personal values of industry insight and integrity have delivered numerous successful projects and established Eden Search & Select as the executive search partner of choice for leading companies in the fresh food, food and drink, food manufacturing and farming sectors. David’s industry experience is deep rooted, having grown up on the family farm in Essex, which he remains actively involved in.
Morten Andresen
After eleven years working as a fresh food recruitment specialist for MorePeople, Morten joined Eden in July 2023 as Director, Fresh Food. Morten started his career at the largest cut flower business in the UK before moving into a commercial role with a major fresh produce supplier. Realising he wanted to do more than just focus his work on one or two retailers, he embarked on a career in recruitment – a move that enabled him to work with and help as many people as possible.
During his time in recruitment, Morten has assisted people at all levels, helping them take the next step in their career. More recently he has focused his efforts on Senior and Executive appointments –making Eden the natural next step for his career progression.
Outside of work, Morten is a family man and his free time is most often spent with his wife and 2 children.
Case studies
Ivy Farm
They way we produce and consume food needs to change. Driven by contributing to a more sustainable future through innovation and science, Ivy Farm are a spin out from the University of Oxford with a mission of being able to provide meat products without the need for animal slaughter.
Denhay Farms Ltd.
With the planned retirement of their longstanding Managing Director, Denhay Farms Ltd. partnered with Eden Search to appoint a successor who will continue the business’ legacy.
Noble Foods
Noble Foods is a leading vertically integrated supplier of fresh food brands to major retailers and consumers with a clear purpose to better nourish people, animals, and planet.
Carr’s Flour Mills
Building on a decade’s long relationship, Eden was tasked to support the senior team in their search for a successor to the incumbent Procurement Director.
Ivy Farm
Ivy Farm, a pioneering cultivated meat company that emerged from Oxford University in 2019, standing at the forefront of the industry with its multi-series products, cutting-edge patented technology, and substantial funding for rapid global expansion
Fine Lady Bakeries
The Heygate Group of Companies remains a private, independent family business operating successfully across farming, animal feed, flour and bakery sectors. With a family heritage spanning over a century, the group have demonstrated commitment to grow, invest and improve quality, which is firmly grounded in strong family values passed down through many generations.
Dyson Farming
Eden partnered with Dyson Farming who sought to recruit a General Manager to oversee all of their Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) operations.
First Milk – Technology Director
Eden partnered with First Milk to appoint a Technology Director to support their continued growth and development across the business.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Eden supports board, C-suite and senior leadership appointments across the food manufacturing sector, including Chairs, Non-Exective Directors, CEOs, Managing Directors together with all the functional leads including Operations Directors, Commercial Directors, Technical Directors, Supply Chain Directors, Finance Directors, HR Directors and specialist functional leadership positions. We work across ingredients, food production, processing, packaging, food technology, consumer brands, private label manufacturing and value-added food products.
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Our expertise spans the full food manufacturing value chain, from ingredients and primary production through to complex food processing, packaging, branded products, private label manufacturing and food technology businesses.
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Food manufacturers face increasing challenges around automation, rising input costs, food safety, sustainability, labour shortages, supply chain resilience and changing consumer expectations. Appointing leaders with the right combination of operational, commercial and strategic expertise is critical to long-term success.
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Yes. We partner with private equity-backed organisations, multinational corporations, family-owned businesses and ambitious growth companies. We understand the leadership requirements associated with scaling operations, transformation programmes, acquisitions and exit planning.
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Absolutely. We regularly help clients secure leaders capable of driving operational improvement, automation projects, digital transformation, business integration, sustainability initiatives and international growth programmes.
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Yes. We support businesses with interim executives across operational, commercial, technical, finance and supply chain functions. Interim leaders can provide immediate expertise during periods of change, succession planning, restructuring or business-critical projects.
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Our executive search process combines detailed market mapping, sector insight, targeted candidate engagement and rigorous assessment. Through our extensive network across the global food supply chain, we are able to engage exceptional leaders, including candidates who are not actively seeking a new opportunity.
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Eden combines thorough food manufacturing expertise with executive search capability and an extensive international network. Our consultants understand the opportunities and challenges facing the sector, enabling us to identify leaders who can drive growth, innovation and long-term value creation.
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Yes. We work across the UK, Ireland, Europe and North America, supporting clients with domestic and international leadership appointments. Our global network allows us to access talent wherever the strongest candidates are located.
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Every assignment is different, but most executive search projects are completed within a matter of weeks. We work closely with clients to deliver an efficient, robust process that balances speed with the quality of appointment.
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Yes. A big part of our work is to support clients with succession planning, talent mapping, leadership benchmarking and broader organisational advisory services, helping businesses build robust leadership pipelines for future growth.
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We support a broad range of organisations, from ingredient suppliers and food processors to branded manufacturers, private label producers, food technology businesses and multinational manufacturing groups across the global food supply chain.