Tideford Organics is strengthening its senior management team as part of its drive to become the leading chilled organic, vegan/plant based brand in the UK grocery market.
Following the appointment of David Page as Executive Chair earlier this year, Shaun Webber has been promoted to General Manager having previously been GM at Dartmouth Foods, where he was responsible for opening and commissioning a new 60,000 sq. ft. factory in Plympton, Devon. Before that, he spent 15 years as Manufacturing Manager at Samworth Brothers’ Tamar Foods site in Callington, Cornwall.
Together, Page and Webber are building a new team, which includes the recent appointment of Rebecca Hornabrook as Head of Technical & Development. She will assume responsibility for innovation and new product development as well as overseeing all technical requirements. Hornabrook joins the company from Dartmouth Foods where she was Quality System Manager having previously worked for Samworth Brothers at their Tamar Foods and Kensey Foods sites.
Tideford’s growth strategy saw the award-winning organic and plant-based food specialist recently launch a host new soups, risottos, sauces and pestos into UK supermarkets. More NPD is planned for 2021, driven by Hornabrook and her team.
She joins a senior management team led on a day to day basis by Webber comprising Carol Nelligan (Sales), Stephen Teague (Finance) and Tamsin Daniel (Marketing), with David Page as Executive Chair. This new team has significant food experience with major brands including Patak’s, Jamie Oliver, Ginsters, Walkers, Quaker, Tropicana, Bettys & Taylors, PepsiCo, Heineken, Arla Foods and Tangerine Confectionery.
Commenting on the growth of the team, Page said: “Tideford Organics is at an exciting stage in its journey to becoming the leading organic, vegan and plant-based brand in the UK grocery market. We are intent on driving considerable growth at a time when consumers are increasingly looking for healthier food options, both for themselves and for the planet.
“Key to this growth is ensuring we have the right team in place to help us realise our ambitions. I am delighted to lead such an experienced team, and welcome fellow senior team members including Rebecca Hornabrook, who brings with her a huge wealth of experience particularly in the area of new product development. Product innovation is a key part of our future growth strategy and will enable us to reach more consumers who are actively seeking to reduce their meat consumption, motivated by a desire for a healthier diet and a healthier planet.
“It is a testament to what Tideford has already achieved as a company, in addition to its plans for the future, that it has been able to attract personnel of such high calibre. I see it as an acknowledgment that smaller challenger brands such as Tideford have a huge role to play in the future of both organic and plant-based food in terms of category innovation and growth.”
In addition to the senior team appointments, Tideford has also taken on a new marketing agency, Feel, and social media agency On Fire as part of its investment in the brand and overall commitment to developing the organic and plant-based chilled food categories. The two agencies have developed integrated above and below the line marketing programmes focusing on increasing distribution amongst key customers including online retailers, as well as supporting exciting consumer-facing programmes relating to product innovation.
