Paul Peachey General Manager 

I was Commercial Director for Hitchen Foods prior to Bakkavör acquisition in October 2005. Before that I worked at Northern Foods for 15 years. I started as a manufacturing graduate then moved into factory management, general management and also held a few senior commercial roles.   

Hitchen’s integration into the Bakkavör Group has gone well. It has resulted in us gaining a stronger position in prepared vegetables and our product mix compliments Bakkavör’s existing prepared salads business. An exciting second year now beckons! 

There have been some key milestones in my career: promotion to my first general manager’s role within Northern Foods when I was 27, then developing my commercial skills in my first ‘commercial only’ role within a branded company (Green Isle Foods – home of Goodfellas Pizzas), joining Hitchen Foods as commercial director and returning the business to strong sales growth and more recently being appointed General Manager of Hitchen Foods following the acquisition. 

As a general manager I enjoy heading up my own business, winning new business and delivering success through creating and developing strong management teams. I also enjoy the focus on healthier eating and we are well placed within the fresh produce division to deliver products that meet this increasingly important consumer need. 

I think there are certain qualities and skills you need to be a general manager at Bakkavör - Clear leadership and the ability to provide clear direction, the ability to develop people and nurture strong customer relationships, you need to be prepared to take risks, break down barriers, and work with other businesses within the group to deliver the common goal. 

The most rewarding part of my role is seeing the team smile when we have delivered success – and hearing from the customer that we are doing a good job.