An exciting young sustainable chocolate company bringing Wonder and Play to the organic chocolate market.

Connie's Kitchen is a Healthy Family Food Company with a Mission to Reinvent Everyday Family Foods by Packing them only with Good Stuff. Our first product is Connie's Kitchen Ketchup - the first Organic Ketchup in Europe that has No Added Sugar and is Naturally Sweetened with Whole Fruits and Vegetables. We have also just launched Connie's Kitchen Jalapeno Ketchup - the first Organic Jalapeno Ketchup in Europe. Again with No Added Sugar and Naturally Sweetened with Whole Fruits and Vegetables. Currently selling in Switzerland with ambitions to be on every table and at every BBQ in Europe.

Mentor & Coach Business Start-Ups across several industries (FMCG, Fashion, Online Services) in Brand Strategy, Business Strategy, Idea Scaling, Consumer & Product Targeting.

Global Innovation Platform Leader of Core Chocolate Tablets and CountlinesLead Global Core Chocolate Tablets Platform;  Actively manage the Innovation Pipeline to ensure global and regional sufficiency to meet the Strategic Growth Plan Ambitions.  Develop the Funnel of Big Bet Ideas (Brand Strategy, Concept, Product, Pack – all Consumer Screened and Feasible) Advocate and spokesperson for Global Platform in all Global & Regional Decision Making Forums.  Lead Global Rollouts of proven successful Bundles and support markets to launch, ensuring Best Practice Activation learnings are shared and winning bundle attributes are maintained. Also develop Generation 2.0 Bundles (Brand, Concept, Product, Pack) to ensure continued growth of Big Bets.Develop and Execute Innovation Strategy;  Developed New Strategy for Whitespace Consumer Platform with linkage with Global Strategic Plans and Brand Equities (Milka, CDM). Undertook Deep-Dive consumer learnings and developed core winning bundle attributes for new consumer space to develop Globally Applicable Innovation Platforms and products.  Fast-Tracked lead Product Bundle to European Launch with highest Consumer Bases II Scores ever in Mondelez Europe. Innovation Leadership (Brand, Asset, Consumer); Led Brand-Out Innovation for Cadbury Dairy Milk, from developing the Process with Agency Partners, through defining opportunities (e.g. consumer insights, brand architecture, taste journey) to creating and screening winning Innovation Bundles for launch. Led Asset Led Innovation – New Product development built from current Supply Chain Capabilities. Requires globally applicable process, cross-functional alignment, development of ideas and screening.

Accountable for Gum Innovation and Led the building of; Senses Brand Strategy, European Packaging Strategy, European Gum Oral Care Strategy and Innovation Projects across different consumer platforms (Pleasure, Oral Care, Packaging, Bubble gum).Led Senses Brand Strategy Team;  Tasked with turning around the declining brand. Led Team to build fact base (from consumer, brand equity, sales & distribution, competition, global and regional trends) to understand opportunity areas and current issues. Lack of consistent Brand Equity in recent years, led me to develop three new “expressions” of the Brand based on the Global Senses Positioning. These were Consumer Tested in three European Markets to build the final “joined-up” European Senses Positioning. This Positioning will be utilised across all future Communication, Design, and Innovation for Senses.Led European Gum Packaging Strategy; Driving synergies and opportunities across all Gum Functions. Built methodology, then aligned Stakeholders and Functions (Consumer Insights, Brand Equity, R&D, Supply Chain, Procurement, Global) to requirements. Packaging strategy has been built into Category Strategy Plan and future Innovation Projects. Led new Innovation Process (Design Incubator) for “On-The-Go” packaging that brings the consumer and designer together at the start of the project. Fine-tuned the process (built from project learnings) and delivered back to cross-category stakeholders with Packaging Prototypes (Start of Project to 1st Prototypes – 8 weeks).

Innovation Manager, European Chocolate Category Chocolate Innovation Lead for Launch of “Cadbury” Brand into Romania. Drove the prospective portfolio development (built from local consumer needs), the complicated sourcing track of work, as well as managing timeline and leading overall project team. Project was priority in European Chocolate and involved frequent stakeholder management at global, regional and local levels.

Reported into the Marketing Strategy Department and was responsible for the successful launch of all new products and product change into Britain and Ireland in the Giving and Seasonal Chocolate Category with a focus on innovation. Managed Marketing and Innovation Teams from “blue sky” ideas, through initial concepts, to a financially viable scoped product, then delivered to the market on time and in full. Managed Large “Category Change” projects focusing on reduction in weight and size of Easter Egg Packaging and Christmas Packaging. This involved leading the cross-functional team to a solution that met requirements of; Profit, Shelf-Standout, Customer Story, Competition movements, Supply Chain Complexity, Timing for Launch.  Drove analysis and Programme Managed the Giving and Seasonal Innovation Pipeline to ensure Projects were passed through each “Gate” based on financial & strategic alignment to the business strategy. Had line management responsibilities for 3 Project Managers and responsibility for their coaching and development. An active trainer of the Cadbury Schweppes Project Management Course.

Manufacturing Manager for half of the Cadbury Auckland Factory comprising; Candy Starch Moulding, Panning, Chocolate Enrobing, and Compressed Tablet Departments. Six Team Leaders reported directly to me, who each managed teams of up to 23 people (Managed Total ~80 People). Took responsibility for all aspects of the Team Leaders’ professional development, including Performance Reviews, training and career planning. Took responsibility for, and actively managed, all financial aspects of departments, comprising: direct and indirect labour and materials (including budgeting for both labour and materials); stocktaking of all materials; and development/approval of new product financials.

Engineering Projects Project Managed the successful installation of a Caramel Batch Cooking System. Proposed the financial case, explored the equipment options available and designed the new process layout for the preferred process. Investigated and conducted trials on alternative processes for production of caramel. Project Managed the installation of an industrial Dehumidification system and the installation of an Ultrasonic Guillotine and Cooling Tunnel Upgrade for manufacturing lines.