New boss appointed to Tulip Fresh

08-Jun-2018 - Last updated on 08-Jun-2018 at 10:23 GMT

Mike Wijnberg was been appointed Tulip Fresh managing director

Meat firm Tulip has appointed Mike Wijnberg as managing director of its Fresh Division, responsible for Tulip’s abattoirs and butchery operations across the UK.

He rejoins the company, having previously worked for the organisation from 1995 to 2015, initially as a veterinary manager within the farming business. During his 20-year tenure, Wijnberg took on a number of senior roles, including operations manager and supply chain manager.

Since leaving Tulip in 2015, Wijnberg has been running the commercial division of Scotland’s Rural College, SAC Consulting.

‘Pleasure to return’

Commenting on his appointment, he said: “It’s a pleasure to return to Tulip. My recent experience has given me a different perspective and one I believe will help me to lead the Tulip Fresh team forward.

“It’s an interesting time for the sector, with more people than ever having a genuine interest in the provenance of their food and looking for high quality meat. I look forward to working with the UK team and colleagues from across the Danish Crown group to build a new and stronger business.”

Tulip chief executive Steve Francis said Wijnberg’s expertise in pig production, animal welfare, food safety and business management – together with his understanding of the history and heritage of Tulip and Danish Crown – would be of great value to the business.

Become truly world-class

“As part of Danish Crown, we possess a wealth of knowledge and experience in abattoir and butchery operations, and I am confident that, under Mike’s direction, we will build on a solid platform to become truly world-class,” added Francis.

Meanwhile, Danish Crown has announced that Steve Francis is stepping down from his position as chief executive of UK-based subsidiary Tulip.