The chilled, frozen and ambient foods producer marked its centenary milestone with dinner in Dublin this month, with colleagues of old and new coming together to share their experiences.
The event was organised not only as a way to look back on Greencore’s achievements, but also to celebrate the new generation as it looks ahead to a future defined by growing geopolitical, environmental and workforce challenges.
From Irish Sugar to convenience foods leader
Greencore was established in 1991 but its roots can be traced back much further.
For much of the 20th century, the growing and processing of sugar beet into refined sugar was a nationalised industry in the Republic of Ireland, led by Irish Sugar headquartered in Carlow.
Factories in Mallow, Thurles and Tuam were built but later closed in the 80s, following increased competition driven by the EU’s sugar quota that hit Irish Sugar hard.
Its rationalisation of the business helped push it back into the green, but by 1990 it was considering privatisation. This happened a year later, prompting the set up of Greencore.
Over the years, Greencore has made a number of acquisitions and disposals, including the major January 2026 acquisition of the Bakkavor Group.
Today, the business employs 28,000 people across multiple manufacturing and distribution sites in the UK.
The next generation of talent
Recruitment and retention are issues the food and drink manufacturing sector has been grappling with for some time. And while not a new challenge, the convergence of multiple crises over the last few years has certainly underscored the urgent need to address the skills gap.
A poll at Food Manufacture’s most recent Business Leaders’ Forum, which brings together industry stakeholders from across the food and drink landscape, identified ‘people and skills’, ‘vision’, and ‘short-term thinking’ as top vulnerabilities in manufacturing today.
And while the sector recognises its issue, solving it is another matter.
This is what makes graduate, undergraduate, and apprenticeship programmes so important. As Greencore explains, it gives “talented young people the opportunity to gain hands-on experience, learn from experienced colleagues, and take the first steps towards a rewarding career”.
In essence, these opportunities give new recruits the confidence, skills and a clear pathway for career development. But alongside ensuring these programmes are available in the first place, it’s also crucial that they are shared far and wide. Business leaders and department heads can play into this, but industry must also allow the new voices to help with this too.
Not only will your new recruits have fresh ideas (just look at how M&S’s Kathryn Turner’s Gen Z team have helped her become a viral social media star), but young people need to be able to see themselves in a career. Representation is a vital part of that.
To this end, Greencore shared some of its Early Careers colleagues’ stories with Food Manufacture.
Early Careers is Greencore’s talent and recruitment initiative and is designed to help students, graduates, and apprentices start and grow their careers in the food industry.
New voices at Greencore
Amrik Dhariwal’s story
Hygiene manager, Greencore Leeds
Amrik Dhariwal joined Greencore’s technical graduate programme in 2022 after studying food production management at university.
During the programme, he gained experience across process, quality assurance, technical services and hygiene, giving him broad technical knowledge and an understanding of different parts of the business.
He contributed to projects and validations, supported customer audits, and learned from colleagues across the technical function.
These experiences helped him broaden his skills and progress into his current role as hygiene manager at Greencore’s Yorkshire Pudding manufacturing site in Leeds, where the site produces Yorkshire puddings and toad in the hole.
There are so many different opportunities to learn and develop, so my advice to anyone starting their career would be to make the most of every one of them.
Amrik Dhariwal, hygiene manager at Greencore Leeds
Looking ahead, Dhariwal wants to continue developing professionally, expand his experience, and grow within both the technical function and the wider Greencore business.
His advice to anyone starting a career is to make the most of every opportunity to learn and develop.
Eva Biddle’s story
Logistics degree apprentice, Greencore Tamworth
Eva Biddle joined Greencore’s Early Careers programme in 2024 as a logistics degree apprentice at the company’s distribution centre in Tamworth, after studying business studies at Sixth Form.
She has gained experience across logistics, transport and warehousing, building her understanding of how these areas work together to connect Greencore’s manufacturing operations with supermarket customers.
Alongside her role, she is completing a chartered management degree apprenticeship in management and leadership through Nottingham Trent University. The programme combines academic study with practical workplace experience and is helping her develop her leadership, communication and problem-solving skills.
Biddle says every day in logistics is different with its own new set of challenges - but that’s also what makes it so rewarding.
I’ve learned to embrace the chaos and the challenges because they constantly bring new opportunities to learn and develop.
Eva Biddle, logistics degree apprentice, Greencore Tamworth
In terms of the future, she is looking forward to continuing her professional development while completing her apprenticeship. Once she graduates, she hopes to build a successful long-term career with Greencore.
Hollie Abbott’s story
Engineering apprentice – Greencore Bourne
Hollie Abbott has been with Greencore for seven years. She began her career working in stores before taking the opportunity to progress through an engineering apprenticeship.
Over four years in Early Careers, she has developed her skills through hands-on experience and built a strong network of colleagues around her.
Abbott is in the final stages of completing her Level 3 multi-skilled maintenance engineer qualification, with only her end-point assessment remaining. Her evolving role continues to give her new challenges and opportunities to learn.
My time in Early Careers has been really eventful. I’ve learnt so much over the last four years and I’m continuing to learn every day.
Hollie, Abbott, engineering apprentice, Greencore Bourne
Abbott says her role is always evolving which means always new opportunities to develop.
Looking ahead, she says she’s excited to keep learning. Specifically, she wants to continue to improve her fault-finding skills and progressing up the career ladder.
