Sarah Goodhew | Over 25 Years Driving Food Innovation Success

With more than two decades leading NPD and innovation across baked, fresh, chilled and frozen FMCG sectors, I bring proven expertise in transforming product pipelines and delivering first-to-market launches that drive significant commercial success.

My track record speaks for itself:

• £40M business secured through winning 100% of M&S Pizza tender
• £23M turnover increase delivered through true innovation in a single year
• £2.5M+ cost savings achieved whilst enhancing quality
• Successfully launched Plant Kitchen brand (£1M NSV in first 3 months)
• Led sustainability initiatives including full recyclable packaging relaunch for M&S
• First-to-market innovations: Detroit pizzas, slow-fermented woodfired bases, YooMoo frozen yoghurt

Most recently as Insight & Innovation Director for 2 Sisters Food Group's Meals Division (£450M turnover), I built and led high-performing teams of up to 47 people, working collaboratively with major retailers including Marks & Spencer, Tesco, Aldi, Morrisons, Asda and Sainsbury's.

How I Can Help Your Business

Strategic Innovation Leadership

Whether you need interim leadership during transition, project-based consultancy, or strategic direction for your innovation pipeline, I bring:

• Strategic thinking that aligns innovation with commercial objectives
• Creative innovation that delivers market-leading products
• Category expertise across ready meals, pizza, bakery, sandwiches, ice cream and frozen confectionery
• Customer insight built through decades of retailer relationships
• Project management excellence from concept to successful launch

 

What Makes Me Different

I'm not just a strategist - I'm a hands-on product developer and a real "foodie" who understands every stage of the innovation journey. I thrive under pressure, adapt quickly to new challenges, and bring both commercial awareness and creative vision to every project.

My approach combines:

• Blue-sky thinking with pragmatic delivery
• Consumer-led insight and category management to identify white space and drive clear strategic direction
• Restaurant techniques deployed in factory settings to create authentic, premium products
• Global trend safaris to centres of excellence (Naples, Rome, Philadelphia, New York) to bring cutting-edge innovation
• Cross-functional collaboration that breaks down silos between NPD, technical, and commercial teams
• Sustainability leadership in packaging and process innovation, including meat-reduced and plant-based development
• Brand creation and development - successfully launched restaurant brands into retail (Carluccio's, Cinnamon Kitchen)
• Global perspective gained from managing European operations and world travel

Services

Interim Leadership

Step into Insight & Innovation Director, NPD Director, or Head of NPD roles to provide stability, drive transformation, or lead critical projects during periods of change. Lead teams ranging from 15 to 47+ people across single or multiple sites.

 

Strategic Consultancy & Insight

Develop your innovation strategy, pipeline and processes through consumer-led insight and category management. Identify new category opportunities, markets and channels. Build winning retailer presentations and tender responses.

 

Innovation Workshops & Creative Development

Facilitate creative sessions with your teams, customers and suppliers to unlock fresh thinking and build collaborative innovation cultures. Run "Food Culture" workshops and competitions that drive engagement and creativity.

 

Global Trend Safaris & Market Intelligence

Organise and lead trips to global centres of excellence to identify trends and bring back actionable insights. Recent safaris include Naples & Rome (pizza), Philadelphia & New York (multi-category trends), and Asia (premium ranges).

 

Project Management & Launch Excellence

Lead specific NPD projects from concept to launch, managing timelines, budgets and cross-functional teams to deliver results. Implement IT project management tools to manage the full lifecycle of innovation.

 

Category Development & Retailer Engagement

Conduct market analysis, benchmarking and gap analysis. Develop category strategies that drive growth with major multiples. Work collaboratively at multiple levels within retail organisations to build pipelines of activity.

 

Sustainability & Cost Innovation

Drive packaging innovation focused on plastic reduction and recyclability. Develop meat-reduced and plant-based ranges. Lead process-led reviews that deliver cost savings whilst maintaining or enhancing quality.

 

Brand Creation & Restaurant-to-Retail

Launch restaurant brands into retail with full product and packaging development. Create premium ranges that deliver authentic restaurant quality in manufactured settings.

 

Process & Packaging Innovation

Identify opportunities for new technologies, processes and sustainable packaging solutions that reduce costs whilst improving quality.

Industry Experience

Sectors: Ready Meals | Pizza | Bakery | Sandwiches & Food-to-Go | Soups & Sauces | Ice Cream | Frozen Confectionery | Plant-Based | Protein

Customers: Marks & Spencer | Tesco | Aldi | Morrisons | Asda | Sainsbury's | McCain | Plus licensed manufacturing for Cadbury, Nestlé, Kelly's of Cornwall, Disney and more.

Scale: Led innovation across divisions with turnovers from £400M to €800M, managing teams of up to 47 people across multiple UK and European sites.

Board Level Experience: Member of Divisional board with monthly meetings with Group CEO.

Success Stories

Plant Kitchen Launch (2019) - Led development and launch of M&S plant-based range, achieving £1M NSV within first three months. Hero line Cauliflower Popcorn became bestseller.

M&S Taste Relaunch (2018) - Following trend-spotting safari to Asia with M&S, reimagined and relaunched their premium Taste range with authentic Asian flavours.

Sustainability Pioneer - Led meals division packaging innovation agenda, successfully relaunching M&S Balanced For You range in fully recyclable packaging (2019). Driving plastic reduction and plant-based innovation.

Detroit Pizza Innovation - First to market in UK with Detroit-style pizzas for M&S, creating £4M line.

Woodfired Pizza Technology - Pioneered in-house slow-fermented woodfired pizza bases, winning prestigious M&S 100% pizza tender worth £40M.

Restaurant Brand Launches - Successfully created and launched Carluccio's range exclusively with Sainsbury's and Cinnamon Kitchen range with Tesco as part of "That's Dinner for Tonight Sorted" campaign.

YooMoo Launch - Launched frozen yoghurt brand simultaneously across retail, food-to-go and franchises whilst at R&R Ice Cream.

Major Tender Wins - Won Asda Extra Special Pizza tender, secured 100% Tesco filled rolls business (£15M NSV), won 10 new health lines with Morrisons.

Why Work With Me

✓ Proven commercial success - Consistently delivered multi-million pound opportunities

✓ Consumer-led approach - Deep insight and category management expertise driving innovation

✓ Retailer relationships - Collaborative working at all levels with major multiples

✓ Team builder - Created high-performing, cross-functional development teams

✓ First-to-market driver - Track record of innovation leadership across multiple categories

✓ Strategic board member - Experience at divisional board level reporting to Group CEO

✓ European expertise - Managed innovation and technical teams across 11 sites

✓ Passionate foodie - Genuine love for food, global trends and culinary exploration

✓ Adaptable & resourceful - Thrive in fast-paced, high-pressure, creative environments

✓ Commercially astute - Balance innovation with cost management and sustainability

Let's Talk About Your Innovation Challenge

Whether you're looking to:

• Win a major retailer tender
• Transform your innovation pipeline
• Launch into new categories
• Drive sustainability in packaging
• Build a culture of food innovation
• Navigate business transformation
• Deliver a critical NPD project

I bring the strategic vision, hands-on expertise and commercial acumen to help you succeed.

Based in Stamford, Lincolnshire, I work with food manufacturers and brands across the UK and Europe.

Get in touch using the contact form below to discuss how I can help to drive your innovation forwards.

 

Connect with me at: LinkedIn