In this episode, I interviewed Eduardo Bachiega, the Chief Supply Chain Officer at Nomad Foods. We discussed his journey and the company’s growth. Nomad Foods, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary, has integrated brands like Birds Eye, Igloo, and Findus and has grown its revenue from €1 billion to nearly €3 billion.
Eduardo emphasizes the importance of people, innovation, and sustainability. He discussed the challenges of integrating acquisitions, balancing innovation, cost efficiency, and resilience, and the need for leadership alignment. He also highlighted the importance of attracting and retaining talent, advocating for a risk-taking mindset and continuous learning.
Listen to the full discussion here:
Connect with the Guest:
Eduardo Bachiega joined Nomad Foods in July 2021 as the Group Director of Planning & Supply Chain Go to Market and was appointed Chief Supply Officer in December 2022. He is responsible for the entire end-to-end supply chain organization including strategy, manufacturing operations, planning, procurement, logistics, and customer service.
During his more than twenty-year career, Eduardo has built a wealth of global supply chain experience, leading end-to-end operations turnarounds and M&A integrations across Latin America, the USA, and EMEA for a number of globally recognized organizations, including Unilever and Mead Johnson Nutrition. He joined Nomad Foods from Mattel, where he was Supply Chain Director, EMEA, covering operations in over twenty markets. Eduardo is passionate about entrepreneurship and has experience as a non-executive board member with several start-ups.
Highlights & Show Notes:
- [02:12] Nomad Foods’ 10 years journey and rapid growth, from a €1 billion business to over €3 billion
- [04:30] Building a people-driven supply chain, uniting diverse teams under one vision, building a strong culture, and driving outstanding results together.
- [05:49] Balancing learning and expertise, Nomad Foods’ approach to acquisition, and adapting to new markets.
- [07:15] Navigating through challenges with the combination of three things: innovation, cost efficiency, and resilience— making sure to find the balance between them.
- [09:21] Integrating sustainability into operations without seeing it as an extra challenge, and Nomad Foods’ global effort to optimize freezer temperatures for energy savings with a proven portfolio.
- [11:51] The power of proper leadership alignment leading to Nomad Foods’ success— commitment to balancing cost, service, and inventory, while ensuring safety, quality, sustainability, and people engagement.
- [13:39] Having a sit on the table as a supply chain executive and working hand-in-hand with other departments like marketing, finance, and HR to drive the business up.
- [15:07] Creating unified career paths, offering growth opportunities, and investing in leadership development, and aiming to make supply chain more appealing and exciting for the future.
- [17:46] Seeking people with an entrepreneurial spirit, curiosity, and business acumen—traits that drive innovation, continuous learning, and a deep understanding of how to better serve consumers.
- [19:07] Attracting and retaining people by offering the opportunity to make a meaningful impact, with individuals staying long-term to create lasting legacies through their work.
- [20:01] A key piece of advice, “Don’t be afraid to take risks.”
Quotes from the Episode:
About the Host:
What an insightful conversation with Eduardo Bachiega! I am your host, Fei Yu, Managing Director for Europe and USA at Alcott Global. I have 15+ years of experience.
Alcott Global provides executive search solutions for key positions at all pillars of end-to-end value chains, from general management to overall supply chain operations, including executive and non-executive board roles.
On April 9-10, 2025, we are bringing together 80 C-level executives from multinational companies to connect, collaborate, and innovate on a forum focused on business value creation at Makers & Movers.
Your nominee could be among the Top 30 Leaders in Supply Chain of 2025! Nominations are open until February 28, 2025. Yearly, at Leaders in Supply Chain Awards, we recognize achievements in digitizing operations, decarbonization, and sustainability and creating a diverse and equitable environment for supply chain teams to thrive and excel.
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