Meadow: A year of growth, innovation, and strong connections

As we embark on 2025, we at Meadow find ourselves reflecting on the past twelve months and the lessons we can take from a  significant year for the business. It’s been a year of growth, collaboration, and innovation — a year where we’ve strengthened our core operations, expanded our capabilities, and, most importantly, continued to invest in the future of our people and our products. From our continued commitment to sustainability to our investments in research, teams and technology, 2024 has been a year that sets the stage for the exciting opportunities ahead.

Fairfax Investment: a solid foundation for growth

A major milestone for Meadow this year was the strategic investment from Fairfax, our new majority shareholder. Fairfax’s backing signals the start of an exciting new chapter for Meadow. With their long-term support, we’re well-positioned to continue building a business we can all take pride in.

Naked Foods Integration

This year, we integrated Naked Foods into our portfolio, allowing us to expand our product offering.  As we continue to drive innovation in this space, the natural synergy between Naked Foods and Meadow is enabling us to push boundaries and deliver exciting new products to the market. This acquisition has proved to be a successful  step in Meadow’s long-term strategy to diversify and lead in new food sectors.

Leadership Conference: Built to Last

This year’s Leadership Conference, themed “Built to Last”, focused on the importance of creating resilient businesses that can thrive in an ever-changing world. It was an opportunity for us to join together, reflect on how far we’ve come, share our plans for the future and to engage with colleagues we don’t work with on a day-to-day basis.

The theme resonated with everyone at Meadow as we continue to navigate an industry that faces a range of challenges, from supply chain disruptions to the growing need for sustainable practices. Our discussions highlighted how, by remaining adaptable and committed to building strong relationships, we can continue to deliver quality products while staying true to our environmental and ethical commitments.

“Built to Last” isn’t just about enduring; it’s about evolving with purpose, staying grounded in our values, and ensuring we create a legacy of success for future generations. As a company, we’re well-positioned to achieve this, thanks to our dedicated leadership team and the shared vision we’ve built together.

People: a team built on excellence

At Meadow, we know that our people are the backbone of our success. This year, we’ve welcomed several new faces across the business, strengthening our teams, particularly in operations, where their expertise has been pivotal in ensuring the smooth running of our day-to-day activities. From production to logistics, our operational teams have shown outstanding resilience and adaptability in keeping the business running efficiently.

Our focus on building a strong team extends beyond recruitment. We’ve continued to invest in training and development, ensuring that our people have the skills and support they need to succeed. It’s through their hard work and dedication that we’ve been able to achieve so much this year.

Driving Innovation Through NPD

New product development (NPD)  was another area of significant focus in 2024, helping to keep Meadow at the forefront of food innovation.

Our NPD strategy has been driven by a deep understanding of our customers’ needs and category trends, as well as an ongoing commitment to sustainability. We’re proud of the progress we’ve made in reducing our environmental impact, both through our product offerings and our internal practices. Innovation, for us, is about more than just creating new products — it’s about creating products that benefit people, the planet, and our business.

Internal communications: building strong connections

Effective internal communication has been key to our success this year. Our ‘Move with Meadow Summer Challenge’ was an excellent example of how we’re fostering a culture of connection and engagement. The challenge encouraged employees across the business to get active and stay connected with one another, whether in person or virtually. It was an opportunity for team members to come together, build camaraderie, and promote a healthy work-life balance.

This initiative also highlighted the importance of aligning our people with Meadow’s broader goals and values. By fostering a sense of community, we’re able to keep everyone engaged and motivated, ensuring that we remain a company where every individual feels valued and part of something larger than themselves.

Looking ahead

As we step into 2025, we do so with a sense of pride in all that we’ve achieved in 2024. Our growth and success have been powered by the strength of our people, our commitment to sustainability, and our drive for innovation. We are excited for the opportunities that lie ahead and are confident that the foundations we’ve laid this year will enable us to continue thriving in the years to come.

Here’s to another year of building on our successes, staying true to our values, and working together to create a better future for Meadow and the communities we serve. Thank you to all of our partners, customers, and team for making this year truly remarkable – let’s see what we can achieve in 2025…