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Eden Search

Introduction to

Eden Search & Minor Weir and Willis

This is Eden

We are the leading specialist non-executive, board and executive search company focused across the global food supply chain.

  • Extensive industry experience, understanding and connections in Europe, Africa, Asia and The Americas
  • Passion and commitment for the sector is central to both the founder and business’ DNA.
  • Eden is an integral part of the sector’s success story – we champion the industry, making it a better place through our partnerships, connections, initiatives and the work we do with clients.

We are a values based business

At Eden, every project is personal. Our values are more than words on a page—they are a set of principles that guide every partnership we build with clients, candidates, industry colleagues and internally within our own team.

  • We strive for better. Our work aims to create meaningful, lasting improvement across the industry
  • We build long-term partnerships. We form enduring relationships with organisations driving positive change.
  • We support and facilitate our industry. Through charities and not-for-profits such as Farm Africa, we contribute to more sustainable outcomes and stronger communities.
  • We invest in future leadership. Eden’s NED and leadership networking events bring senior leaders together to share insight, collaborate, and spark new ideas.

Eden Insights

  • We have access to a wealth of knowledge and global sector insights gained through our unrivalled network and experience of working in the industry
  • A platform to support our clients and stakeholders in making effective business decisions that drive profitable long-term growth
  • Talent and hiring decisions PLUS key issues and opportunities impacting the industry
  • Insight reports developed with insights from 50 CEOs representing up to $15bn turnover employing over 50,000 people globally.

 

 

Our sectors

Vertically integrated across the Agri and Food ecosystems.

Agribusiness

Agritech Scale-Up
Data, Robotics & Automation
Seed, Fertiliser & Crop Protection
Animal Health & Genetics
Animal Feed & Nutrition
National Farming businesses

Aquaculture

Feed & Nutrition
Fisheries
Seafood

Fresh Food

Meat, Dairy & Poultry
Fresh Produce & Horticulture
Wholehead & Added Value

Food Manufacturing

Ingredients to Finished Product
Complex Food Processing
Alternative Proteins
Future Foods
Branded & Own Label

Executive Search

We partner with clients on business critical projects which require us to challenge the brief, understand the intricacies of a project and deliver results.

Why Eden

  • Industry leading candidate retention rate with those placed by Eden still in role or promoted after 3 years
  • Trusted globally by companies and leaders in our sectors to support them in their search for global talent
  • Support leaders through strategic change, offer counsel grounded in industry insight and build strategic networks for our clients
  • At Eden, every project is personal

Recent projects

Business Advisory

With the ever changing landscape of business, there are often occasions where your organisation needs specialist leadership talent from Non Executive Directors to specialist interim leaders to help scale and grow your business.

Why Eden

  • Depth and breadth of industry insights
  • Broad established network
  • Agility to find quick solutions

Business
turnaround

Short term
leadership

M&A
Consultancy

Recent projects

Organisational Insight

Having a thorough understanding of the industry talent pool, it’s makeup or optimal organisational structure is critical for decision making and the ultimate performance of your business.

Why Eden

  • In-depth sector insight
  • In-house research capabilities
  • Experienced team to support informed and actionable decisions that are fit for purpose and sector leading

Project specialisms and completed confidential assignments

  • Organisational structures
    Multi-site Fresh Food Group
  • Remuneration benchmarking
    Vertically Integrated Produce Business
  • Relocation project
    Vertically Integrated Produce Business
  • Competitor mapping and benchmarking
    Global Agrichemical Manufacturer

Our search approach

No. 1 - Initial phase

Understanding your business

No. 1 - Initial phase

Understanding your business

Culture, Skills, Values, Experience, Strategy, Personality

No. 2 - Initial phase

Bespoke project design

No. 2 - Initial phase

Bespoke project design

Tailored to uncover the most relevant and best talent for the project

View more

No. 3 - Initial phase

All about the research

No. 3 - Initial phase

All about the research

Market talent mapping
Networking
Candidate brief generation

No. 4 - Initial phase

Assess the talent

No. 4 - Initial phase

Assess the talent

100% Face to Face
The perfect balance - expertise, character and ambition

No. 5 - Final phase

Present the shortlist

No. 5 - Final phase

Present the shortlist

Market insight
Full candidate profile
Long list – future talent / networking

View more

No. 6 - Final phase

Select the right talent

No. 6 - Final phase

Select the right talent

Design end to end interview process including logistics, psychometrics and referencing.

No. 7 - Final phase

Appointment

No. 7 - Final phase

Appointment

Negotiating offer and supporting the candidate through the resignation process.

No. 8 - Final phase

Post project support

No. 8 - Final phase

Post project support

Project feedback, induction support and ‘check ins’ every three months.

The benefits of our approach

We find the best talent

  • Beyond the obvious: we identify talent not just among the most visible or active candidates, but across the full spectrum of potential senior leaders
  • Engagement that matters: our ability to fully connect with candidates ensures they are motivated, informed, and aligned with the opportunity.
  • Confidence and discretion: we handle every search with the highest level of professionalism, protecting both client and candidate interests.
  • Breadth of quality options: We present a diverse and carefully curated shortlist, giving clients confidence in the choices available.

We deliver

  • Interview preparation: we provide ideal interview preparation, ensuring clients and candidates are ready to make the most of every conversation.
  • Early-stage quality filtering: our rigorous process identifies the strongest matches from the outset, saving time and resources.
  • The best fit, every time: we go beyond skills and experience to deliver candidates who align with the company culture, values and long-term goals.

Our track record

References

David Fursdon
Chair
Steve Ellwood
Chairman
David Frost
Organisational Development Director
Sarah Dean
Owner & Chair
Beverly Dixon
NED
Jim Godfrey
Former Chair

The team

At Eden Search, our talented team is experienced in, and personally committed to, finding executives to work in the specialist sectors that we serve. We have worked in, as well as recruited for, companies throughout the food and drink supply chain – turning our deep-rooted knowledge and cultural insights to the advantage of our clients.

Summary

  • Feedback and Questions
  • Next steps

Case study

Innovation Programme Director
AMFRESH
With group revenues exceeding €2 billion, AMFRESH is a global leader in fresh food innovation, offering end-to-end solutions across citrus, table grapes, tropical fruits and freshly squeezed fruit juices. Known for its commitment to varietal and operational excellence, AMFRESH consistently pushes the boundaries of what is possible in fresh produce. To sustain its momentum and further embed innovation at the heart of its operations, AMFRESH partnered with Eden Search to appoint an Innovation Programme Director. This strategic leadership role would shape and drive the group-wide innovation and R&D agenda, while establishing the framework for continuous improvement across the global supply chain.

Eden worked closely with AMFRESH’s senior leadership team to define a brief for the role—one not typically found within the fresh produce sector. Our search targeted professionals from global blue-chip organisations with mature innovation and R&D functions. A key criterion was international experience along with a demonstrable ability to lead cross-functional innovation across diverse business units.

We recognised early on that the ideal candidate would need to bring a broad and adaptive approach to innovation—not anchored in a single discipline. The role required someone who could build a function from scratch, establish clear strategic frameworks, and identify and prioritise high-impact initiatives to support AMFRESH’s ambitious growth and transformation goals.

The result:

Eden worked closely with AMFRESH’s senior leadership team to define a brief for the role—one not typically found within the fresh produce sector. Our search targeted professionals from global blue-chip organisations with mature innovation and R&D functions. A key criterion was international experience along with a demonstrable ability to lead cross-functional innovation across diverse business units.

We recognised early on that the ideal candidate would need to bring a broad and adaptive approach to innovation—not anchored in a single discipline. The role required someone who could build a function from scratch, establish clear strategic frameworks, and identify and prioritise high-impact initiatives to support AMFRESH’s ambitious growth and transformation goals.

Case study

Managing Director
Dole
The Italian business is one of the most successful within Dole Europe with a strong historic performance and broad portfolio of customers across the retail, wholesale, and foodservice market with recently developed new facilities which allows the business to capitalise on Doles unique vertically integrated supply chain.

Eden worked closely with the President of Dole Europe and the Organisational Development Director of Total Produce to refine and define the skills, experiences, and characteristics for the appointment focusing on the blend of commercial experience, retail knowledge and strategic insight required to develop Dole Italy.

Once completed Eden completed a talent identification and engagement process within the Italian fresh produce and food manufacturing industry looking at country specific companies as well as pan European organisations. This identified over 156 candidates across southern Europe.

Our Head of Research and Managing Director worked together closely to deliver the key stages of candidate selection: identification, screening, assessment and validation. This approach delivered a shortlist of four candidates which Dole considered highly credible and interviewed; with two candidates being brought back for a 2nd stage and third stage site tours. This process was conducted in complete confidentiality.

The result:

After an extensive search and interview process Dole Europe appointed a very experienced Commercial Director from Ferrero who stepped into their first Managing Director with great success harnessing the power of the Dole vertical supply chain with extensive knowledge of product and brand development from the wider food sector.

Eden Search

Contact details

Our offices
Oakgate House,
25 Market Place
Wetherby, LS22 6LQ
0113 834 6634
Registered in England No. 07449318. VAT Registration No. 102 292949.
info@edensearch.co.uk www.edensearch.co.uk