A MAJOR Scots ice cream brand has strengthened its senior leadership team with the appointment of a new head of operations.
Paul Henshaw, 43, joins the team at Mackie’s of Scotland with an extensive background in the food industry as he aims to help guide the company’s production processes as it pursues its strategic growth ambitions.
He began his career at 17 as a butcher on the shop floor and has since amassed a diverse range of skills during his progression through various supervisory and management roles in thriving businesses across Scotland, England and Africa.
Paul taking on the role is the latest in a spate of appointments following Mackie’s having recorded an 18% increase in both volume (litres sold) and value (GBP sales) growth, despite a challenging summer for ice cream sales which saw overall decline in the wider market.
Reflecting on his new role, Paul said: “For me personally it’s about continuing to establish myself at the top level within the industry and making as big an impact at Mackie’s as I have in throughout my career in the meat sector.
“I aim to bring the experience I have to the dairy industry now and look at how we can best perform, how we can grow the business and how we can give the business the tools to continue to put its best foot forward.
“In ten years’ time, I’ll measure my success by whether we’ve brought the business to the level we expect, maintained high performance, and competed successfully with other established brands.”
Paul’s journey in the food industry includes serving as head of operations at the Botswana Meat Commission and running a bottled water business in the sub-Saharan country.
Originally from Preston in Lancashire, Paul most recently worked for ABP UK, where he played a pivotal role as project resource manager, facilitating the recruitment of over 100 people.
His successful tenure there influenced his return to the UK, culminating in his new position at Mackie’s where he will oversee operational performance and the delivery of its ice cream and chocolate products to market.
Paul added: “It’s an exciting place to be. Mackie’s is a well-established brand and it’s full of very experienced people, and so I am very excited to be part of the Mackie’s family.
“There’s huge potential for growth in this business and we’re well placed to perform strongly within the market. We have a very exciting new product development department and the business is always looking to expand and invest in itself.
“Playing a role in the new, younger, and experienced team at Mackie’s over the next decade is a really exciting prospect.”
Stuart Common, managing director of Mackie’s of Scotland commented: “The addition of Paul as our new head of operations further illustrates our ambitious plans to grow the Mackie’s brand across the UK.
“Paul brings an immense amount of experience in the food and drink sector, which will undoubtedly strengthen our operations team.
“His diverse international background and strategic vision align perfectly with our goals to expand and innovate.
“With our continued focus on growth and investment in our facilities, coupled with Paul’s operational expertise, we’re well-positioned to build on our success as the UK’s largest independently owned ice cream manufacturer.”
Paul’s appointment comes after Mackie’s made three additions to its sales team earlier in the year, including a new Head of Sales.
