There’s a quiet but steady shift happening in the UK food and fresh produce sector. More mergers. More acquisitions. More consolidation.
These moves make perfect sense on paper—streamlining operations, broadening reach, or creating new efficiencies. But behind every deal, there are people wondering what it means for them, their teams, and their future.
Whether you're in a commercial, technical, or leadership role, it's not just “those two businesses” being affected. These moves send ripples across the whole industry.
Change Always Starts with People
Every M&A triggers change. And change triggers questions:
Is my role secure?
Will my team look the same in six months?
Is now the right time to explore other opportunities?
That uncertainty is natural and widespread. Research shows that even when job cuts aren’t on the table, employees can still feel unsure. That’s often when movement begins. People start quietly weighing their options or paying more attention to new opportunities, even if nothing’s “officially” changing yet.
From a people's perspective, this is the moment that matters most: not when the deal completes, but when it’s announced.
Culture Counts
In sectors like chilled food, fresh produce, and high-care manufacturing, the pace is intense, and the pressure is real. Culture can feel like a soft topic. But it isn’t.
Culture shows up in shift patterns, decision-making speed, management style—even how teams approach problems on the line. When two businesses come together, these things don’t always blend easily. That’s why many failed integrations come down to cultural misalignment, not commercial missteps.
For businesses undergoing M&A, there’s a real opportunity here: to listen more, explain the “why” better, and bring people into the process early. Those that do are more likely to hold onto knowledge, stability, and trust.
What Does This Mean for the Wider Sector?
Even if your business isn’t going through a merger, you’re still likely to feel the ripple effects.
In the months after large M&A deals are announced, we often see:
Experienced people entering the job market—not because they have to, but because they’re ready for something new.
A reshuffling of leadership roles, sometimes creating gaps that need urgent filling.
Supply chain and procurement strategies shifting, creating both pressure and opportunity for smaller, agile businesses to step up.
There’s nothing inherently negative about this. It’s change. And change creates movement—for individuals and organisations.
How Can Businesses Respond Well?
If you’re leading a team right now—whether through a merger or adjacent to one—this is a good time to check in. Not just on KPIs, but on how your people are feeling.
Ask yourself:
Do we have clarity on our direction, and are we sharing it?
Are our strongest team members still feeling invested and secure?
Are we keeping an eye on the wider market, not just for threats, but for opportunity?
The smartest businesses use moments of industry change to reflect, adapt, and sometimes, to attract great people who might not have been open to change six months ago.
Final Thoughts
We’re in a period of evolution across food and fresh produce. Consolidation is part of that. So is innovation. So is people's movement.
The businesses that come through strongest won’t necessarily be the biggest. They’ll be the ones that communicate well, retain trust, and keep their people engaged through change.
Because when deals are done and systems are aligned, it’s still people who make it all work.
