Leading British turkey company Bernard Matthews has appointed Chris Just as its CEO.
“I’m excited by this new challenge and the great opportunity to build on the heritage of this much-loved British brand,” said Just. “My intention is to create a solid foundation upon which we can grow the business and make Bernard Matthews great again.”
Chris Just's career experience
Just started his career in factory management, and at earlier stages in his career, he was appointed operations director for several cooked meat businesses.
He later led Tranfoods and Parkam Food Group during periods of considerable development and as the group commercial director at Browns Food Group he was responsible for substantial sales growth of their cooked meat range.
He was awarded an honorary fellowship for his outstanding achievements by the Royal Society of Arts in 2008.
“Chris is an experienced CEO with substantial knowledge in business leadership and commercial expertise with more than 30 years’ in food manufacturing and retail,” a Bernard Matthews spokesman said.
“His track record demonstrates his determination to drive food businesses forward and in doing so help them fulfill their potential.”
History of Bernard Matthews
A leading turkey producer in the U.K., the company originated in 1950 when founder and namesake Bernard Matthews, then an insurance clerk, purchased 20 turkey eggs and a second-hand incubator. He hatched those eggs and sold the poults to a local farmer. By 1952, Matthews was selling 2,000 turkeys a year. He soon left the insurance business to focus on turkey production and growing the company. Matthews continued to lead the company until his death in 2010.
In 2015, the company introduced a new logo and rebranding effort. One year later, the company was acquired by Ranjit Boparan for the Boparan Group. The Boparan Group includes 2 Sisters Food Group, the largest chicken producer in the U.K.
