Building Future Leaders: Arden Fine Foods’ Journey of Growth and Succession
With over 30 years’ experience spanning finance, strategy and leadership development, Liz Whitfield of Growth Plans Ltd reflects on her work with client Arden Fine Foods and the lessons it offers for other businesses navigating growth and succession.
Building Future Leaders: Arden Fine Foods’ Journey of Growth and Succession
Whether you are leading a business or owning one, there are moments when your senior team needs to step up, sometimes to deliver the next phase of growth and sometimes to ensure a smooth leadership transition. For some businesses, this follows a management buyout; for others, it is part of a longer-term succession plan. In either case, strong leadership is what turns continuity into progress.
At Arden Fine Foods, I have worked with three generations of leadership teams across two management buyouts. Each time, I was invited in to prepare the next generation of leaders as they moved from operational management into true leadership. Several have joined peer-level Leadership Boards®, gaining fresh perspectives and the confidence to navigate change, which has strengthened both the team and the business.
This consistency reflects a belief that leadership strength is built over time, and that having the right people ready to lead is critical to growth and succession. Being asked back by one MBO team to support the next is a clear sign of the value placed on developing leadership capability that lasts.
Preparing Today’s Leaders for Tomorrow’s Business
In many ownership transitions, particularly ahead of a sale, investment in leadership development is minimal. Vendors are often focused on maximising value and may be reluctant to spend on initiatives that could lead to the team being perceived as “weak”. Arden Fine Foods has taken a different path. With a strong tradition of succession from one generation to the next, they chose to invest in leadership capability well before it was needed, seeing it as critical to the business’s ongoing success.
When I first worked with Arden in 2018, the then owner and Managing Director wanted to prepare his team well before stepping back. We began with a two-day development programme focused on trust, communication, and a shared sense of purpose, not as a tick-box exercise, but as the foundation for a confident transition. Over time, those leaders grew in capability, took on greater responsibility, and shaped the culture they would go on to lead.
By 2023, the business had grown significantly, and the next phase of succession was underway. Gareth Owen, part of the third generation of Arden’s leaders I have supported, was preparing to step into the Managing Director role. He combined Leadership Board® membership with intensive coaching to help him lead strategically, delegate effectively, and manage a newly formed board.
“The insights, accountability, and tailored support Liz provides have been essential in helping me transition into my role with confidence.” Gareth Owen, Managing Director, Arden Fine Foods
That continuity of leadership development across multiple generations has ensured Arden’s leaders are not only ready to take over, but ready to take the business forward.
Six Lessons from Arden Fine Foods’ Leadership Development
1. Start early and build strong foundations
When I began work at Arden in 2018, the focus wasn’t on an immediate change of leadership, but on building alignment, trust and a shared language across the senior team. This early investment created the stability and cohesion that would underpin their growth plans and future transitions.
2. Leadership is more than a role
From the outset, it was clear that strong leadership at Arden was about more than job titles or functional expertise. It meant developing the ability to communicate effectively, adapt to different personalities, and lead in a way that reflected the business’s values.
3. Balance team alignment with individual growth
Workshops brought the team together, clarified shared priorities, and deepened mutual understanding. Alongside this, individual coaching and profiling gave each leader a better grasp of their own strengths, development areas and communication style, enabling them to contribute more effectively to the team.
4. Create space for perspective
Stepping away from daily operations to think strategically is vital. Involvement in peer-level Leadership Boards® and structured reflection gave leaders the space to consider challenges, explore new ideas and return to the business with renewed clarity and focus.
5. Turn insight into action through coaching
Intensive leadership development coaching was a catalyst for real change. It helped leaders move from operational management to strategic leadership, translating new perspectives into practical actions such as clearer goal-setting, better delegation, and more confident decision-making.
6. Keep values at the heart of leadership
The development journey at Arden reinforced the importance of leading in line with core values. As the team grew and changed, those values became the anchor point, ensuring consistency of culture and approach through every stage of succession.
Leading the Business, Not Just Running It
Over time, Arden’s leadership strength has deepened into a more connected, confident and collaborative team. Decision-making is clearer, perspectives are broader, and responsibility is shared more widely, creating a resilient structure for future growth.
That is the real purpose of succession planning. It is about building on what is already strong and ensuring the business is led with clarity and energy through every stage of its journey.
At Arden Fine Foods, investing in leadership across multiple generations has supported smooth transitions and contributed to sustained growth. The benefits are clear: stronger collaboration, more confident decisions, and a team ready for what comes next.
Reflections for Other Businesses
Not every organisation faces succession in the same way, but Arden’s story shows that preparing leaders well in advance brings long-term value. Leadership development can take many forms; from structured workshops, to one-to-one coaching, to Leadership Boards®, but the common thread is giving leaders the skills and confidence to step up.
For businesses considering their own future, the question is not whether succession will come, but whether the team is equipped to lead when it does.