UGO Food Group appoints new Head of Factory Operations

Karl Wood has been appointed as Head of Factory Operations for Ugo Foods Group. The role had previously been vacant for 14 months. Ugo are famous for their uncompromising standards and they had been content to wait for the “perfect candidate”. Sophia Cooke, Ugo’s Commercial Director, and Paul Ugo, their CEO, feel that Karl represents just such a person.

Ugo Foods Group are the UK’s longest running fresh pasta and noodle manufacturer. A third-generation family business which began from humble origins in 1929, Ugo are now the luxury supplier of choice to many of the nation’s most iconic grocers. Ugo are unflinching on quality and refuse to compromise in any way. This steadfast approach has seen them rise to the top of their product sector. They create their own delicious filled pasta product and, for a select clientele, they also manufacture private label. 

In a market saturated by long-standing relationships and pre-perceptions, Society felt it best to approach the search from a new angle. We chose to focus on technical ability, not product expertise. We looked in areas that had certain synergy, but our primary focus was finding a best-in-class leader, who would be excited by the chance to shepherd this incredible brand on its growth journey.

Karl Wood is a high energy leader, who takes real pride in the product his teams produce and thrives in a constantly adapting environment. He brings three decades of diverse product experience to the Team at Ugo, and has managed production of many of the household favourite foods in the UK. Most recently, Karl had been consulting for Whitworth’s. He joins Ugo following the successful completion of their factory modernisation programme.

Sophia Cooke, Ugo's Commercial Director, commented:

"I was beyond sceptical that Society would succeed where we had failed so many times previously. I was both shocked and delighted to see that they found us just what we desired and in a very short space of time.”