Since 1 September 2024, Sabine Sagaert has been at the helm of Ardo as its CEO. We sat down with her to hear more about her first impressions, future plans, and her vision for the company.
Sabine:
“I was born in Kortrijk, my roots are in West Flanders, and I now live in Ghent with my husband. We have two adult children. In my free time, I like spending time with friends and family and I enjoy art, sports (walking, cycling, swimming), reading and travelling.”
Sabine:
“I’ve worked in the food industry for years. It’s a world that is very close to my heart. I love healthy food myself. It contributes to a better quality of life, which I am very passionate about. Ardo appealed to me straight away because of its focus on sustainability, which is really part of the company’s DNA. Ardo’s values – such as ownership, authenticity, passion and customer focus – are perfectly in line with who I am. Ardo has a strong reputation in the industry as well. Its global presence and growth potential completed the picture.”
Sabine:
“I can confirm that everything that attracted me to Ardo is actually true! There’s a lot of passion and expertise in the company. Sustainability is not only a priority; it’s also a clear differentiator for our customers.
Our fresh frozen vegetables, herbs and fruit offer many advantages: they are healthy food that is easy to use, there is no need for any cleaning or cutting, they produce less food waste and they are an affordable alternative to fresh produce.
I’ve also seen several impressive innovations already, such as the tricolore veggie fingers, corn ribs, Mediterranean spinach … I tried all products. Our vegan cream spinach, for example, tastes great, is easy to use and is even more sustainable. I am very excited!
Of course, there are also opportunities we want to take advantage of more. Safety remains our top priority: we want each and every employee to stay healthy and safe day after day. In addition, we focus strongly on customer centricity and service levels to stay a preferred supplier. We also want to further simplify and optimise our business processes through digitalisation and a more data-driven approach. All of this contributes to customer focus. Everyone in our organisation is responsible for satisfying our customers.”
Sabine:
“We have a clear strategy for the next five years, with growth being a key objective. We are also fully committed to the development of our employees and are always looking for ways to mitigate climate change risks.
One important initiative in this regard is our MIMOSA+ programme.
It encourages our farmers to implement regenerative agriculture. It improves soil health, reduces the use of water and pesticides and increases biodiversity.
It’s a practical way to embed sustainability in our operations even more.
We also continue to focus on innovation in collaboration with our customers. We continue to follow trends closely, and we adapt our product range accordingly.”
Sabine:
“I tried our new salads of course, and wow, they really are a cut above the rest. They are perfectly in tune with current nutritional trends and give consumers exactly what they are looking for: easy, healthy meals. I’m a huge fan!”
Sabine:
“I do. We want to stay your preferred supplier in the future. We like to contribute to and work with our customers to find win-win solutions that are in line with your strategic goals. Our teams of experts are ready to support you in terms of innovation, sustainability and product development.”