Since joining the UK arm of family-owned French bakery group in 2023 as finance and operations director, Essen was said to have been central to the business’s growth in the UK market. She was appointed deputy managing director in October 2024 and is beginning her role as CEO in October 2026, described as one of the fastest leadership progressions within the Norac Group.
With a background in strategy, growth and business transformation, Essen’s career has focused on developing businesses, strengthening organisations and building teams.
As CEO, Essen will lead the strategic development of Norac Foods UK, working closely with chief marketing officer Benjamin Lickfett and the wider leadership team.
Expanding into the UK market
She takes up Norac Foods UK role as the continental morning goods category grew 9.6% from 2025 to 2026 (Worldpanel, 2026). Norac Foods UK said it was “well-positioned” to capitalise on this category growth, and Essen will focus on further improving the brands’ visibility in the UK market.
The business said it was building its first UK production site as part of its aim to expand into the UK market and bring skilled jobs to the region.
Blerina Essen, CEO of Norac Foods UK, commented: “I’m incredibly proud to take on this role, and grateful for the trust the Norac Group, our shareholders and leadership have placed in me. Norac Foods UK has grown because of the people behind it, and my focus as CEO stays the same: grow the business, build a strong team, think differently, and create a culture where everyone is encouraged to think like an owner and to be themselves.
“That collaborative ethos is what will allow us to capitalise on new opportunities for growth at such an exciting moment for the business. Continental morning goods have grown by 9.6% in the past year, which tells us British shoppers want more choice at breakfast and treat time than the familiar options give them.
“We can meet that with French recipes and baking know-how from a family business with more than thirty years behind it, adapted to the flavours and formats British families reach for. With the Norac Group’s first UK production site underway in Lincolnshire, Norac Foods UK can bring the same approach closer to UK retailers and help grow the category as a whole.”
