Plant-based food company THIS has announced the appointment of Mark Cuddigan as its new CEO.

Cuddigan will replace co-founders Andy Shovel and Pete Sharman, who have been co-CEOs since they launched the business in 2019. Cuddigan was CEO of Ella’s Kitchen for six years and will begin as THIS CEO on 19th February 2024, and report to the board of directors.

Stepping down as co-CEOs, the pair will remain involved in the business, supporting Cuddigan and the senior team as well as contributing at board level.

Cuddigan joined Ella’s Kitchen in August 2011, where he led the business and since being acquired by The Hain Celestial Group Inc. in May 2013, drove their revenue from £41 million to £100 million. THIS described him as a “driving force” behind the B Corp movement, having sat on the B Lab board for nearly five years and with Ella’s being the second company to gain the accreditation whilst being part of a PLC back in 2016.

Andy Shovel, co-founder at THIS, commented: “We couldn’t be more excited to welcome Mark into the business! Pete and I have been semi-decent early-stage CEOs (mostly!), but we wanted to invite a seasoned pro to lead our baby from here. 

“We’re absolutely thrilled to have someone with such a rich experience within FMCG, genuine passion for our mission and an exceptional track record of driving sustainable growth through an engaged and empowered team, leading the business into the next chapter on the THIS journey.”

Mark Cuddigan, CEO of THIS™, said: “I am delighted to have been appointed to lead THIS into a new chapter. It’s a business on an impressive growth journey, with a strong brand, talented team and a reputation as a leader in the food industry.

“I will be very focused on working with the team to continue to deliver category leading growth, as we serve the millions of people across Europe who eat our products every day.”

The changes come after Mark Turner stepped down as managing director, leaving the business at the end of January. The company said that Turner had helped the business deliver exceptional growth over the last two years, achieving revenue growth last year of 47% to around £19.3 million.

Commenting on Turner leaving the business, Shovel added: “We would like to thank Mark for the huge amount of effort and dedication he’s shown to help get the business to its current position, both in terms of commercial support, strategic planning and on being the driving force behind so many key initiatives.”