Strong Roots has appointed Emma Curtis as Managing Director, entrusting one of the architects of the brand's vision to lead the business and guide its next phase of growth.
An influential figure in the Strong Roots story since its early years, Curtis has helped shape the company from ambitious challenger start-up to internationally recognised food brand.
Before joining Strong Roots, she built her career with leading consumer brands including Mondelez and BEAR, experience that she would go on to combine with the entrepreneurial energy of a fast-growing challenger business.
Having established and scaled the company's UK operation into one of its most important growth markets, Curtis went on to hold several senior leadership roles spanning strategy, business development and sustainability.
Most recently, as Vice President of Global Strategy, Business Development & CSR, she has helped shape the company's long-term growth agenda, identify new opportunities for expansion and guide the evolution of the business through a period of significant growth and change.
Curtis' contribution to the industry has also been recognised externally, including being named in The Grocer's prestigious 30 Under 30 list.
Since its establishment in 2015, Strong Roots has built its reputation by challenging convention in the frozen food category and creating products that anticipated changing consumer priorities around ingredient transparency, sustainability and vegetable-based food choices.
Curtis succeeds Charlotte Turton, who led Strong Roots through an important period following its acquisition by McCain Foods in 2021, helping establish the business as a thriving independent business unit within the wider McCain organisation. Turton will now take on a senior marketing leadership role within McCain.
Peter Dawe, President, Global Snacking at McCain, commented: "Samuel Dennigan founded Strong Roots with ambitious aims and he surrounded himself with an extremely capable team. When Samuel first asked Emma to establish and lead the UK business, it reflected the confidence he had in her ability to turn ambition into reality. The success of that business speaks for itself.
"Emma's contribution to Strong Roots goes far beyond any one role. She has helped shape the company's strategy, growth agenda and long-term direction while remaining deeply connected to the entrepreneurial spirit that made the brand successful in the first place.
"As we considered the next chapter for Strong Roots, there was a strong belief that its future should be led by someone who understands not only where the brand is going, but what made it matter in the first place. Emma is uniquely placed to do both."
Commenting on her appointment, Curtis said: “Strong Roots has never been more relevant than it is today. Today, Strong Roots combines its challenger mindset with McCain's global scale and capabilities, creating a strong platform for continued growth.
"'We’ve spent the last decade heroing the veg, long before conversations around fibre, ingredient transparency and healthier eating became mainstream. Today, consumers are actively seeking the things we’ve believed in from the start.
"At its heart, Strong Roots has always been led by a committed group of people who refused to accept that the freezer aisle had reached its full potential.
"We’ve never been the biggest team in the room, but we’ve brought together people who care deeply about improving the industry we operate in, who back bold ideas and who aren’t afraid to challenge convention when they believe there’s a better way. That mindset has helped us create products people genuinely want to bring into their homes and build a business we’re incredibly proud of.
The first decade built a remarkable platform. What excites me most is what this team can build from here.”C