Merchant Gourmet → Premier Foods
Building the leadership team behind one of the UK’s fastest-growing premium food brands and continuing a trusted partnership that has spanned multiple businesses and more than 15 years.
At a glance
Industry
Premium Ambient Food
Business Stage
High-Growth Premium Food Brand
TalentPool Partnership
Since 2020
Managing Director
Richard Peake
TalentPool Appointments
15+ Cross-Functional Hires
Functions Supported
Sales, Marketing, Digital, Category, Shopper Marketing, Design, Social Media, Graphics, Buying, Supply Chain, Finance & Head of Emerging Markets
Strategic Objective
Build a high-performing leadership team to accelerate growth
Outcome
Acquired by Premier Foods (2025)
The Opportunity
TalentPool began partnering with Merchant Gourmet in 2020, following the appointment of Richard Peake as Managing Director.
Our relationship with Richard, however, began many years earlier. Having originally placed him into Method Products, TalentPool has continued to partner with him throughout his leadership career, supporting key appointments across businesses including Lily’s Kitchen, RXBAR and now Merchant Gourmet.
As Merchant Gourmet entered its next phase of growth, the business invested in strengthening its leadership capability across multiple commercial functions to accelerate innovation, retailer growth and organisational scale.
TalentPool was once again chosen as a trusted partner to help build that team.
TalentPool Impact
Over the course of our partnership, TalentPool has made more than 15 strategic appointments, helping build the leadership capability required to support Merchant Gourmet’s continued growth.
Functions supported included:
- Sales
- Marketing
- Digital
- Category
- Shopper Marketing
- Design
- Social Media
- Graphics
- Buying
- Supply Chain
- Finance
- Head of Emerging Markets / International
Our contribution helped Merchant Gourmet:
- Strengthen commercial leadership across multiple functions
- Expand retailer partnerships and distribution
- Build stronger brand, digital and shopper capabilities
- Support operational scale and international growth
- Create the organisational capability required for sustained long-term growth
Creating Value
Merchant Gourmet continued to strengthen its position as one of the UK’s leading premium ambient food brands, recognised for its innovation across grains, pulses and convenient plant-based meal solutions.
By investing in leadership capability across the business, Merchant Gourmet enhanced its commercial strength, accelerated growth and reinforced its position within one of the fastest-growing categories in grocery.
In 2025, the business was acquired by Premier Foods for an Enterprise Value of £48 million, recognising the strength of the brand, its growth trajectory and its market-leading position.
A Partnership Built on Trust
Merchant Gourmet represents far more than a successful search assignment.
It reflects a relationship that has evolved over many years with Richard Peake, one built on trust, shared success and a consistent commitment to building exceptional leadership teams.
From Method Products to Lily’s Kitchen, RXBAR and Merchant Gourmet, TalentPool has continued to support Richard as he has taken on new leadership challenges.
For us, this is one of the strongest endorsements of our approach.
Great leaders don’t simply remember successful placements, they return to the partners they trust to help build the teams around them.
Why It Matters
Merchant Gourmet demonstrates that long-term value creation isn’t driven by individual hires, it’s created by building exceptional teams.
It also highlights something that sits at the heart of TalentPool’s approach: the strongest relationships are built over decades, not individual assignments.
When exceptional leaders move on to their next challenge, they often choose to bring trusted partners with them.
The TalentPool Difference
The most valuable partnerships aren’t measured by the number of assignments completed.
They’re measured by the relationships that endure.
TalentPool is proud to have partnered with Richard Peake across multiple businesses throughout his career, helping build leadership teams that have supported sustained growth, category leadership and successful value creation.
Building Brands. Creating Value. Hiring the People Who Make It Happen.
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