Incoming Foodfirst CEO Eddie Gavigan was born in Scotland and grew up in the Glasgow suburb of Castlemilk. As a child he wanted to become a professional football player and by age 14 he played for Celtic Boys Club, a feeder club for the legendary Celtic Football Club. At 16, however, he signed a contract with Greenock Morton and played four seasons in the Scottish Premier League.
So how did an aspiring footballer from Castlemilk end up in New Zealand, playing for Mt Wellington? “To be honest, back in 1983, I didn’t even know where New Zealand was,” Gavigan admitted. “My agent at the time had three offers; Australia, Hong Kong or New Zealand. He convinced me to take the New Zealand offer.”
Gavigan got a foothold in the New Zealand food industry in 1986 as a sales rep for Bush Boake Allen, a flavour and fragrance manufacturer, before joining Griffith Labs five years later as national sales and marketing manager. Burns Philp Ingredients acquired Griffith, which was subsequently acquired by the Kerry Group in 1998.
Gavigan has spent the last 27 years in various senior management positions, working his way up the ranks. From National Sales and Marketing Manager he moved to Commercial Director, before being appointed General Manager NZ in 2002. In 2008 he served as General Manager ANZ, before making a move to Singapore as VP/General Manager APAC for Kerry’s Meat and Culinary Wet. His most recent role was VP General Manager of Thailand for Kerry APAC, which he did for three and a half years before moving to Australia in 2017.
Gavigan wants to make Foodfirst the leading food co-operative, bringing value and growth to both the customer and supplier. “Foodfirst has huge potential for further growth, with a passionate board of directors and a dedicated team,” he said. “Having spent 32 years in the food industry in various roles and various countries has given me an in-depth understanding of the global food industry.”
Apart from a strong strategic and financial acumen, Gavigan has used modern technology to drive increased volumes, profit margins and efficiency gains – an approach he plans on bringing to Foodfirst, along with his all-encompassing leadership style. “I like to encourage initiative and personal growth,” he said. “You have to lead by example, deliver clear expectations to the team, but also be mindful of the fact that the team is made up of individuals.”
Gavigan and his wife Sharon, a New Zealander, currently live in Brisbane but will move back to Auckland to join their four adult children. “I’ve enjoyed my time in Asia, but New Zealand is my home.”
