The client

Since the first box of Weetabix left the Burton Latimer Mills in 1932, the food group has expanded its family of brands to include Alpen, On The Go Breakfast Drinks, Oatibix, Ready Brek, Weetos, and Alpen cereal bars. The company produces 70 million biscuits each week, distributed to 80 different countries. 

The challenge

Weetabix had worked with Bain & Co, the global management consultancy, to develop a new company strategy. The Weetabix board then needed a partner to help design the organisational structure to turn strategy into reality.

Following a search that considered the traditional large consultancies as well as smaller niche players, they chose Change Associates to help.

What we did

After meeting the Weetabix leadership team, it was clear we needed to develop a new operating model and organisational structure.

We used Concentra’s orgvueTM modelling tool to analyse the existing organisational design as a baseline before working with the leadership team to consider a number of alternative operating models.

The Weetabix board asked us to incorporate two strategic developments into our thinking:

  • The launch of a new breakfast drink product that needed an optimum team structure to compete against established products.
  • The need for a management structure for Weetabix’s international divisions that would free the UK management team to focus on core business.

We analysed a range of options before agreeing on a preferred operating model with the team. Our consultants then worked with each member of the leadership team to add detail to the organisational design.

We ensured we had a detailed understanding of key processes to ensure we could make fully informed decisions about core roles.

Modelling the structure using orgvueTM enabled us to provide a detailed and accurate prediction of the costs for the change.

The result

  • The new structure was successfully implemented with the Weetabix leadership commenting positively about the expertise and analytical tools Change Associates brought to the project.
  • We provided a comprehensive handover to ensure the long-term sustainability of the change.

Image (c) Shutterstock  | Moving Moment

“In my experience, a number of associate organisations purport to have a bank of associates they can call on. Unfortunately, this often means you get whoever is available in their network.

This was certainly not the case with Change Associates. Team members came and went and came back again at key times during the Weetabix project. This was an excellent use of the right people, with the right skills at the right time for both the efficiency and effectiveness of our project and business need.

Their ability and commitment to keeping us and each other informed made us feel like the Change Associates personnel were one and the same throughout the work.

We look forward to working with them again and would have no hesitation in recommending them.”

Stuart Branch

Chief People & Digital Officer, Weetabix