Edward embodies career progression at Princes after joining us in 2008 as agency staff following a move to the UK from Lithuania. He has worked his way up through the business to become a General Manager and now leads a team of 80 in Belvedere and 75 in Erith. He says:

“Shortly after moving to the UK, I joined Princes as an agency worker and one of my first roles was spooning chilli flakes into bottles on the production line and stacking pallets. I was also juggling a full-time job along with a degree in photography at UCA Rochester.

“Since then, I’ve been a machine operator, a line team leader, a shift manager, production manager and a manufacturing manager. In May 2022, I was promoted to General Manager.

“It’s amazing what you can achieve at Princes if you are prepared to work hard, grab opportunities and to take advantage of all the training on offer.

“I’ve always valued the importance of going the extra mile, working hard to get on with everyone and treating people the same whether they’re the cleaner or a manager.

“We have a great team here and I know that the people are what make Princes so special. I’ve worked alongside a lot of colleagues at EOL for a long time. I’ve also had some very good mentors over the years who have given me great guidance.

“There’s a sense of family in this business and we do lots to foster that, from organising colleague football tournaments and summer family fests to raising funds for charity and getting together for our annual Christmas party. We’re running a colleague photography competition at the moment, and we’ll display the entries in an exhibition at site.

“I’ve learnt everything I know about both leadership and the food and drink industry from Princes – and I’ve come a long way from the agency worker packing chilli flakes. I believe that Princes has created the man I am today.”