Branston has expanded the responsibilities of Tom Seagrief, appointing him General Manager of its Added Value division as the UK potato supplier continues to invest in its value-added processing operations.

Seagrief, previously General Manager of Prepared, will now oversee Branston’s prepared retail business, B2B peeling facility and mashed potato operation. The appointment comes as the company continues to scale production at its purpose-built mashed potato facility, which opened in 2024 to meet growing demand for convenience products.

“I’m looking forward to taking on this new challenge within the business,” Seagrief said. “I’ve been fortunate enough to work across a variety of teams within Branston, and it feels like the right time to step into this role and help drive strategic growth.”

A graduate trainee who joined Branston more than a decade ago, Seagrief has held roles across the company’s technical, finance and operations functions before moving into operational management. He also previously worked at the University of Lincoln and food manufacturer Jordans Dorset Ryvita.

In his expanded position, Seagrief will oversee production across Branston’s added-value facilities, from raw potato intake through to finished products. His responsibilities include managing operational efficiency, food safety, quality standards and production costs, while leading continuous improvement initiatives and delivering the company’s planned capital investment programme.

“The mash facility has been a huge area of growth for the business, allowing us to improve the product for customers while also supporting a more sustainable supply chain,” Seagrief said. “Driving sustainability is a key focus in my strategic work and I’m keen to keep progressing this within prepped, B2B and mash, and see how we can continue to develop our offering to give customers the best quality possible.”

Branston’s mashed potato facility produces a range of ready-to-eat mashed potato products, root vegetable recipes and topped jacket potatoes. Equipped with steam peeling technology, automated cooking systems and a 2km spiral chiller, the factory produced 23 million packs during its first year of operation.

The investment formed part of Branston’s broader strategy to expand its added-value offering while improving crop utilisation through highly automated and flexible processing technology.

Jason Kelly said the expanded role reflects the company’s long-term growth ambitions.

“Expanding Tom’s role to cover the mash facility operation is part of our ongoing commitment to maintaining our high standards while also driving business growth,” Kelly said. “His extensive knowledge and experience with not only high-care food factory environments, but also of Branston as a whole, is invaluable. I’m looking forward to seeing how he shapes this next chapter.”