Articles
How Kanes Foods Is Turning Apprenticeships into Business Impact
How a Leading UK Food Manufacturer is Turning Apprenticeships into Long-Term Business Value
National Apprenticeship Week is a great opportunity to celebrate the employers who are using apprenticeships to build skills, strengthen their local communities and drive meaningful, continuous improvement, and Kanes Foods is a fantastic example of this in action.
At CQM Training & Consultancy, we’re proud to support Kanes Foods, one of the UK’s leading suppliers of prepared salads, stir fry mixes, salad bowls, dressings and prepared vegetables to major supermarkets. We caught up with Alexandra Rychlik, Apprenticeship and Skills Pathway Manager at Kanes Foods to learn more about how apprenticeships have supported their business.
Building Future Talent Through Apprenticeships
Kanes Foods has embedded apprenticeships as a core part of its people strategy, with around 20 apprentices currently completing programmes in areas such as Leadership and Food Technology. Through a combination of high quality training and on-the job learning apprentices have helped Kanes Foods develop skilled, motivated employees who contribute to both day-to-day operations and long-term improvement projects across the business.
“Our apprentices bring a fresh perspective, new ideas, and up-to-date learning into the business.
They’re motivated, reliable, and eager to learn. They play a genuine role in supporting day-to-day operations as well as long-term improvement projects.”
Apprenticeships Driving Continuous Improvement
One of the standout features of Kanes Foods’ apprenticeship approach is the link between learning and real business improvement. Apprentices aren’t just completing a qualification; they’re applying new skills to drive measurable change across departments, from process efficiencies on the factory floor to better ways of working in support functions.
Through our partnership, we’ve worked closely with apprentices and line managers to connect classroom learning with live workplace projects ensuring the investment delivers sustainable results aligned to Kanes Foods’ goals around quality, efficiency and customer value.
A Culture of Support and Learning
“As an organisation, we work hard to support all of our apprentices throughout their programmes. That includes structured on-the-job training, regular reviews and meetings and exposure to different areas of the business. We make sure they feel supported both professionally and personally.”
This blend of strong internal support and specialist external training creates an environment where apprentices gain confidence, practical experience and cross-functional understanding while Kanes Foods have benefitted from a more skilled, engaged and improvement-focused workforce.
A Long-Term Investment with Big Returns
At Kanes Foods, their investment in their people is visible in loyal, capable employees who bring fresh thinking to a fast-paced, quality-driven environment and actively contribute to ongoing improvement.
For employers considering apprenticeships for the first time, Alex has the following advice.
“Invest time and be patient. Let apprentices make mistakes because this is how they learn. Don’t expect miracles from day one. Be supportive, because apprenticeships are a long-term investment but the return is huge.”
Ready to Explore Apprenticeships in Your Business?
If National Apprenticeship Week has inspired you to explore how apprenticeships could support your business, we’d love to talk.
Get in touch with us today to discuss how we can help you design and deliver apprenticeship programmes that develop your people, tackle real business challenges and create a sustainable pipeline of talent for the future.
Getting Started With Apprenticeships Brochure
