Nomad Foods partnered with TomorrowToday Consulting to proactively shape their future rather than react to disruption. Together, we developed transformational strategies for two core categories: frozen fish and plant-based food, reimagining both for the decade ahead.
Results That Transformed
- Strategic Clarity: “Fish is a Force for Good” and “Put Plants at the Heart of Every Meal” became embedded in Nomad Foods’ internal language and strategic focus, aligning their vision to shape the future of food.
- Internal Culture Shift: TomorrowToday Consulting (TTC) helped Nomad Foods shift from reactive strategy to proactive future design, fostering purpose-driven innovation.
- Market Positioning: Green Cuisine set an ambitious EUR 2 billion revenue target by 2030, while the Future of Fish initiative transformed sourcing and sustainability approaches.
Challenge: Navigating Grey Elephants
Nomad’s frozen fish business faced a perfect storm: climate change was shifting traditional fishing grounds, and their transcontinental supply chain revealed overlooked vulnerabilities. Meanwhile, plant-based diets were rapidly moving from fringe trend to mainstream movement – posing both risks and opportunities.
Approach: Co-Creation and Strategic Foresight
TomorrowToday engaged deeply with Nomad’s senior leaders, suppliers, customers, and a diverse group of external experts – including a regenerative fish farmer, marine biologists, chefs and food innovation specialists – conducting extensive interviews and workshops to surface collective wisdom. Insights formed a visual “playbook” aligning stakeholders around shared strategic language.
One revelation exemplified hidden strategic risks: Nomad was shipping fish from the North Sea to China for processing, then back to Europe for sale. This sparked crucial discussions about carbon emissions, supply chain vulnerabilities, and the opportunity to reshore manufacturing – conversations that became even more relevant as global disruptions unfolded.
Two clear strategic quests emerged:
- “Fish is a Force for Good” – reimagining fish innovation around sustainability, consumer health, and supply chain resilience.
- “Putting Plants at the Heart of Every Meal” – shifting plant-based eating from niche to mainstream.
COVID-19 accelerated the adoption of virtual-first consulting, enabling TTC to bring global expertise directly to Nomad’s leadership. The senior leadership team committed to the process and were actively engaged throughout, participating in expert webinars, discussions, and scenario planning sessions. This collaborative approach allowed the team to tap into cutting-edge insights from plant-based innovators and regenerative agriculture specialists.
Outcomes: From Vision to Impact
Both “Fish is a Force for Good” and “Putting Plants at the Heart of Every Meal” quests inspired cross-functional collaboration, challenged long-held assumptions, and drove a shift from reactive strategy towards proactively shaping the future of food.
The plant-based strategic vision, in particular, guided Green Cuisine towards ambitious growth, positioning it firmly within European markets as plant-based foods moved from niche categories into mainstream consumer choices.
Key Lessons for Leaders
Nomad Foods’ journey offers valuable insights for organisations facing significant industry disruption:
- Listen First, Lead Second: Leverage internal collective wisdom.
- Challenge Sacred Assumptions: Re-examine legacy practices.
- Create Quests, Not Goals: Inspire with purpose-driven missions.
- Leverage Virtual Expertise: Efficiently access global knowledge.
Turn Your Industry Disruption into Strategic Advantage
Ready to Build the Future You Want?
At TomorrowToday, we help organisations move from reacting to disruption to shaping what comes next.
Whether you’re ready to challenge assumptions, align your team around a bold vision, or fast-track your next big move, we’re here to help.
Let’s co-create:
- Keynotes & Presentations that spark bold thinking
- Workshops that unlock new possibilities
- Strategy Consulting that builds future-fit organisations
- Skunk Works Innovation Labs that turn ambitious ideas into action
Get in touch to explore how we can help your team become architects of the future.
TomorrowToday Consulting empowers forward-thinking organisations to not just anticipate the future, but to shape it. Staying ahead of the curve is critical, and we provide the visionary thinking and strategic execution you need to thrive.
We invite you to connect with Graeme Codrington and Dean van Leeuwen, two of our lead futurists, or if you would prefer, I’d be happy to schedule a meeting to connect you with them to chat about the biggest Grey Elephant you’re seeing in your industry right now.