Birds Eye’s Anna Owen on playlists, peas and purpose

No comments

Anna Owen1

Name: Anna Owen

Job Title: Cluster head of sustainability UK & Ireland

Company: Birds Eye

What was your first job? Part-time was on the checkouts at my local Sainsbury’s. Full-time was the Unilever grad scheme – at what was then Birds Eye Wall’s. So this is a full circle move for me.

What’s been your worst job interview? A university internship with a big-name consultancy where I accidentally trash-talked the very premise of consultancy itself. Unsurprisingly, I didn’t make the cut.

What was the first music single you bought? Suddenly by Angry Anderson – the Neighbours wedding song. Scott and Charlene forever.

“There’s a myth that frozen food is somehow second-rate when it’s actually such a fantastic choice”

How do you describe your job to your friends? “I work for Birds Eye – yes, the peas and fish fingers – and my job is to work out how we can help people eat in ways that are better for them and the planet. Short version: peas and purpose.”

What is the most rewarding part of your job? Getting to work with brilliant, passionate people – and knowing that together, we’re helping put better food on the nation’s plates, every single day.

What is the least rewarding part? That there’s a myth that frozen food is somehow second-rate when it’s actually such a fantastic choice. Freshness and goodness locked in and amazing for tackling food waste.

2 Mexican Inspired Fish Fillets_Lime&Chilli_SP

In March, Birds Eye expanded its frozen fish range with a new Captain’s Discoveries lineup, drawing on flavours from around the world

What is your motto in life? Be like water – try to flow around the obstacles.

If you were allowed one dream perk, what would it be? A spare me for the mum/work juggle – fluent in teen sarcasm, snack strategy, and the science of missing socks.

Do you have any phobias? Cliché but spiders. Urghhhh.

If you could change one thing in grocery, what would it be? Make healthy, sustainable choices the most obvious, tasty and appealing ones – for everyone.

What luxury would you have on a desert island? Access to my Spotify playlists. Everything’s better with music.

What animal most reflects your personality? I did a spirit animal quiz and it said a turtle – wise, chilled, long-game thinker. I’ll take it.

What’s your favourite film and why? Back to the Future – 1980s perfection. Skateboards, time travel and a great soundtrack.

What has been the most embarrassing moment in your life? In my rather unworldly youth, I once told someone on holiday, “sorry, I don’t understand you”, assuming they were speaking a foreign language.

Turns out they were just speaking fluent Geordie. I still absolutely cringe at the memory – and have ventured north of the Watford Gap a lot more often ever since.

Which celebrity would you most like to work with and why? Richard Osman. Smart, hilarious, and I reckon would bring brilliant ideas to every knotty problem.

What would your death row meal be? A Wahaca Mexican feast – plus a Birds Eye fish finger taco for good measure. Too good not to.