A personal message from Founder and CEO Lee Personius

Tugo Food, a market leading UK provider of innovative food solutions and a heritage of over 16yrs across the hospitality, leisure, and education sectors, is proud to announce its transition to an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT). This strategic move secures the long-term future of the business and rewards the employees who have been instrumental to its growth and success. 

Founded on the principles of creativity, quality, and customer focus, Tugo Food has developed a strong reputation in the industry for its unique food concepts and exceptional service. The transition to employee ownership ensures these values remain at the heart of the company, empowering staff to directly share in its ongoing success. 

“This is an incredibly proud moment for all of us at Tugo,” said Founder and CEO Lee Personius. “By becoming employee-owned, we’re not just securing the future of the business – we’re putting it in the hands of the people who know it best and care the most. Our team is the backbone of Tugo, and it’s only right that they should benefit from our exciting ambitious growth plans.” 

The move to an Employee Ownership Trust means that 100% of the business is now held on behalf of its employees, giving our team a financial stake in the business and a say in how the business is run, providing a platform for shared success and inclusive growth. The company will continue to operate under the same leadership, with no changes to its day-to-day operations or client relationships. 

Founder and CEO Lee Personius: “This is the right legacy for our business and our people.” 

“We believe this structure will unlock even greater potential across the business,” added Personius. “It creates a culture where everyone has a stake – not just financially, but emotionally and professionally. It’s about legacy, long-term thinking, doing the right thing by our people and living our values.” 

As we continue to grow and look to attract and retain the very best talent and build on our IIP Gold, Sunday Times Best Places to Work and recent B Corp certification, what better way to drive best in class engagement across our team than by EVERYONE benefiting from our shared success. 

Founder and CEO Lee Personius: “This business has changed my life, and now 16yrs in we’ve got the opportunity under the Employee Ownership Trust model to start to change our teams lives to. We’ve always strived to champion change and do things differently at TUGO and my vision is that this move inspires more businesses in foodservice to consider this model to benefit those at the very heart of their businesses.”