Co-CEO Chris Kong will step back from daily operations in October, paving the way for Elin Roberts to assume the role of sole CEO. This strategic change positions Roberts to lead the company into its next growth phase.
Meanwhile, Dr. Ando Ahnan-Winarno has been appointed as the new Chief Operating Officer, while former COO Fabio Rinaldo transitions to oversee supply chain and product development. Despite stepping away from day-to-day management, Kong will remain active as a board member and advisor, ensuring continuity in leadership.
The new senior leadership team also features Helen Atkinson as head of sales and Alan Chan as Chief Financial Officer. To address current needs, a maternity cover marketing director will be announced soon to succeed Noora Parssinen.
Additionally, Better Nature welcomes Alessandra Bellini, former chief customer officer at Tesco, as a non-executive director. This addition is expected to enhance the company’s strategic oversight.
Focus on Growth and Market Leadership
Looking ahead, the newly formed leadership team aims to “supercharge” business growth after achieving the best quarter in Q2 of 2025, which saw a remarkable 128% year-on-year sales increase. Currently, Better Nature stands as the UK’s leading tempeh brand, holding 38.1% of the market share.
Recently, the company also secured £1.1 million in funding to further its growth ambitions, positioning itself to capture larger segments of the plant-based market.
Commenting on this leadership change, Roberts emphasized, “We are hugely grateful to Chris for his monumental contribution to Better Nature over the past 6 years. Anyone who’s met Chris will know how passionate, energetic, determined, and resourceful he is. He genuinely breaks down walls. And we’ve needed that to achieve what has often felt impossible.”
In a LinkedIn post, Kong expressed that while the news may come as a surprise, the decision had been in discussion since March. He reflected, “I could not have imagined a more thrilling and fulfilling way to spend my 20s. It’s hard to put into words how immensely grateful I am for this journey.”
Roberts further elaborated on her vision: “As a business, we’re always pushing to be bigger, bolder, and stronger. Being a leadership and founding team of four was no longer serving us. To take us to the next stage of growth, we needed more single-minded leadership.”
She continued, “My focus on business strategy, brand, and high-performance culture, coupled with Ando’s unrivalled tempeh knowledge and boundless creativity, gives us the right setup to lead Better Nature to new heights and enter an exciting new era of growth.”
Roberts concluded by highlighting the significant impact of Bellini’s expertise: “Her unrivalled experience at Tesco and Unilever in FMCG brand marketing, innovation, supply chain, and new product development, coupled with her steady, strategic leadership experience, will be invaluable in helping us accelerate long-term brand growth as we scale up to become a leading protein brand on a global scale.”
