Member story
Better Leaders. Better Future.
Johannes Tietze
CEO
Libelle Group
Company website
Industry: Food & Beverages
Company Size: 201-500 employees
Headquarters: Auckland, NZ
Type: Public Company
Serving up success in a pandemic: CEO doubles multi-million dollar business
Johannes has been creating and delivering healthy meals to school students since 2005, starting with a single school and a turnover of $200,000. After becoming a member of TEC in 2016, where membership combines peer-advisory and 1:1 mentoring, Johannes began to accelerate his organisation’s growth and by 2019, Libelle Group was a $6 million business.
As COVID-19 hit in March 2020 and the country locked down, uncertainty set in. The prospect of a prolonged lockdown, including the closure of schools, would grind Libelle Group to a halt. As he faced this unpredictability, he sought comfort in his TEC group.
Peer support with decison making
'With my TEC group, we processed the issues arising in our exceptional growth path, and I gained perspective, focus and support to move forward.'
After an initial inability to operate during lockdown, the announcement of a fast-tracked expansion of the New Zealand Government’s new Healthy Schools Lunch Programme, Ka Ora, Ka Ako, presented a significant opportunity for the organisation.
“Ka Ora, Ka Ako was a huge opportunity for the Libelle Group. It meant there was a shift in Kiwi perception and prioritisation of the relationship between nutritional food and successful students. For over a decade the Libelle Group had been creating and refining tailored menus to address the nutritional demands of students, so we were well-placed to harness this opportunity,” says Johannes.
According to Johannes, turning the expansion of the programme into a catalyst for business growth would see Libelle Group investing millions of dollars in kitchens, staff and distribution to provide healthy lunches to thousands more students.
“Navigating lockdown and school closures, while also trying to harness this opportunity, wasn’t something I could do in isolation. A multitude of decisions needed to be considered, and made, by myself and my leadership team.
Developing resilience and agility
'For me, TEC is a safe space to bounce ideas around with like-minded leaders from a diverse range of industries. They’re invested in my success and I am in theirs. I’ve gained high value out of the sessions, people and presentations offered through TEC over the past five years, and will only gain more in the years to come'.
