About the collective

Every week, over 1.4 billion meals are consumed in the UK — yet too many of these are shaped by short-term profits, not long-term value. The result? Poor-quality food, wasteful packaging, limited healthy options, and a resistance to change.

At The Meals Collective, we believe this can and needs to change.

Founded by Olly Pinder in 2022, our mission is simple but urgent: to create better meal occasions for both people and the planet.

We're here to challenge the status quo — to shift away from inertia and towards innovation that puts consumers and sustainability at the centre. By sharing insights, ideas, and experiences across the food system, we believe we can inspire meaningful, lasting impact.

The collective has now grown into a vibrant community of 100+ businesses who believe in our purpose and are striving to deliver change.

About Olly Pinder

Olly has been working at the forefront of the food industry since 2010, building a uniquely diverse career across innovation, commercial strategy, retail buying, and eCommerce.

He’s led transformation at start-ups, scale-ups and national retailers, including:

• Scaling Gousto 10x in 3 years, helping the UK’s #1 recipe kit grow to 70,000 orders a week

• Leading the Meals Mission at Co-op, transforming Meals across 2,500+ convenience stores and their quick-commerce channels

• Managing major categories at Ocado, including Dairy, Produce, and Frozen

• Launching an award-winning gourmet food concept in Qatar Airport in 2014

• Pioneering dark kitchen brands and heading up DTC trading teams

These experiences have shaped The Meals Collective’s consultancy offer — built on real-world success, a passion for innovation and food culture.