Introducing Laura, Business Director for NHS Supply Chain: Food

13 April saw the NHS Supply Chain: Food team’s Laura Jurczak start in her role as Business Director.

Laura brings a wealth of operational, commercial and leadership experience to her role as Business Director for NHS Supply Chain: Food, underpinned by a career that began firmly on the frontline.

Her early career was rooted in hospitality and catering, where she worked across almost every role in the hotel environment – from chef and housekeeping to bar work, reception, reservations and waitressing.

“I loved the pace and the variety,” Laura says. “Hard work has always motivated me, so long shifts or split shifts never fazed me.”

As her priorities shifted and she started a family, Laura moved into more structured 9 to 5 roles, including NVQ trainer assessor, sales, and account management. In 2018, she became one of the first Account Managers on the NHS Supply Chain: Food contract, supporting trusts across the Midlands.

This was followed by three years with Foodbuy, where she progressed into senior commercial leadership roles, leaving as Commercial Director for Chartwells Education (Compass UK&I).

Laura then joined Cove UK during a period of rapid growth and acquisition. As Commercial Director, she established a centralised procurement function that delivered consistent, year‑on‑year savings and embedded a strong ‘leveraging scale’ culture across the business.

Six months later, she also took responsibility for the Holidays division, overseeing a £25 million EBITDA contribution alongside fleet, stock, and operational excellence across the group.

Returning to NHS Supply Chain now as Business Director for Food felt like a natural next step. “I wanted to use the leadership skills I’ve built over the past few years in a role with real scale, complexity and impact,” Laura explains. “But most importantly, I wanted to do something with purpose – and delivering value and savings for our NHS is exactly that.”

Looking ahead to the contract year, Laura’s priority is providing clarity, stability and direction for a team that is already performing at a high level.

“The team does a fantastic job,” she says. “My focus is on putting in place stable leadership, simplifying processes where we can, and making sure people’s hard work is clearly recognised and valued. If we make it easier for teams to do their best work, the benefits for the trusts we serve are maximised.”

This people‑first approach is matched by a strong leadership structure. The NHS Supply Chain: Food leadership team combines deep operational experience with fresh perspectives. Long‑standing leaders in operations and finance bring extensive contract knowledge, while newer appointments – including Laura herself – add new energy and objective insight.

Together, the team is focused on strengthening multi‑level relationships with trusts, while also working closely with category leads, buyers and suppliers. “From operational teams right through to senior and executive levels, we want to build strong, collaborative relationships that help us unlock as much value and opportunity for our clients as possible,” Laura explains.

Laura is clear about what comes next: listening, learning, and building strong connections.

I’m really looking forward to meeting as many trusts as possible over the coming months. It’s a privilege to lead such a skilled, passionate team, and I’m excited about what we can achieve together in support of better, more sustainable care.

Laura Jurczak, Business Director, NHS Supply Chain: Food

See our Useful Links section to view Food Category website and the latest news.