Stabilise Operations. Unlock Capacity. Scale with Confidence.
I provide hands-on operational leadership to food, FMCG, and manufacturing businesses when performance is slipping, margins are under pressure, and execution matters more than analysis. Proven across 21+ UK sites in high-pressure, fast-moving environments
I take commercial objectives and translate them into clear, practical operating routines — simplifying flow, restoring control, and building systems teams can run reliably without dependency.
£10M+ savings delivered · 21+ sites transformed · 100+ projects led
30-minute exploratory call to understand your context and determine whether this is the right fit.
If This Feels Familiar, the Operation Is Under Strain
As businesses grow or change, operational friction shows up first — cost creep, slower decisions, missed handovers, and declining predictability. When the operation stops keeping pace with the business, the issue is rarely effort; it’s structure.
Decision drag and dependency.
Too many issues escalate to the top, slowing execution and consuming leadership time.
Weak operational flow.
Bottlenecks, rework, and firefighting obscure where time, cash, and capacity are being lost.
Commercial underperformance.
Margin, cash, or service levels fail to reflect the level of activity and effort in the business.
Lack of operational rhythm.
Teams are busy, but priorities shift daily and execution feels reactive rather than controlled.
How Operational Complexity Builds
Most operations don’t fail suddenly — they evolve. Like Lego towers, they’re built layer by layer as the business grows, problems are solved, and quick fixes become permanent.
What worked at one stage often creates friction later: duplicated processes, unclear ownership, and workarounds that slow flow and dilute accountability.
My role is to simplify without disruption — removing what’s redundant, reinforcing what matters, and re-establishing a clear operating structure that supports performance now and scale later.
Connecting Financial Clarity to Operational Reality
Operational performance improves when financial targets align with real-world workflows. Unclear processes, broken flow, and misaligned expectations create friction that limits capacity, reduces margin, and slows decisions.
I stabilise operations, simplify complexity, and embed routines teams can run reliably — unlocking capacity, confidence, and predictable results.
The outcome: a calmer, more predictable operation where leaders make decisions with confidence and commercial performance improves — without overloading your teams.
Aligning financial goals with real-world operational flow
Why Work With Me
Hands-on transformation across 21+ UK sites — from owner-led SMEs to £300M+ manufacturers. I diagnose root causes fast and turn commercial goals into practical, shop-floor routines teams can actually use.
Karolis Varnas — Operational Transformation Consultant
Deep operational experience
21+ sites. Manufacturing to logistics. Real pressure, real solutions.
Commercial understanding
CFO-trained. I connect numbers to shop floor reality.
Practical, reality-first approach
No theory overload. Tools teams actually use.
Improvements that stick
Designed with your leaders and teams, embedding clear routines and decision ownership so performance is sustained long after I step away.
Proven Results Inside High-Pressure Operations
Transformations delivered across manufacturing, food, logistics, and ecommerce — all while keeping operations safe, reliable, and running at pace.
Cost savings delivered
Verified bottom-line impact across multiple sites and sectors.
Transformation projects led
From rapid diagnostics to full-site turnarounds.
Years leading operations & transformation
From line operative to group-wide leadership.
UK sites transformed
High-care food factories to multi-temperature distribution.
How I Work
Every engagement follows a practical structure designed for SMEs — fast, hands-on, and focused on measurable results.
Assess
Rapid diagnostic combining data, observation, and team conversations — building a shared, accurate view of how the operation really works.
Stabilise
Immediate action to restore control and relieve operational pressure.
Transform
Redesign workflows, systems, and routines with your team — improving flow, reducing cost, and clarifying day-to-day decision making.
Embed
Coaching and capability building so leaders and teams confidently run the operation without reliance on me.
Real Results Delivered Inside Live Operations
A selection of transformation programmes delivered across manufacturing, food, logistics, and e‑commerce — all completed inside high‑pressure, fast‑moving environments.
£17M → £27M heritage food brand — stabilised, rebuilt, and scaled operations following post‑COVID growth.
- Rebuilt broken end-to-end operations and restored service stability
- Delivered a zero-disruption site relocation within 12 months
- Implemented ERP foundations, GS1 barcoding, and AI-enabled routing
- Doubled B2B capacity and tripled B2C throughput without extra headcount
- Achieved 32% packaging cost reduction and reduced reliance on high-cost 3PLs
£300M+ food manufacturing group — led site and group-wide transformation across operations, supply chain, and procurement.
- Delivered a flagship site transformation adopted as the group's improvement model
- Led UK-wide operations, supply chain, and procurement improvement across ÂŁ300M+ COGS
- Delivered ÂŁ3.1M+ bottom-line savings and improved EBITDA by 7%
- Simplified legacy processes, cutting operating costs by 13% and removing 3,000 tonnes of manual handling
- Unlocked multimillion-pound efficiencies through SKU, supplier, and spend analysis
- Built internal CI capability, mentoring leaders and embedding sustainable governance
Major chilled food manufacturing site (M&S dedicated high-risk units) — led turnaround and capacity expansion during significant underperformance.
- Appointed first Senior Manager to new ÂŁ43M site; launched production ahead of schedule
- Expanded capacity from 1 to 3 production lines on night shift
- Built multi-skilled team from 20 to 70 staff
- Deputised for Site Manager, leading up to 400 staff across three high-risk units
Let's Talk About Your Operation
If you're ready to remove bottlenecks, stabilise performance, and build a confident, aligned team — let's talk. Clear solutions, hands‑on support, and measurable results without overwhelming your people.