varnasconsulting.co.uk

Services — Varnas Consulting

Operational Transformation Services for Owner‑Led SMEs

Practical, hands‑on support to stabilise your operation, reduce costs, and build a confident, aligned team — without disruption.

Every step is tailored to your reality: connecting the commercial big picture to what's happening on the shop floor.

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What I Help Businesses Achieve

Most operational problems aren't caused by people — they're caused by unclear expectations, broken flow, and systems that don't support the day‑to‑day reality.

My role is to bring clarity, calm, and practical solutions your team can actually use — without overwhelming them or disrupting your culture.

How I Deliver Operational Transformation

Every engagement follows a clear, practical structure designed for SMEs — fast, hands‑on, and focused on measurable results.

1

Assess

A rapid diagnostic combining data, observation, and team conversations to uncover bottlenecks, risks, and opportunities — across both commercial and operational performance.

2

Stabilise

Immediate action to restore control, reduce pressure, and bring predictability back into the operation — so your team can breathe and your leadership can see clearly.

3

Transform

Redesigning workflows, systems, roles, and routines to improve flow, reduce cost, and unlock capacity — always grounded in your real‑world constraints.

4

Embed

Coaching and capability building to ensure improvements stick — so teams know what good looks like and leaders confidently run the operation without reliance on me.

Core Services

Each service combines hands‑on support, practical tools, and measurable outcomes — tailored to your operation, your growth stage, and your team.

1. Stabilise & Regain Control

When operations feel chaotic, I help restore stability quickly — giving your team breathing room and bringing structure back into the day‑to‑day.

Hands-on floor leadership, rapid bottleneck removal, and team ownership rebuilding.
  • Service levels improved from low 80% → 99.6%
  • Downtime reduced by 60%
  • Write‑off cut from £14k → £4k per month
  • Absence reduced from 7%+ → below 2%
  • Complaints reduced from 220 DPMO → below 40

2. Unlock Capacity & Improve Flow

Increase throughput without adding headcount — by simplifying processes, improving flow, and removing hidden bottlenecks that slow everything down.

Lean workflow redesign and automation — scaling output without adding headcount.
  • 2× B2B throughput
  • 3× B2C throughput
  • Record seasonal output at 100% OTIF

3. Reduce Cost & Waste

Remove waste, improve efficiency, and reduce unnecessary cost — using simple tools that everyone can understand and use in the real world.

Hidden waste eliminated across operations, procurement, and packaging.
  • £3.1M+ verified savings
  • 32% packaging cost reduction
  • 39% waste reduction
  • 56% safety stock reduction

4. Build Confident, Aligned Leadership Teams

Develop supervisors and managers into confident leaders — improving communication, accountability, and day‑to‑day decision‑making across all shifts.

Structured coaching, clear routines, and visual management tools.
  • Absenteeism reduced from 7.4% → 2.2%
  • Continuous improvement culture embedded across operations
  • Leadership capability uplifted across all shifts

5. De‑Risk Major Change

Whether you're relocating, scaling, implementing new systems, or preparing for M&A — I help make the transition smooth, safe, and controlled.

Zero service disruption through detailed risk mapping and phased transitions.
  • £21M site relocation delivered with zero disruption
  • Operational due diligence for M&A
  • New layouts and flows designed for scaling

Who I Work With

I partner with owner‑led, PE‑backed, and growing businesses that want practical, measurable improvement — not theory, not jargon, and not disruption for its own sake.

Typical clients include SMEs in food manufacturing, FMCG, logistics, wholesale, and e‑commerce — where flow, service, and cost control are critical to growth and profitability. I bring the governance, cadence, and execution discipline normally found in larger groups, giving smaller organisations the structure they need to scale without unnecessary complexity.

What You Can Expect

Every engagement delivers clarity, calm, and measurable improvement — without overwhelming your team.

Clear priorities

Aligned around a practical plan your team can follow, with no ambiguity about what good looks like.

Stabilised operations

Reduced day‑to‑day pressure, fewer surprises, and a more predictable rhythm across your operation.

Improved flow & cost

Better utilisation, less waste, and unlocked capacity without simply adding more people.

Confident leaders

Supervisors and managers who know what to run, what to watch, and how to act when things change.

Ways We Can Work Together

I offer three ways to work together, each combining the governance and structure of major consultancies with the reality-first, hands-on approach of someone who's lived inside 21+ operations.

Rapid Operational Diagnostic

2–4 weeks of focused assessment to uncover bottlenecks, risks, and opportunities — with a clear, actionable plan you can execute with or without me.

Timeline: 2–4 weeks
Best for: Businesses needing clarity before committing to change
Approach: Combines data analysis, floor observation, and team conversations to reveal what reports miss

Transformation Programme

3–12 months of hands‑on support to stabilise operations, improve flow, reduce cost, and build leadership capability across teams and shifts. Ideal for PE-backed businesses post-acquisition, turnarounds, or companies preparing for scale-down or integration.

Timeline: 3–12 months
Best for: PE-backed businesses, turnarounds, post-acquisition integration, or systematic operational improvement
Approach: Executive-level operational leadership with hands-on delivery — the method used at Greencore, Hain Daniels, and 15+ other sites

Fractional Operations Director

1–3 days per week of ongoing operational leadership, coaching, and oversight — ideal for growing SMEs that need senior operational experience without a full‑time hire.

Timeline: Ongoing (flexible)
Best for: SMEs scaling without full-time senior operations leadership
Approach: Brings group-level governance and discipline to owner-led businesses without unnecessary complexity

Not Sure Which Fits?

Book a 30-minute diagnostic conversation. I'll help you understand what your operation needs and which approach makes sense — no obligation, no pressure.

Let's Talk About Your Operation

I bring hands‑on support, practical solutions, and measurable improvements — without overwhelming your team or disrupting your culture.

Book a call →