"There is nothing more rewarding than a happy baby growing up healthy thanks to our nutrition."

Meet Marieke, Site Quality Manager in Veghel and Program Manager Friso Quality within Specialised Nutrition. With a passion for quality, customer satisfaction, and team development, she demonstrates how structural improvements and cross-functional collaboration can truly make an impact. This ambassador story reveals how Marieke makes a difference every day – in processes, products, and for the customer.

In addition to this role, Marieke is also Programme Manager for Friso Quality within the Specialised Nutrition business group. "Based on customer feedback and internal insights, we developed a programme centred around seven performance touch points. By working closely with various departments across the Supply Chain, we can structurally improve quality and enhance customer satisfaction," says Marieke. "The ultimate result? A smile on a baby's face because they are growing up healthy thanks to FrieslandCampina," she adds.

"One of the milestones I am particularly proud of is the structural improvement of First Time Right (FTR) at Veghel over the past two years," says Marieke. FTR is a crucial measure because it directly relates to cost savings, customer satisfaction, and operational efficiency. "A higher FTR means less time and fewer resources spent on rework and corrections, speeding up production and increasing customer satisfaction. By analysing the factors affecting product release times each month with a cross-functional team, we were able to implement structural improvements. This led to faster release of finished products while still meeting our FTR target. At the same time, we were able to structurally reduce working capital," explains Marieke.

"Collaboration and continuous improvement as a team are the foundation of success. By striving together for better results, we make progress step by step," says Marieke. One vision, one focus, and new ways of working, such as rolling out the Our Way of Working programme, ensure everyone contributes to ongoing improvement with energy and enthusiasm. "Being constantly challenged allows you to grow and discover yourself. New challenges, such as working with different production processes in Veghel or meeting the expectations of Food, Pharma and Feed customers regarding infant nutrition, make the work varied and meaningful," Marieke concludes.