How Employee Ownership at Kite Packaging Fuels Explosive Growth and Career Advancement in the UK

Employee ownership is driving significant growth and creating new career opportunities at Kite Packaging, one of the UK's top packaging distributors.

Between 2020 and 2025, Kite's revenue surged by 55%, with an average annual growth rate of 12.3%, significantly outpacing the sector.

The company has initiated a major recruitment drive aimed at ambitious individuals at all career stages, from experienced packaging professionals to industry newcomers.

Kite has earned prestigious awards, including UK Packaging of the Year (2023), Corporate Social Responsibility of the Year (2024), and a spot in the Sunday Times Profit 100 Business list.

To support career development, the packaging distributor conducts regular sessions for existing staff and attracts new talent through various early-career training programs:

• Management Degree Apprenticeship Programme
• Graduate Management Programme
• Field Sales Academy
• Telesales Academy

Recent success stories highlight rapid career progression: a business development manager who started in the Field Sales Academy now leads one of Kite's Specialist Divisions, a graduate scheme alumnus has advanced to commercial manager at the Portsmouth RDC, and another employee reached a senior management role within just three years of joining.

Gavin Ashe, managing director of Kite Packaging, stated, "We're continuing to create opportunities for people to grow faster and further than they might elsewhere. Kite is a team where you get the support and training you need to progress in your career. What this means for our customers is that we've always got a pipeline of talent with the right skills to solve their problems today and tomorrow."