“Continuous learning and the courage to take on new challenges have carried me forward throughout my career.”
Finding a new direction at Fresh Servant
Marleena Mäkelä works as a team leader at Fresh Servant’s Seinäjoki unit. She ensures that daily operations run smoothly, supports her team and develops everyday processes. She also maintains recipe and item data for the Seinäjoki packing facility. Her role combines people leadership, problem-solving and operational development – which means no two days are alike.
A career in the food industry was not an obvious choice for Marleena. She trained as a cosmetologist, but an allergy that emerged during her studies forced her to look for a new direction. Encouraged by a friend, she joined Fresh Servant in 2015 as a food production worker at the Runkotie site in Seinäjoki. The company had recently acquired Pommerherkku, and more employees were needed ahead of the summer holiday season.
Her first day at work was nerve-racking but encouraging.
“I had never worked in the food industry before. The pace was fast and the day was long, but my new colleagues gave me a warm welcome. That helped a great deal and gave me a good start in my new career.”
Learning opened new opportunities
Over the years, Marleena has worked at Fresh Servant’s Seinäjoki and Lapua units, served as a line operator and spent several years as an occupational safety representative. Each role has strengthened her expertise and broadened her understanding of the company’s operations.
A major turning point was apprenticeship training. Marleena was the first apprenticeship student at Fresh Servant’s Lapua unit and completed a specialist vocational qualification in the food industry at Sedu.
“The qualification gave me skills and, above all, the confidence to take on new challenges. It opened up an opportunity to progress from production work to a supervisory role.”
The learning continues: alongside her work, Marleena is studying for a degree in bio and food technology engineering at Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences.
A bold step into leadership
Moving from production into a supervisory role was one of the biggest leaps in Marleena’s career. The responsibility and decision-making felt daunting, but the role also offered exactly the kind of challenge she wanted to take on.
“I wanted to challenge myself and develop my skills. Although the change felt significant, it was the right decision.”
Marleena progressed from operator to shift supervisor and soon after to team leader. At the same time, her perspective expanded from her own tasks to supporting the success of the whole team.
“I learned to look at operations as a whole. Fresh Servant is not simply three separate units, but one organisation in which the success of each unit affects the others.”
People make success possible
Marleena enjoys situations where she can solve problems, develop operations and collaborate with different people. Leadership has taught her that good results do not come from mastering processes alone.
“I used to think that mastering the work and the processes was what mattered most. As a supervisor, I have learned that the best results come from interaction, trust and collaboration.”
A positive working atmosphere supports both wellbeing and strong performance.
“An employee who feels well is motivated and effective.”
The greatest sense of achievement comes when the team reaches its goals together or resolves a challenging situation. Helping a colleague and finding solutions to everyday problems are rewarding too.
A sense of community in everyday work
According to Marleena, Fresh Servant has an open and supportive culture where everyone can be themselves.
“Different people, backgrounds and perspectives are valued. Everyone can bring forward their own strengths without having to fit a particular mould.”
She would describe the workplace to a new employee as close-knit, helpful and approachable.
“Although the work can be fast-paced, we do things together and good humour is part of everyday life. We share genuine successes here.”
Fresh Servant’s values are visible in Marleena’s work every day. Responsibility means keeping promises and taking ownership. She fosters an inspiring atmosphere by remaining approachable and encouraging, even when things are busy. Succeeding together means sharing expertise, helping others and finding solutions collaboratively. Wellbeing, in turn, means caring for both results and people.
Looking to the future
In her current role, Marleena particularly enjoys working with people and developing operations.
“I am motivated by continuous learning and the opportunity to develop both my own expertise and the way our workplace operates.”
She is particularly proud of the relationships of trust she has built within her team and of the opportunity to support employees in their daily work.
Her next goal is to graduate as an engineer and apply the expertise gained through her studies in her work. She is especially interested in operational development, logistics processes, systems and using technology to support the business.
“I would like to be involved in more projects that combine logistics, technology and process development.”
Courage leads to new opportunities
Marleena has a clear message for colleagues considering their own career development:
“I encourage everyone to seize new opportunities with courage, even if they feel frightening at first. Growth happens when you dare to step outside your comfort zone.”
Marleena’s career story shows how curiosity, continuous learning and the courage to try something new can open doors in unexpected directions.
That is why, in her view, Fresh Servant is a great place to grow:
“People here are given opportunities to learn, take responsibility and build their own career paths. I have been able to grow from production work into a supervisory role while studying alongside my job. It reflects trust and a genuine desire to develop people.”
