The Bread & Butter Project welcomes new CEO

Like many social enterprises, The Bread & Butter Project is a tight-knit family – and so it is with great sadness that we farewell one of our key family members, Eva Rabanal, after four years of inspirational leadership in her role as CEO.

Initially joining us in late 2021, Eva very quickly showed her business acumen and warm spirit, as she forged strong bonds across the business and helped guide us through a period of significant growth, strengthening our impact while remaining true to our mission of creating employment pathways for people seeking refuge in Australia.

Eva also helped us navigate the challenges of Covid-19, brokered and managed our ongoing partnership with Woolworths Metro, and was the smiling face of the business across media and social media.

Under Eva’s leadership, The Bread & Butter Project has continued to expand its reach and create life-changing opportunities for trainee bakers. Her passion, strategic vision and unwavering commitment to our purpose have helped shape the organisation into what it is today.

The Bread & Butter Project Chairperson, Peter Boyd, said, “Eva has made an outstanding contribution to The Bread & Butter Project and to the many people whose lives have been transformed through meaningful employment and training. We thank her for her dedication, compassion and leadership, and wish her every success as she pursues an exciting new career opportunity. However, she will always be part of The Bread & Butter Project family.”

As we farewell Eva, we are delighted to welcome Ben Thompson as CEO.

With more than 25 years’ experience across Australia’s food manufacturing, retail, bakery, and grocery sectors, Ben is a commercially astute and highly respected Indigenous FMCG executive who will bring a new lens to our operations, especially following our successful collaboration with Indigenous social enterprise, IndigiGrow.

Ben’s extensive leadership experience, collaborative approach and passion for creating positive social impact, combined with his operational and commercial expertise, makes him ideally placed to lead The Bread & Butter Project into its next chapter.

“I am deeply honoured to join a purpose-driven organisation such as The Bread & Butter Project,” he said. “This organisation has built an extraordinary reputation for changing lives through baking, and I look forward to working alongside our talented team, supporters, customers and trainees to continue growing our impact.”

While The Bread & Butter Project’s leadership may be changing, our mission remains exactly the same: creating brighter futures through artisan baking, training and employment.

Every loaf purchased, every partnership formed and every supporter who stands alongside us helps create opportunities for people rebuilding their lives in Australia. Please reach out to us on orders@thebreadandbutterproject.com if you would like more information about our products or to place an order.

We sincerely thank Eva for her remarkable leadership and warmly welcome Ben to The Bread & Butter Project family as we look ahead to an exciting future together.