Marketers can’t be glued to their desks’: Gousto’s Anna Greene on understanding customers
The recipe box brand’s VP of customer tells Tim Healey why marketing should be a blend of art and science and says CMOs must get out into the real world if they really want to understand their audiences.
Gousto VP of customer, Anna Greene
You’ve worked for some great businesses including Levi’s, Orange and EE, consulted for brands like Ribena Lucozade Suntory and EA, helped inspire a global volunteering movement with RockCorps and co-founded your own business before joining Gousto in 2018. Take us through your professional journey so far.
I’ve always been fascinated by people – what makes them tick – and how brands shape our behaviors, beliefs and culture. Witnessing companies like The Body Shop and Virgin redefine entire industries in the 90s is what drew me to marketing.
I never planned to go to uni but when Richard Branson politely declined my internship offer (read: never replied to my letter!) I enrolled at Birmingham. In my first year, I was lucky enough to land a job as a student brand manager for Levi’s, along with a summer internship in London. Levi’s had a small but incredibly talented UK marketing team. That year, everyone was sporting Levi’s engineered jeans and the iconic Odyssey advert launched. Being exposed to that level of creativity so early on was incredible.
Levis’s ‘Engineered Jeans’ campaign
After Uni, I joined Orange on their grad scheme. Until then, mobile phones were for men in suits with company paid accounts. Orange pioneered a new industry with the launch of ‘per second billing’ and consumer-friendly tariffs like the ‘Everyday 50 plan’. We up-skilled our retail team as ‘phone trainers’ and rewarded them based on their quality of service rather than their sales. What stood out to me at the time was this inherent belief that doing the right thing for our customers would ultimately lead to success for the business – something that has stuck with me throughout my career.
I worked across propositions, product management and marketing before landing in the entertainment team, managing partnerships with the likes of Sega, BBC, Glastonbury Festival, iTunes and activating our much loved ‘Orange Wednesdays’ partnership – a loyalty program offering customers two-for-one cinema tickets. An exciting time as mobiles became more than ‘talk and text.’
After nearly a decade at Orange, I was brought under NDA as part of the core working group on Project 11 – the launch of EE. With just 11 months to design and launch a new brand in the UK market, it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity I couldn’t pass up. The tech landscape was rapidly evolving, and mobile operators were struggling to stay relevant.
My role was to lead EE’s digital marketing strategy. EE was created as a brand for ‘your digital life’ so we decided to launch social media first. We created a social listening “war room” to respond to posts in real time, making us the fastest-growing brand on Twitter and the second fastest on Facebook. Our Fenton 4GEE Remastered video became the most-watched branded viral video on YouTube that year with our YouTube content garnering 11 million views. We built huge momentum, establishing EE as the UK’s leading mobile operator in under six months.
‘Project 11’ or the launch of the EE mobile network.
After EE, I worked with a whole plethora of brands, helping them embrace digital-first strategies and launch new products in market. The highlight for me was working with Rockcorps. I led the Orange Rockcorps partnership back in the day and was excited to get involved with their mission on a larger scale.
RockCorps is built on a simple premise: give four hours of volunteering on a community project, and earn a ticket to the gig of a lifetime. The concerts are unlike any other, featuring artists like Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Pharrell, Drake, Kanye and Nas, all in a room filled with people who have dedicated their time to charity. The program is entirely brand-sponsored and to this day, it remains one of the most powerful social initiatives I’ve ever witnessed. RockCorps harnesses music and culture to inspire action – and it works on a global scale.
Rockcorps partnered with a plethora of music superstars including Lady Gaga
Next came my favorite job of all: being a mum. I loved every moment with my son but as any new mum will tell you – stepping away from a career you’re passionate about is a big change of gears. I felt restless. That’s when my husband and I had the crazy idea to launch our own e-commerce business selling modern nursery interiors. I’d strap my son to my chest and off we’d go to meet manufacturers and clients. It was an amazing crash course in product design, marketing, finance, operations and customer care.
After two years in operation, we made the difficult decision to step away from the business and sell our remaining stock. I set about looking for a direct-to-consumer, tech-led company with a shared purpose, values, and a challenger spirit.
I jotted down five brands, and Gousto was top of that list… and the rest, as they say, is history!
So, tell us about Gousto. How does it work?
Gousto is all about making home cooking easier and more inspiring, especially for busy people. It takes the stress out of meal planning by delivering precisely what you need: high-quality ingredients and simple, step-by-step recipes to create delicious meals from scratch. No more last-minute decisions about dinner; instead, you can enjoy the cooking process and focus on sharing great food with family and friends. With Gousto’s wide variety of recipes we cater to all tastes and dietary needs, there’s always something new to try – some meals even take as little as 10 minutes to prep, making fresh healthy home cooking accessible for all.
How is the business performing and what does that mean for you and Gousto in 2025?
When I joined Gousto six years ago, we were a £30m business with only 11% brand awareness in a new and growing market, and 80% of our sign-ups came from performance marketing.
Fast forward to today, and Gousto is a well-known brand, with 70% awareness driving 80% organic sign-ups, and the business is now generating 10 times the revenue.
As the market has matured, our challenge has shifted. It’s no longer about just getting our name out there or explaining what a recipe box is – it’s about building a brand that has a much deeper connection with its customers.
In 2025, we’re pushing harder into the mainstream dinner market, placing a stronger emphasis on the breadth of choice we offer. With over twice as many recipes available each week compared to any other recipe box brand, Gousto is uniquely positioned to meet diverse customer preferences.
In terms of the future: Gousto sits at the intersection of some of today’s biggest macro trends: convenience, sustainability, and health. This is only the beginning.
Gousto make cooking easier
You’re VP of Customer at Gousto. Can you explain your role and how the team is organized?
My role is to ensure that every aspect of the customer experience – from the product we offer to how we communicate – exceeds our customers’ expectations. I work across insights, propositions, and marketing to make sure we’re building a brand and experience that customers love.
Our marketing team follows a fairly traditional structure. We’ve got dedicated specialisms – brand insights, creative, acquisition, retention and that allows you to get that deep expertise and excellence in each area. However, at an organizational level, we operate within a ‘tribe-based’ model, bringing together cross-functional teams to tackle shared goals that make the customer experience even better.
Whether it’s driving sign-ups and onboarding, enhancing how customers browse the menu, or ensuring the unboxing experience is perfect every time, this collaborative approach helps us break down silos and ensures that every project aligns behind shared goals.
Of what initiative, delivered on your watch, are you the most proud?
I’m so proud of our partnership with Joe Wicks. As a long-time Gousto customer, he’s such an authentic ambassador for the brand. Just ask him about Gousto – he’ll happily share his favorite recipe creations and the “Gousto Gang” WhatsApp channel he has with friends. He’s an amazing advocate for healthy eating; nothing’s off-limits as long as it’s fresh, balanced, and paired with an active lifestyle.
One of my favorite memories was working with Joe during lockdown. One day, he shared his idea for a YouTube channel, and the next, his “PE with Joe” sessions became a cultural phenomenon, helping so many people through a tough time. Joe and his brother Nikki are an absolute powerhouse – visionary, ambitious, and two of the nicest people I’ve had the fortune to work with.
How do you navigate the whitewater rapids of fast moving marketing technology and platforms?
We’re really cautious about chasing trends. We always ensure that any tools we adopt are solving real problems or creating new opportunities.
Scalability is key; we need flexible tools that can grow with us and data integration is crucial. Any new tech must work seamlessly with our existing systems.
Last but not least, as a B Corp, we prioritize the ethical practices of our suppliers, ensuring our partnerships align with our values. If our partners don’t meet that threshold we simply won’t work with them.
Gousto’s partnership with fitness and healthy lifestyle expert Joe Wicks proved to be a huge success.
What is the value of creativity in great brand advertising?
Creativity is the single biggest point of differentiation. It’s what helps a brand stand out. It’s what cuts through the clutter, grabs your attention, and creates a connection. But it's not just about being bold for the sake of it. In our industry, disruptive campaigns often get more recognition than they deserve. What truly matters is creativity grounded in insight; how can creativity solve a genuine customer problem or connect with them in a surprising way?.... That’s the true power of creativity in my mind.
What is your first memory of a marketing success that you were part of?
Running Orange’s partnership with Glastonbury Festival. Orange was the first mobile provider to partner with a festival in the UK, which feels quite wild to think about now!... Before that, the festival had phone booths on site or you had to arrange meeting points to catch up with friends.
I managed the Orange-Glastonbury partnership for several years. We set up the mobile network on-site and ran the Orange ‘Chill and charge,’ tent, offering free mobile phone charging so people can stay connected. But the highlight for me was leading the design and launch of Glastonbury’s first festival app. We wanted to make it easy for people to navigate the festival, plan and share their artist schedules, and stay updated with essential news and alerts throughout the weekend. We even added a GPS tent finder so you didn’t get lost on your way home. It was amazing to see how technology could improve the festival experience.
What myth about marketing would you most like to bust?
AG: We all talk a big game about being customer-centric, but the truth is, most marketers spend way too much time glued to their desks and not enough time out in the real world. We need to dive into customers’ daily habits, get curious, and figure out how we can genuinely add value to their lives.
At Gousto, our vision is to become the most loved way to enjoy dinner. As a team we need to be completely obsessed with how people shop, cook, and eat – whether they’re dining in or out so we make it a priority to stay connected to the food scene. Understanding what people want, how they want it and why is crucial. And let’s be honest: that kind of insight isn’t going to come from sitting in the office.
Gousto takes over a corridor at Kings Cross Station, London
What advice would you give your younger self if you could go back in time, what would you do more of, or what would you avoid?
It's totally OK that your career journey isn’t going to be a straight line. Embrace the twists and turns – they often lead to the most rewarding experiences. Know that progression will come at the right moments if you keep your eyes open. Build connections, because relationships can open doors you didn’t even know existed.
Think about the kinds of experiences you want to have and the impact you want to make. If you focus on what you want to learn and the value you bring, it keeps you connected to what truly matters.
But most of all, take care of yourself. A fulfilling career is about balance, and it's not worth a thing if you're not happy.
I always ask an interviewee what question they might have for the next senior marketer. And your question comes from Ben Newbury of Taylors/Yorkshire Tea. He wants to know: how do you make a cup of tea - milk in first or tea?
Tea first, of course! Steep it right, then add the milk – that's the way to honor the brew.
What might your question for a senior marketer be?
I love to hear other people’s stories, so I’d probably ask ‘When did you realize that marketing was the right career for you?...’
If there’s one thing you know about marketing, it is…
Marketing is a brilliant blend of art and science, and you need to know how to harness both.
On one side, there’s the creative part of marketing — the storytelling, the emotional connections, and crafting messages that really resonate with people. This is where imagination and intuition take the lead.
Then there’s the science. It’s about understanding data, knowing how customers behave, and using that information to make smart decisions. You’ve got to experiment, and keep refining.
The real magic happens when creativity and data come together.
