Gousto's Data Governance Journey with OvalEdge

GOUSTO'S NEED FOR DATA GOVERNANCE

London, UK – Gousto, one of the UK’s leading meal kit companies offering over 250+ recipes per month, is committed to elevating its data governance to ensure customers receive a seamless, accurate experience. This initiative focuses on Gousto’s data catalogue, data classification, and data quality, underpinning its promise of exceptional service and trust in data-driven decision-making.

“Every recipe choice on Gousto’s website or app is part of an experience that our customers imagine and eagerly anticipate,” explained Cathy Pendleton, Senior Manager, Data Governance at Gousto. “To make that experience as fulfilling as they expect, we rely on accurate data at every stage—from recipe development and ingredient sourcing to pricing and dietary information. This is where data governance is vital; it not only supports seamless operations but also safeguards the trust our customers place in us. By ensuring our decisions are based on reliable data, we can deliver the quality they deserve”.

A critical component of Gousto’s strategy is the data catalogue, which maps where data resides across the organisation. By knowing where each data asset is located, Gousto gains a clear, comprehensive view, allowing for enhanced accessibility, improved data classification, and assured compliance. This means Gousto can apply appropriate controls and safeguards to sensitive information, ensuring both customer privacy and regulatory adherence.

Moreover, data quality initiatives at Gousto provide trust in the accuracy of data, essential for making decisions that impact Gousto’s offerings. With around 250+ recipes monthly, data integrity is crucial to setting accurate prices, managing inventory, and forecasting demand based on customer preferences and seasonal availability. For example, Gousto offers a premium range of recipes, such as One Tray Roast Pork Belly With Sausage Stuffing, which come with an additional surcharge, to suit different budgets and preferences. Gousto places a high priority on the accuracy of critical data points that directly impact customer satisfaction and safety, such as shelf life, nutritional information, and allergen data.

The shelf life date, for instance, informs customers when each recipe should be used to maintain freshness, helping to prevent waste and support a positive experience. Inaccuracies in this information could lead to disappointment or unnecessary waste, so we ensure it’s meticulously verified. Similarly, accurate nutritional and allergen data are vital, as any errors could have serious health implications and compromise customer trust. Gousto’s data governance team is dedicated to maintaining high standards in these areas, ensuring that our customers receive recipes that are safe, enjoyable, and aligned with our commitment to quality.

“Getting these details right is paramount,” Pendleton emphasised. “Incorrect pricing, nutritional or allergen information can disrupt the customer experience. With quality data at every stage, Gousto aligns its customer promise with operational excellence.”

Through these data governance enhancements, Gousto solidifies its leadership in the meal kit market, leveraging data to improve customer satisfaction, optimise supply chain operations, and reduce waste. The ongoing effort in data governance will continue to contribute to Gousto’s vision to become the UK’s most loved way to eat dinner, ensuring every box arrives with precisely what customers expect.

WHY GOUSTO SELECTED OVALEDGE

Gousto recognised that implementing a robust data governance framework is a journey, requiring a solution that would grow alongside the company’s evolving needs. Starting with a small team and initial focus on a few critical data sources, Gousto needed a flexible, cost-effective model that allowed them to pay for what they needed without committing to functionalities they wouldn’t be ready to use for another year. OvalEdge offered precisely this flexibility, providing essential features like a data catalogue, data quality monitoring, and data classification—without the added expense of unused capabilities. This approach enabled Gousto to implement data governance in phases, beginning with a single data connector and expanding resources only as required.

OvalEdge’s pricing structure also aligned well with Gousto’s strategic objectives, avoiding charges based on data volume. This model offered substantial savings while providing the flexibility to scale up in the future as Gousto’s data governance needs expanded.

Additionally, OvalEdge’s user-friendly interface was a strong advantage, providing an intuitive experience that continues to improve with regular updates.

“We reviewed various data governance solutions before selecting OvalEdge, focusing on a key goal: value,” explained Cathy Pendleton, Senior Manager, Data Governance at Gousto. “Our objective was to ensure that nearly 100% of the tool’s features would be actively used, avoiding the scenario of paying a premium for features we wouldn’t leverage. OvalEdge met all our must-have requirements at a favourable price point, giving us the confidence that we’d fully utilise its capabilities. This balance of functionality and cost was a decisive factor in our decision.”

OvalEdge’s tailored approach has allowed Gousto to grow its data governance program thoughtfully and cost-effectively, reinforcing the company’s commitment to high-quality data management.

HOW OVALEDGE SUPPORTED GOUSTO’S DATA GOVERNANCE GOALS

OvalEdge has been pivotal in advancing Gousto’s data governance efforts, particularly in two key areas: Data Discoverability and Data Quality Assurance. However the benefits and improvements have extended beyond and has naturally led to improvements across other facets of Gousto's operations.

DATA DISCOVERABILITY:

With OvalEdge, Gousto gained a comprehensive data catalogue, providing clarity on where data originates, which systems it resides in, and which tribes and squads are responsible. This clarity has also enabled Gousto to establish and standardise common definitions for key data points, ensuring all teams operate with a unified understanding. By defining and documenting business logic in OvalEdge’s data catalogue, Gousto now promotes a consistent approach across departments.

“OvalEdge’s data catalogue has become a crucial foundation of our data governance programme,” said Catherine Pendleton, Senior Manager, Data Governance at Gousto. “It gives us a single source of truth—mapping out where data lives, who owns it, and how it should be interpreted. This shared understanding ensures that everyone, from buying to web developers, are aligned on key data points, allowing us to make decisions that enhance the customer experience and maintain our standards of accuracy and reliability”.

DATA QUALITY ASSURANCE:

A major priority for Gousto has been to ensure the accuracy of product data, including recipes, ingredients, allergens, and pricing. With OvalEdge’s data quality features, alongside other tools, Gousto has established a system for actively monitoring and validating data quality. This framework includes assigning data stewards within key areas such as recipes, ingredients, and buying, defining data quality rules, and automating nightly checks to detect and flag any issues. By identifying potential issues early, the team can resolve them before recipes are live and available for customer orders.

“With data quality assurance monitoring in place, we can confidently ensure a seamless experience for our customers,” said Cathy Pendleton, Senior Manager, Data Governance at Gousto. “Reliable data gives us the assurance that every decision we make—from ingredient sourcing to pricing—is grounded in accuracy, supporting a positive experience for our customers and reinforcing their trust in Gousto.”

Through these improvements, OvalEdge has helped Gousto enhance data quality, accessibility, and reliability, supporting Gousto’s commitment to data-driven decision-making and a superior customer experience.

Through these forward-looking initiatives, Gousto continues to reinforce its commitment to robust data governance, ensuring every decision is grounded in trusted, high-quality data.

BENEFITS OF OVALEDGE IMPLEMENTATION AND NEXT STEPS IN GOUSTO’S DATA JOURNEY

“The implementation of OvalEdge has brought significant benefits to the data governance team and the wider business at Gousto, becoming a foundation of our data journey,” noted Cathy Pendleton, Senior Manager, Data Governance at Gousto.

For Gousto’s data governance team, OvalEdge has been essential in establishing a robust foundation for their practices. The platform not only provides a clear, accessible view of the organisation’s data landscape but also integrates powerful data quality capabilities. These capabilities enable the team to actively monitor, validate, and improve data accuracy across critical areas such as recipes, ingredients, allergens, and pricing. By leveraging automated checks and alerts, the team can swiftly address any issues, ensuring that data remains reliable and consistent across departments. This comprehensive approach to data quality reinforces trust in Gousto’s data assets, supporting accurate, data-driven decisions and fostering a stronger, customer-focused organisation.

As Gousto continues to explore how emerging Gen AI technology can aid in the automatic classification of data, they anticipate further improvements in managing sensitive data and ensuring compliance with data privacy regulations. This capability will make it easier to accurately identify and handle sensitive information, including personally identifiable information (PII), further enhancing operational efficiency and strengthening Gousto’s data governance culture.

Looking forward, Gousto is committed to scaling these practices across the business. The team is focused on expanding data connectors and extending the same level of data quality assurance across a broader dataset, with plans to govern fulfilment data, including factory operations and supply chain logistics. By standardising and cleansing this data, Gousto aims to drive further operational efficiencies, enabling even smoother processes throughout their supply chain.

Additionally, Gousto plans to expand automated data lineage capabilities, enhancing the ability to track data through its entire lifecycle and ensure accuracy at every stage. Through these initiatives, Gousto continues to reinforce its commitment to data-driven decision-making, supporting a seamless, reliable experience for their customers and creating a stronger, data-informed organisation.