'The fresh produce sector faces strong competition from a range of processed food products,' said Brighten. 'It has to search for a better understanding of consumer behaviour in areas such as motivation, the development of the snacking culture and the growth of the foodservice sector.' But fresh produce has an advantage in that it remains highly attractive to the main UK and international retailers as it acts as a barometer of store excellence and added value in products such as bagged and prepared items is also a big opportunity area.

'However, the successful supplier in the future will be the one that is constantly innovating its product offer and service too and can combine the best available quality with other skills such as the clinical management of the supply chain to match consumer demand,' he warned. 'The ability to manage regional shortcomings and the impact of natural disasters especially in remote locations will also be critical.' There is also still work to be done on branding and relationship-building with the customer base. 'The proliferation of brands and sources of supply over the last few years means that there are new possibilities for fresh produce suppliers,' he said. 'However, retail consolidation will also put supplier brands under pressure and large-scale buyers will still look to exert control over what they see as a squeezable supply base. The industry needs to be looking to add back in an element of excitement to what it does in order to attract the consumer.' But traditional forms of promotion may not be enough in the future. 'This is one key area where more forward thinking marketing strategies and tactics are required,' concluded Brighten.