There are two over-riding thoughts in my mind as we look back on last week’s Re:fresh Conference. The first is that we got the subject matter right; the second is that it’s a crying shame that more people were not there to take part in a fascinating day.

With each speaker, it became more clear that the depth of the impact of the issues being discussed was far greater than possibly any of us recognise. And when politicians and supermarket buyers speak, as they did, of the value they attach to what we termed for them as the Fresh Produce Footprint, there is little room for doubt that the industry had better sit up and take notice.

Top-line understanding of issues such as climate change, air miles and corporate and social responsibility is one thing. But over the next few years, people at every level of all industries, including ours, will be obliged to broaden their knowledge in all of these areas and more.

It was great to catch up with so many of you at both the conference and the awards. Dominic Holland provided a couple of talking points, as he did last year, and certainly spiced up the entertainment.

On behalf of everyone at FPJ, congratulations to each and every winner and finalist. The quality of entries improves every year, which I’m sure is a sign of an industry growing in confidence.

Tommy Leighton