Produce World has been pretty busy of late. The £218 million vegetable and potato specialist is one of the largest growers in the UK, and has been busy both publicly and behind the scenes revamping the business to make sure it is fit for the challenges of today.
The past couple of years have seen the company receive a number of awards for both its innovative practices and people management, while the acquisition of brassica firm Marshalls/Agromark was a real sign of intent. That’s not to say it’s all gone smoothly, with the challenge of integrating Marshalls into the business and the decision to divest the British & Brazilian fruit business a reflection of the need to focus on key areas rather than attempting to supply products across the board.
Produce World has a sizeable senior management team, and a number of new faces from both inside and out of the industry have been appointed to bolster the ranks in the past year. In November Phil Jones - whose CV includes Christian Salvesen, Experian and plumbing and heating contractor T Jolly Services - joined as group finance director.
And only this month the company announced Christian Maltby as head of farm operations at Marshalls, replacing farming operations director Marcus Rayner, who will be moving to Finlays Horticulture (Kenya) next month.
One of the most interesting appointments has been that of American Bob Moody as chief operating officer. Coming from a background in the automotive, heating and refrigeration industries, his CV includes plenty of business-to-business and supply chain experience, and - perhaps most useful in today’s climate - knowledge of implementing lean thinking into a business. Moody says he had been attracted by the opportunity to do something different and to help install new ways of doing things into Produce World.
That sense of taking different approaches from across industry seems to permeate Produce World’s thinking at present. “Sometimes you can drive a huge improvement in your business performance if you are working in a different way,” explains group agricultural director Andrew Burgess.
The company is putting a major focus on cutting out waste in every area, from time and space to spoilage and production losses. “The great thing about lean is you never get to the end,” Burgess explains. “It takes a lot of time to get everything aligned and it’s a process of constant review. But it’s also all about empowering people.”
These same thought processes in terms of people and waste reduction have been applied at Marshalls, which group commercial director Jason Burgess says necessitated a completely new way of thinking at the brassica division in terms of only harvesting what was needed for that day. “When we bought Marshalls it was a company that pushed it all into the market,” he says. “It needed just-in-time operation, and we felt the brassica area was lagging behind in that respect. It has been a tough journey but we are starting to see the fruits of that. Existing customers have been very supportive and new customers are excited about what we’re doing there.”
It’s a tough market out there and Produce World has seen that as much as anyone, but as a grower, packer and marketer the company has the kind of integrated operation that keeps it relevant at a time when supermarkets are revamping their supply chains. Promoting close relationships with its 50 grower partners through grower groups is key, and the company has implemented its Growing for Life initiative to develop mutual dependency and allow growers to grow across the full rotation. As part of the project growers get agronomic and strategic support and the chance to share best practice on issues such as soil health, climate change and sustainable agriculture. Having been a big supporter of LEAF since its inception, the approach very much fits into the company’s ethos of placing a high emphasis on environmental considerations.
The grower partnerships are key, but Andrew Burgess admits the company has reduced its number of growers from a year ago in a bid to focus on critical mass, which has meant moving away from some producing in very small quantities. “We are not slashing and burning growers but we are moving on with our partnerships,” he explains.
It’s a process of constant re-evaluation, analysis and looking for new, more efficient ways of doing things.And it’s that attention to detail that should keep the business at the forefront of the industry for many years to come. -
GREEN GIANT FRESH ON HOLD
ne point of uncertainty in the last year has been the continuing doubt over the launch of the Green Giant Fresh label. The much-anticipated brand, which has already launched in France and Spain on fresh-cut salads and whole fresh products, is still to make its debut in the UK, leading to question marks over its future in this country. In a statement last week, Produce World said: “Though the store launches are fairly recent, there appears to be strong consumer support for the brand in the fresh produce category. In the UK we continue to work with our suppliers and customers to develop and refine products that are consistent with the brand’s legacy of premium, innovative, high-quality products and meet the changing needs of our customers and consumers.”
INNOVATIVE THINKING
Produce World has been at the forefront of innovative thinking and prides itself on its creativity. This was recognised at last year’s Re:fresh Awards, when Produce World Marshalls picked up the Stubbins Innovation of the Year award for its shelf-life extending field harvester.
Over at Solanum, agronomy director Simon Bowen describes innovation as “the life blood of Produce World”, showing genuine passion for “crops that excite the customer and grower”. Solanum trials no less than 70-80 new varieties every year, with consumer insight now key to its selection process and a much closer collaboration with plant breeders than ever before.
In the past NPD had been very much centred on yield and plant properties like disease resistance, but that focus is starting to change to a more consumer-led approach.
Bowen says Solanum is particularly excited about the possibilities for Sweet Candle carrots; a new soft, waxy potato variety; and coloured tubers such as Highland Burgundy, which can help combat what he describes as the “overwhelming sea of beige” in the potato aisle.
The company is also launching two new mashing potatoes - Madeleine and Sunrise - under the Produce World label. -
No comments yet