Industry veteran Brian Madderson received the Re:fresh Florette Lifetime Achievement Award to rapturous applause at the London ceremony on Thursday.
Brian Madderson was managing director of Port of Dover shipping specialist George Hammond for 20 years, and presided over a Port Services Division based around the handling of imported fresh produce from specialised reefer vessels.
When he joined George Hammond plc in May 1989, fresh produce shipped to Dover largely came from the Mediterranean area and fruits and vegetables were transported in small, ventilated vessels suitable for the enclosed Western Docks, where Hammond had an exclusive stevedoring operation.
The first challenge was to persuade the Dover Harbour Board to build a deep-water fruit terminal in the Eastern Docks, to attract the increasing volumes of fruit from the southern hemisphere coming into the UK. By the end of 1990, a new quay run of some 200m - known as the South Jetty - was made available, together with ambient quayside sheds and two small but highly effective Gottwald mobile quay cranes.
Hammond invested in all the necessary handling equipment, which included, for the first time in the UK, purpose-designed four-pallet fruit cages.
Brain recognised early that this is a very personalised industry and made it a key part of his business over many years of traveling, to build up a considerable global network of personal contacts. That undoubtedly stood George Hammond in good stead in the late 1990s, when the market for seasonal fruit developed rapidly. Hammond obtained a reasonable share, especially from South America.
He retired as managing director of Port of Dover shipping specialist George Hammond last October. Unwilling to take a total back seat in retirement, on 1 November last year, he launched himself into a consultancy role for the firm and a brand-new position as chairman of the UK Independent Petrol Retailers’ Association.
He told freshinfo: "I was delighted and honoured to be singled out by my peers in the fresh produce industry for this very special award. It has been a great privilege to meet and work closely with so many interesting and talented entrepreneurs over 20 years but, above all, it has been tremendous fun.
"Whether in the sun-baked fields of Rio Norte do Grande checking melons, in the spectacular port of Valparaiso watching ships load grapes for Dover, in the wharf-side restaurants of Buenos Aires savouring a giant 'asado' or progressing opportunities with UK importers it has been fun and I am grateful for the chance to work in this special industry."
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