Smith has a wealth of experience in fresh produce marketing, representing growers, and developing export markets
George Smith’s first introduction to the fruit business came on 20 December 1964. He sat on the tailgate of a Bedford truck, parked in Floral Hall Yard, Covent Garden, waiting for porters to bring in the morning’s purchases on their barrows.
The streetlights flickered and the stars faded, as dawn approached, and eight-year-old Smith shivered from the December morning chill. Surrounded by the sounds of the market and a waking city, he met the wait for fresh fruit with a mixture of excitement and impatience.
The market was another exciting world with its own specific rhythm. It made for a fascinating experience and, looking back, it was the waiting between deliveries that taught Smith the value of patience. He was helped by his transistor radio, which played Radio Caroline and Radio Luxembourg.
The highlight of that morning – and the many more to follow – was a hot filled roll and a mug of tea, before heading up to North London to start the day on the pitch.
Unbelievable as it sounds, Smith has been a member of The Worshipful Company of Fruiterers for 30 years. Like many of his friends in the Livery, he was hooked into the produce trade during his formative years and made a very successful career in the industry. During the 1980s, Smith worked in the publicity department of the British Potato Marketing Board, before setting up his own consultancy, Midsummer Marketing, in 1988.
Smith has specialised in representing fruit growers since the very start. Washington Apples, Northwest Cherries, Florida Citrus, and American Pistachio Growers are just a few of the trade bodies with whom he has enjoyed a long-term relationship. Over many years, Smith has developed export markets for his grower members across Central and Southern Europe, Scandinavia, North Africa, the Middle East, and India.
Washington Apples was his first American client, and it was on an overseas trip to the state that Smith met Josefina; they celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary in December 2024.
It is the fellowship and new friendships that Smith has enjoyed over these past 30 years that make The Fruiterers the Company it is. It has a proud reputation of being the friendliest Livery in The City, a reputation that Smith wants to grow during his year as Master of our Company.
So, what’s in the planner for 2025 and what else does Smith have in store for his fellow Liverymen?
“Most importantly, the Company will remain committed to supporting the City of London and our Lord Mayor,” he says. “The Company’s charitable giving will be focused on the City Harvest charity that provides for so many less fortunate than us.
“There will be an entwined military theme to the year as The Worshipful Company of Fruiterers will remember and celebrate 80 years since World War II ended in 1945. The Company will visit the Historic Dockyard Chatham, the Imperial War Museum in Lambeth, and hold Summer Court in the historic hangar at RAF Hendon.”
The City events that all Liverymen will be encouraged to attend are The City Food & Drink Lecture, the Lord Mayor’s Big Curry Lunch, the Election of the Sheriffs, and the Election of the Lord. But there are many more besides.
“Taking over the role of Master in an organisation that is 700 years old is both an incredible honour and a tremendous responsibility,” Smith says. “With such a rich history, the new Master has a unique opportunity to build upon the legacy of centuries of achievements, while also navigating the challenges of our modern world.
“While I recognise that innovation is important, preserving the core values, culture and traditions that have sustained the organisation for 700 years will be a major priority. This will help maintain continuity and strengthen the Company’s identity.”
