Martin Brown has been appointed as the new managing director of Greenery UK.

The former md of Lingarden Flowers told FPJ he joins the Dutch-grower owned organisation at a time full of potential. “The Greenery is an enormous business, with massive potential. We have a new chief executive in Holland at the beginning of February - Philip Smits - and I think he will bring some direction.”

Brown added that the UK industry has not seen the full power of his company: “There are two sides to The Greenery - the visible side, which is the product we sell through the UK office, and the invisible side, which is the vast amount of produce that goes everywhere else.” More than 50 per cent of the fresh produce sold by the group is not of Dutch origin, for instance, and it claims to be the largest importer of melons in the world.

The Greenery is aiming to increase its profile in the UK this year, after a period of consolidation and the departure of previous UK md Nick Scrase, in March 2004. “There are lots of challenges, it is never easy in fresh produce, but I bring a fresh pair of eyes to the UK business and this year will be very interesting - it is just about getting things moving,” Brown said.

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