Just as Nigel Jenney acknowledged in the FPJ last month that he has a difficult task in replacing Doug Henderson as FPC chief executive, so Alan McCutchion recognises that Richard Brighten - four years in the post - is a tough act to follow.
“Dick did a terrific job. The FPC has had some very good presidents since its inception, but in my opinion none has given a greater depth of input than Dick in the last four years,” he said.
Brighten handed the reins over at the FPC agm last week, at what could quite possibly be seen in time as a watershed for the association. “The timing is quite a challenging one,” said McCutchion, who has stepped up from the Council having served the FPC as a committee member since it was formed, and the National Federation before it. “It obviously coincides with Doug’s retirement as chief executive and the commencement in that position of Nigel. My first target therefore is to support Nigel fully and assist him in picking up and continuing with all the work that is ongoing.
“I would like to acknowledge the tremendous job that Doug Henderson has done for the FPC over the last 10 years and we are fortunate that he has agreed to continue in a reduced capacity until the end of the year, to bring completion to some specific projects.”
Like Jenney, McCutchion too will have his predecessor to call on, as Brighten - as immediate past president - will continue as a Council member for at least one year. “I am fortunate that the Council has very dedicated members representing the various sectors of the industry and their knowledge and experience are a great asset,” said McCutchion.
“Our primary focus has to be to maintain the services that the FPC provides to its members and to seek to ensure that we both retain and maintain our existing membership and broaden our reach,” he said. “There are many opportunities for the FPC within the industry. We already cover a wide range of sectors and a large number of companies, but there are many companies that are not members. We intend to find out why and try and change that.”
The new president and chief executive will set time aside in the next few months to sit down with a cross-section of the membership to gauge the perception and expectations the industry has of the FPC. Some areas that need strengthening glare out, others are likely to be more subtle - but as Jenney is charged with increasing the profile of his association, this will be a priority.
“The FPC has been extremely successful, especially if you take into account everything that it has achieved and place that against the cost and resources involved. Over the years there have been any number of highly significant successes, but for an association that that has worked within a very tight budget, the job of promoting those successes to its membership has received limited attention. They have just got on, done the job and then moved on to the next challenge.”
Members’ contributions to the work and activities of the FPC appears to have reduced over the last 12 years, but this is symptomatic of a changing industry more than any failing on its part, said McCutchion. “It results from the pressures on management time within their immediate responsibilities being so demanding that the scope for involvement is reduced,” he added.
“The recent Re:fresh Conference and Awards dinner was an excellent new initiative and we look forward to developing the theme. The Tesco speaker said that we have a world-class industry in the UK and there is no doubt that we do,” McCutchion said. “I don’t think there is anywhere else in the world that is so broadly professional across such a wide range of fresh produce as the UK.
“But that brings huge demands with it, in terms of food safety, due diligence, plant health regulations and pesticide controls. They all add up to making procurement of the product a very challenging proposition. There appears to be a danger that with some of the new regulatory requirements emanating from Brussels we could be retreating into a Fortress Europe situation. That is certainly not in the UK’s interest.”
Meanwhile, the UK government has recognised that keeping people healthy is a much more productive proposition than treating them once they become ill. The industry has to benefit from the role fresh produce plays in that, but success in the long-term, said McCutchion, will depend on efficient and effective communication. “Telling people that eating fruit and vegetables stops them dying does not do any good - we have to promote fruit and veg as fun and cool to eat or even as an indulgence.
“Using role models - as the Banana Group has done with so much success - would be a good way forward, but we have to come together as an industry, with a united message.
“The National School Fruit Scheme is also great news, but surely it must utilise the Bangor Project if its effects are going to have a long-term impact on the nation’s diet. The political pressure for the scheme to succeed is huge and as an industry we need to find the funding and drive to make sure the educational aspects get through to our schools.”
Challenging times then, but potentially the most exciting times in terms of consumption growth this industry has seen. “Everything is there to be brought together - it is just waiting to be grasped. The FPC, working with government, has pulled the NSFS together very well, and we will continue to work very closely with them on that and other projects. As long as the Bangor Project comes to the fore, the industry can look forward to an expanding market in the years to come.”
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