Businesses in the Scottish fresh produce trade have been urged to put issues of commercial sensitivity and business rivalry aside to work collaboratively and ensure their long-term futures.
Jim Booth of the Scottish Agricultural Organisation Society (SAOS) said partnerships could add significant benefits and efficiencies to a wide range of businesses, but recognised the risks in this.
He told delegates at this week’s FPJ Conference in Perth: “Working collaboratively isn’t easy - it is natural for businesses to set up independently and focus on cost and performance but, with some leadership, it can be done effectively.”
Booth set out an ideal model for collaboration that involved joint investment, flexibility, transparency and mutual support in creating lean businesses.
He said: “A total of 76 per cent of respondents to our survey said they recognise that [forging] partnerships add efficiency and value, but only half said they actually do it. It is a question of trust, integrity and a change in attitude... There is opportunity for a third party such as SAOS or other agencies to intervene and help.”
Representatives of Total Produce and CJ Lang & Sons Ltd, which trades as Spar, outlined their partnership to delegates.
Wilson Neil, commercial manager for Total Produce Distribution, and Gordon Airth, temperature-controlled trading controller for CJ Lang, said the fresh produce industry had “never been afraid of hard work” and that strategic alliances through strong management were key to providing good service.
