Beanstalk Global

We know how important it is to be inspired by both big businesses and individuals, which is why we are excited to present Talking Leaders, a bi-monthly initiative from the AHDB which will see a series of inspirational speakers share their life experiences and deliver impactful stories to the AgriLeader community.

In our April broadcast, we have joining us Sir John Jones – discussing “Preparing yourself for a world that doesn’t yet exist”.

Knighted in 2003 for his services to education, Sir John worked most of his professional life in challenging schools across the North West of England, his last post being the head-teacher of a large secondary school in Merseyside.

His achievements and reputation for straight talking, leadership and creativity led him to be invited onto various organizations, panels and think tanks including the National College for School Leadership, the DfES’ Leadership Development Unit, the Teacher Development Agency’s National Remodelling Unit and visiting posts with both Manchester and Liverpool Universities.

Sir John retains a very down to earth approach to education, believing it to be about social change, never just about ticking boxes or meeting targets. Covering an impressive range of educational issues from leadership and inclusion to organizational development and ‘futures thinking’, Sir John is guaranteed to give all those who come into contact with him food for thought, practical ideas that will make a difference and a genuine and moving sense of awe at the power teachers have to change young lives.

The Institute of Food Science & Technology (IFST)  are the UK’s leading professional body for those involved in all aspects of food science and technology. They are an internationally respected independent membership body, supporting food professionals through knowledge sharing and professional recognition.

Their membership comprises individuals from a wide range of backgrounds, from students to experts, working across a wide range of disciplines within the sector.

Jon Poole is Chief Executive of the IFST in the UK. Whilst not a food scientist himself, Jon’s role involves him in most aspects of the food sector from food safety through to sustainability and new product development through to ensuring the pipeline of talent for the next generation of food scientists and technologists. Jon also chairs SALSA, the third-party supplier assurance scheme for small and micro businesses in the UK.

Alongside his role at IFST, Jon works part-time as an independent consultant focussing on organisational development across a wide range of sectors and with a particular focus on leadership competency and development and career development. Jon has written and had published three books on leadership, business coaching and career development.

During 2020-21 Jon chaired one of GFSI’s Working Groups as part of its ‘Race to the Top’ programme, focussing on auditor professional recognition and competence.

Jon joins Max to discuss some key topics ahead of their Spring Conference in May:

• The future technical skills needed within the food sector
• The importance of the role of professional recognition
• Changing consumer perceptions of food science and technology

In our April Broadcast, we are delighted to have Rozanne Davis – a key industry Sustainability and B Corp Expert!

Rozanne has an incredible wealth of knowledge in many parts of this industry, including fresh procurement, having spent 14 years at Innocent and 7 years at Capespan before that. This was also where Roz delivered B Corp for the company. This is a mountain to climb in a small business, but to achieve this in a well-established and substantial business is a whole new level. It is an incredible achievement. Now Rozanne has moved on to set up her own business, Our Legacy Sustainability Consulting Ltd, and as a true expert in this field, has kindly agreed to speak to WIFF about B Corp. We cannot think of anyone more suited and qualified to do so.

Roz works with European Roundtable for Beef Sustainability members for the SAI Platform and holds a BSc Engineering (Chemical) and BSc Agriculture (Horticulture) both from the University of Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa.”

Women in Food and Farming is a group of professional women in food, agriculture and the land-based industries at all stages of their careers, who get together to discuss business issues, support each other via mentorship and advice, and help generate networks of contacts that might be useful to themselves and their businesses.

Founded in 2011 by Christine Tacon CBE, the group started back in 2011 with just five women and has now grown to over 500 members. Christine is known to many as the first Grocery Code Adjudicator and head of the Co-op’s farming business, she has just been appointed Chair of Assured Food Standards which operates the Red Tractor Assurance scheme amongst other roles.

Beanstalk is very proud to offer our extensive platforms to allow Women in Food and Farming to continue their conversation and debate and to encourage new members ongoing to join them, be that on a virtual Broadcast basis.

Running a campaign that involves more than 200 organisations brings valuable lessons on building and maintaining relationships.

Veg Power is a not-for-profit organisation focused on encouraging the UK to eat more vegetables. Since their inception around three years ago their successes include the award-winning 'Eat Them to Defeat Them' campaign in partnership with ITV, which included a TV ad supported by over £10m of advertising from ITV, Channel 4 and Sky Media. 

The fundamental difference with other healthy eating or public health campaigns is that the Veg Power operating model includes a strong, diverse and vocal alliance that has nationwide reach and impact – all on a very low budget. The alliance consists of individuals, groups and organisations that are passionate about the cause. It includes large and small businesses, national and local government, NGOs, community groups and schools, celebrities and influencers.  This enables them to reach a greater range of individuals and adds credibility and interest to their campaigns.  

Joining Max on this month's broadcast will be Dan Parker from Veg Power and Jack Ward from British Growers - discussing how a better understanding of the vegetable consumer can drive category growth and product innovation.

We go live with Cathy Burns to get an understanding of how the IFPA has been set up, the current challenges for the International Fresh Produce sectors and how collaborating with them will be beneficial to us all globally.

As part of the Beanstalk Global mission to assist with the first phase of FRESHPPACT in partnership with Blue Skies, Waitrose & Partners and the University of Northampton Centre for Sustainable Business Practices, we meet up in Ghana and talk with Ruth Sadjei – General Manager for Blue Skies in West Africa.

Ruth is an inspiring and hugely well-regarded figure in the fresh food industry in Africa. What she and her team have created at Blue Skies and the difference they have made to the people in Ghana and now Benin cannot be overstated.

We interview her to find out her background, how Anthony Pile MBE (founder of Blue Skies)  inspired her to succeed and what she hopes for in respect of the Blue Skies business ongoing.

The Fresh Produce Impact Hub, known as FRESHPPACT, will collaborate with retailers, manufacturers and agribusinesses operating within food supply chains rooted in developing or emerging economies to identify shared high-priority social and environmental challenges, and work with research partners to accelerate the adoption of the most promising solutions through a process of rapid evaluation, testing and adoption.  

FRESHPPACT is being implemented by Blue Skies and supported by Waitrose, which has been awarded a UKAid grant to develop the operating model and launch three challenge funds to find solutions to problem plastics found in agricultural mulch, workwear and packaging.

Solutions may include new technology and business models that mitigate plastic pollution through material substitution, accelerated biodegradation and improved manufacturing and remanufacturing processes.

The UKAid grant has been made via the Sustainable Manufacturing and Pollution Programme (SMEP). The SMEP programme is funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) and is implemented in partnership with the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). The grant has been awarded for an initial period until April 2022. 

FRESHPPACT is inviting expressions of interest from organisations who would like to be involved in launching the challenge funds and/or identifying solutions. Expressions of Interest may come from, but is not limited to retailers, fresh produce companies, research organisations (including universities) and solutions providers.

AgrigateOne’s goal is to be perceived by all relevant stakeholders as the easiest, fairest and most reliable way of procuring agricultural goods. They want to ensure that farmers, growers and producers using AgrigateOne consistently have better bottom line results in comparison to other similar farmers and growers not on their platform. This is based not only on more favourable sales terms, but also improved ability to make data-based decisions within farm management. Their intention is to ensure that buyers have access to a wider range of information regarding their potential product base and are able to make better, more favourable, more informed procurement decisions.

We go live with Greg Whitaker - CEO & Founder and Wian Potgieter - General Manager, UK & Europe to find out more and to hear from some of their key growers and clients as to why they endorse and highly recommend AgrigateOne.

Join us in our first phase of FRESHPPACT as we talk to representatives of Waitrose & Partners, Blue Skies and the University of Northampton Centre for Sustainable Business Practices about their forthcoming trip to Ghana! This critical mission to Ghana will seek to further define the challenges around plastics in the supply chain, helping us to ensure we find the most suitable and impactful solutions that can benefit the whole industry.

We go live with them all on the next stage of the exciting FRESHPPACT adventure to find out more prior to a key trip to the key Blues Skies site in Ghana.

On the panel we have:

• George Barrett - Sustainability Manager (Circular Economy) , Waitrose & Partners 
• Dr. Ebenezer Laryea – Senior Lecturer in Law, University of Northampton
• Hella Lipper-Morse – Head of Technical, Blue Skies 
• Lana Mo – Head of Innovation at Blue Skies
• John Oldham – Purchasing Manager, Blue Skies
• Ben Thomas – Senior Environment Manager, Waitrose & Partners

The Fresh Produce Impact Hub, known as FRESHPPACT, will collaborate with retailers, manufacturers and agribusinesses operating within food supply chains rooted in developing or emerging economies to identify shared high-priority social and environmental challenges, and work with research partners to accelerate the adoption of the most promising solutions through a process of rapid evaluation, testing and adoption.  

FRESHPPACT is being implemented by Blue Skies and supported by Waitrose, which has been awarded a UKAid grant to develop the operating model and launch three challenge funds to find solutions to problem plastics found in agricultural mulch, workwear and packaging.

Solutions may include new technology and business models that mitigate plastic pollution through material substitution, accelerated biodegradation and improved manufacturing and remanufacturing processes.

The UKAid grant has been made via the Sustainable Manufacturing and Pollution Programme (SMEP). The SMEP programme is funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) and is implemented in partnership with the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). The grant has been awarded for an initial period until April 2022. 

FRESHPPACT is inviting expressions of interest from organisations who would like to be involved in launching the challenge funds and/or identifying solutions. Expressions of Interest may come from, but is not limited to retailers, fresh produce companies, research organisations (including universities) and solutions providers.

The London Produce Show and Conference (LPS) is back! It is organised and hosted by the creators of the award-winning New York Produce Show and Conference (NYPS).

As the largest produce event in the United Kingdom, it gathers high volume buyers and sellers from across the UK and around the world for unparalleled education and exceptional opportunities to network and build relationships. LPS22 provides a highly focussed environment for business development, sourcing opportunities and a unified forum for working together to boost produce consumption and to build a better industry.

The model has proved extremely popular and the NYPS and LPS are now well-established international trade exhibitions and conferences for the fresh produce industry, set in the heart of two iconic cities. As such, the LPS has taken the NYPS model and adapted it for the evolving demands of the UK marketplace.

It is the only annual produce show in town, and it has been successful in attracting exhibitors and attendees from more than 50 countries to the English capital city in its first three years.

We go live with Jim Prevor to find out more on The London Produce Show 2022 and why it is must attend event.

Jim is widely recognized as a leader in assessing the state of the perishable-food industries and analysing the prospects for the retail and foodservice venues in which perishable foods are bought and sold. His comments and insights on a broad range of subjects — including food safety, genetically modified organisms, irradiation, consumer dynamics, the state of food prices, sustainability and the competitive dynamics in the fresh-food retailing industry — have been seen and heard on CNN, the Fox Business Channel, the BBC, NPR, many network affiliates and over 100 newspapers, magazines and associated websites, including The Washington Post, The New York Times, USA Today, The Times of London, The Chicago Tribune and The Los Angeles Times.

He has also spearheaded the establishment of a network of live marketing events, including The New York Produce Show and Conference, The London Produce Show and Conference and The Amsterdam Produce Show and Conference, as well as conferences including the Global Trade Symposium and the “Ideation Fresh” Foodservice Forum. He has also been in the forefront of student programs, leading efforts such as The University Interchange Program and The Fresh Careers Fair.

As the fourth generation of his family to be active in the food business in the United States, he has served as a director of his family’s company, which was an importer, exporter and wholesaler of foodstuffs, including produce, deli meats and cheeses, fresh eggs and frozen poultry. At various times, the business also owned supermarkets and convenience stores, a restaurant chain and various farming operations.

The Evening Standard called Mr. Prevor, “…one of America’s most revered commentators on the food industry,” and The Sunday Telegraph called him “One of America’s most influential commentators on the grocery market,” while The Times of London has identified Mr. Prevor as “…one of the most influential commentators on the supermarket sector…,” and The Minneapolis-St. Paul StarTribune named Mr. Prevor “a well-respected authority on food safety.”

Red Tractor. They are a not-for-profit company that is the UK’s biggest farm and food assurance scheme. They develop standards based on science, evidence, best practice and legislation that cover animal welfare, food safety, traceability and environmental protection. Around 50,000 British farmers are accredited to Red Tractor standards, which form the basis of buying and sourcing specifications for major supermarkets, household brands and restaurant chains, ultimately making life simpler for everyone.

The Red Tractor logo represents 20 years of driving world leading British food standards. Since 2000, they have worked closely with animal welfare experts, vets, agronomists and the entire supply chain to ensure that whenever you buy a product with the Red Tractor logo, it is traceable, safe and farmed with care.

Their assurance covers the entire food supply chain and they work with over 450 independent inspectors to ensure the most robust assessments possible.  These inspectors are all appropriately trained and sufficiently experienced – together, they conduct over 60,000 inspections a year.

We go live with Jim Moseley – CEO of Red Tractor to get his opinion and understanding of the whole food sector as we emerge from the post Covid scenario. With potential “erratic” times ahead for both farmers, growers, retailers and consumers alike, we look to gain Jim’s view as to how we can all sail to hopefully brighter times ahead.

Jim started out at FMC Meat Ltd, then Europe’s largest meat group. His next move was to Wander Foods, where he launched sports drink Isostar in the UK.    He later spent 12 years as Tulip’s Sales & Marketing Director, before becoming Managing Director of General Mills UK in 1999. There he handled brands like Häagen-Dazs, Old El Paso, Green Giant and Nature Valley.  He then joined Mizkan Euro Ltd before becoming the CEO of Red Tractor in 2017.

Jim has chaired the Provision Trade Federation and was a Food Drink Europe board member. He’s also been both interim Director General and President of the Food & Drink Federation.