In our ever-increasing and highly regarded interview series, 20on20 – “20 minutes with inspirational people from the international fresh food sectors” we talk to the inspiring Andrew Wallis.

Andrew is CEO of Unseen, a UK-wide charity that believes that modern slavery can and must be eradicated. As well as running the Modern Slavery Helpline, Unseen runs services for survivors of human trafficking, and works with the police, health workers, government, businesses and others to help prevent modern slavery.

Andrew chaired the landmark Centre for Social Justice report ‘It Happens Here’, widely acknowledged as the catalyst for the UK Modern Slavery Act of 2015, which he also advised on the development of. He was awarded an OBE that year. The job has presented him with challenges as diverse as building flat-pack furniture for Unseen’s first safe house, to advising global businesses on how to address slavery in supply chains. He has been described in many circles as ‘the loveliest disrupter you could hope to meet!’

We hear his frankly startling views of how modern-day slavery operates and how it may just be combated in the likes of the international world of fresh foods with all of our direct involvement.

To see this inspiring conversation with Andrew, just click on the picture below.

And to find out more on how you and your business can benefit by being aligned to the Unseen UK, view their website – http://www.unseenuk.org/ (www.unseenuk.org)

Filmed late Dec 2020. Host – Max MacGillivray – Editor in Chief of Beanstalk

Great Britain currently exports around 100,000 tonnes of ware potatoes to the Republic of Ireland per year. GB also exports around 40,000t to Northern Ireland. That’s 112 full lorry loads per week. Week in week out – all year round. Unless ware potatoes are granted something called “3rd country equivalence” by the EU, then the trade of potatoes between EU and Ireland and NI will effectively cease on 1st January 2021.

And it gets worse. The UK government see ware potatoes as “food supply chain critical which impacts retail and consumers if supply is restricted”. The UK Gov has agreed to continue to allow ware potatoes from EU to be imported into the UK. So, from 1st January 2021 we will no longer be allowed to export our spuds to the EU or even NI…but we will be allowed to continue to import potatoes from EU. It’s a deplorable failure of politics. Listen to Tim….

UPDATE:

“EU to allow post-Brexit UK farm produce exports”. At the end of December 2020, it was announced that the UK government has told the agricultural industry that the EU will allow almost all food and plant exports from Great Britain to continue after Brexit.

As a first step, the UK has to be awarded “third country” listed status to be allowed to export to the EU. A Defra letter says the EU will confirm this asap with effect from 1 January. This will apply irrespective of a post-Brexit deal. See full details https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-55433319 (AS PER THIS LINK).

To see the full Broadcast with Tim, just click the picture below.

Filmed 22nd Dec 2020 with Max MacGillivray of Beanstalk as Host.

So here we are, the end game for the UK Brexit dream beckons at months end. We conducted a fascinating Broadcast with key industry leaders to gain their views.

Queues are already forming outside UK supermarkets at peak times and shoppers are being told they should expect them to lengthen in the run-up to Christmas as the big four players – market leader Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda and Morrisons – and their smaller rivals wrestle with meeting a jump in demand whilst adhering to social distancing requirements. Then, from January, shoppers face the prospect of gaps on shelves if supply lines from the European Union are disrupted.

And the headlines are alarming “Delays of even a few days as post-Brexit customs checks come into force at ports could make fresh produce unsaleable…”

With nearly one third of Britain’s food coming from the EU, grocers fear significant disruption to their ‘just in time’ supply chains when the Brexit transition period ends shortly after the Christmas rush. Delays of even a few days as post-Brexit customs checks come into force at ports could make fresh produce unsaleable and lead to shortages of some or all products. Supermarket groups have stockpiled where they can but warehouse space is scarce with most required to service Christmas. And although they will seek to build stocks further once Christmas is over, fresh produce such as salad and fruit simply can’t be kept for long periods as we all know. Grocers and supplier will seek to utilise alternative routes to the main Dover-Calais crossing of course but options are limited.

Time is running out to reach a deal before 31st December, when the UK stops following EU trading rules. And has been stated by industry experts “The reality is that we’re leaving Europe, so whether there’s a trade deal or not there’s going to be a level of friction at borders that there historically wasn’t”.

But it will be worth it. Won’t it? As stated by Michael Gove in August 2019 to the BBC – “it’s certainly the case that there will be bumps in the road, some element of disruption in the event of no-deal”

What are the main perceived issues that Farming and Fresh Produce Businesses face in early 2021? What are the solutions? Will it get easier and will we see Brexit “utopia” come Q2 onwards in 2021?

Hear from our range of industry experts to guide and advise you on our full record. We had on our Brexit Broadcast

Joe Shaw Roberts – Insights Director from KANTAR

Jack Ward – CEO of British Growers

Emily Norton – Director and Head of Rural Research – Savills

Andy Moylan – CEO of EFCIS

Tim O’Malley – CEO of Nationwide Produce plc

Max MacGillivray – Host and Editor in Chief of Beanstalk Global

‘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 by the Groceries Code Adjudicator, Christine Tacon – CBE, the group started back in 2011 with just five women and has now grown to over 400 members.

The group tends to meet three times a year, normally in London, with two informal networking events with interactive presentations on relevant topics, followed by a light buffet and lots of networking. They also hold a sit-down dinner in the summer, with themed conversations running throughout. As the group expands, they will continue to adapt these events according to the feedback of members. The group is open to anyone who feels the network would be of benefit to them – to meet, network, offer moral support, seek out mentors, ask questions and share experiences. A key aim is to promote the sectors they represent and actively encourage others into the industry, be it those of the younger generation or those changing their career path.

In our current strange times, 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.

On our first Broadcast, Christine give a background to the Group before Max MacGillivray – Editor in Chief of Beanstalk had a very engaging conversation with the hugely impressive Anna Harris. She is Director of Strategy for Stein IAS who are a multi award-winning global marketing agency. Her recent MBA dissertation majored on the findings on motherhood and ambition in the UK Grocery industry. With a background of working at a senior level with the likes of ASDA/Walmart and Robert Bakery, she knows a thing or two about progressing a challenging career, juggling not only ambition but an ever-growing family as well! It will be fascinating to hear and learn from her.

Global Women Fresh. Their mission is to change the status quo and leverage the talent of Women in Produce to close the industry’s gender divide by inspiring, connecting and empowering women around the world. And their mission matters more than ever.

Beanstalk Global has partnered up with Global Women Fresh to create a unique monthly Broadcast interview series. This to further promote the great work they do, to gain them more members ongoing and additional corporate sponsorship as well as to assist them to make a long term difference in the Global Fresh Produce sectors.

We have the pleasure of having next on the Broadcast interview series the amazing Mary Coppola, Vice President for United Fresh Produce Association in the USA. Beanstalk’s Max MacGillivray will be finding out more of Mary’s unique background, the work United Fresh are undertaking for their members and why she is such a great advocate for Global Women Fresh.