Are We Dealing With Food Producers Or Branding Companies?

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Paul Hargreaves

Chief executive of Cotswold Fayre

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With the news that Jamie Oliver has launched a range of 55 'artisan lines for independents' I think we need to be careful where we are going.

Surely the value of what we offer as independent retailers is provenance; we know where the food we stock is made and who makes it, and there is a story behind the products we offer for sale. There are many brands jumping on the speciality food bandwagon, and I am not sure that is the direction we want to go.  I would be lying if I said that my company had never stocked any products that were bought from brand-owners who get the products made by the third party, but this is not what we are looking for when sourcing new products now.

I wonder if Jamie Oliver had anything to do with this range?  He now lives in the USA with his family, and seems fully engaged in making TV programmes not food.  He may have sent a few recipes in for these products but probably hasn’t tasted all of them – and yet is happy to have his name on them.  The Jamie Oliver bandwagon is has been well and truly rolling for years and there are lots of people making a lot of money out of him.  And he is not doing too badly himself!  To me it just seems like the Oliver machine has churned out another raft of new products which they are trying to foist upon independent retailers.  This in addition to the Jamie Oliver range for supermarkets – but is there really a difference?  Same kind of products, different clothes?

So, let’s ask the question, should independent retailers stock these products?  There are several reasons not to do so - in my humble opinion.  Firstly, in customer research commissioned by Cotswold Fayre last year we found that retailers wanted products that were local, regional or had a story to tell.  Their customers want to know the following: Who makes it? How do they make it?, Where is it made?  Own labelling, covers up all this vital information that consumers are very keen to see.  The Jamie Oliver products may be made by artisan producers or a multi-national company, I really don’t know, but if they are indeed made by small producers then I am convinced that consumers would rather buy these products with the producer’s label on, rather than those produced by the Oliver marketing machine in an expensive design studio in central London!

Secondly, do we really believe that if this range becomes a success which leads Sainsbury’s and Tesco to come knocking on the door, that they are really going to say “no” to the chance of making more money?

Thirdly, do we really want to take money away from our other suppliers to make room on our shelves for a Jamie Oliver brand?  Just ask yourself that question in the cold light of day, and I think we would find it hard to justify that decision to the small producers who are happy to support their products through sampling and promotions, and really care about what they do!

Any thoughts on this, I would be pleased to hear them!  Have a good week.