People

The fine food industry is full of inspiring professionals with a wealth of experience and expertise under their sleeves – find out what makes them tick and discover their take on the ever-changing market right here

  • “Margin means everything!”

    12 May 2017 Speciality Bites
    Following on from my thoughts last time about the differences between the speciality food world and the convenience sector (and thanks for all the response on that), I want to focus this time on margin. Do bear in mind I have never run a retail outlet…

  • “Five things you would NOT have heard at The Convenience Show last week”

    02 May 2017 Speciality Bites
    In spending some time at both shows last week, it was interesting to compare the two sectors. In my view, it is time for the speciality food sector to stop being an immature teenager and to grow into an adult. There are too many companies, both…

  • “Off to the show”

    24 April 2017 Speciality Bites
    So, many of us will be off to the Farm Shop & Deli/Convenience Show this week. I’m writing this on Sunday and will be off later today to help set up our stand. I thought it might be interesting for a moment to compare the three…

  • “United in leadership?”

    18 April 2017 Speciality Bites
    There was a news story last week, which is still ongoing, that will be used in business courses for years to come. PR companies will use it as a salutary lesson for years to come and undergraduates will be taught “how to devalue a company’s stock…

  • “Trends bubbling under”

    14 April 2017 Fine Food
    Earlier in 2017, when the year was but a pup, Greggs the high street baker announced an impressive rise in several key financial indicators. For investors lucky enough to hold Greggs shares, dividends were up by 8.4%, and all of this despite a background of gloom…

  • The Interview: Craig Sams

    14 April 2017 News
    We catch up with the forward-thinker, innovator and founder of some of the UK’s most respected brands

  • “Avoiding the ‘b’ word”

    14 April 2017 Town Crier
    As a teenager in the early 1970s, prior to my first ‘dinner party’, parental advice didn’t just cover which cutlery to use. I was also briefed to avoid discussion of politics, religion or money. Perhaps that’s why I became a music, and later, a cheese bore.…

  • “Never trust an expert”

    14 April 2017 Expert Eye
    On a recent trip to Scotland I read an old adage that I do not recall hearing before: “A grain of truth does not make a loaf of success”. This reminded me of why it is always a daunting task to either give advice or indeed…

  • “Life is good”

    14 April 2017 On The Farm
    We’re well and truly starting to warm up here on the farm. The Easter holidays are upon us, which is our first real chance to show off all the hard work of the last year. Investment in our infrastructure is ongoing and we’re always striving to…

  • “Rediscovering the White Knight”

    14 April 2017 Opinion
    In past articles I have noted the demise of some sectors of our regional cheese heritage, most notably Farmhouse Cheshire

  • “Welcome to summer – (and Christmas!)”

    10 April 2017 Speciality Bites
    What a fabulous weekend! I really enjoyed my three days away in Tallinn last weekend, and can thoroughly recommend a visit there. However, I got the timing horribly wrong. It was 18 degrees at home last week and when we arrived in Tallinn, only one degree.…

  • “Keep looking forward and stay positive”

    03 April 2017 Speciality Bites
    Comments this week from one of the Waitrose directors following Brexit Wednesday (as it may become known) almost seemed to be expecting a good performance from the partnership due to an economic downturn in 2017. He is right, Waitrose, performed their best in the last decade…
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