David and Morten attended the FPC Fresh Awards, continuing to bring out the best of the Fresh Produce industry. It is a night to celebrate the herculean efforts that the industry go to, in order to ensure the best quality product is delivered to the country in the most cost-effective way. What is becoming more and more apparent is the impact that innovation is having on the sector, with new groundbreaking initiatives starting to come to the fore. It remains a challenging time for all, but the resilience of the sector remains strong and the future is bright.
Next stop: Fruit Attraction. The show’s evolution over the years has been remarkable, and many of the businesses we spoke with now regard it as comparable — if not superior — to Fruit Logistica in Berlin. Some of the success stories in global fresh produce are phenomenal, with a growing movement toward brand ownership and quality control continuing at pace. While berries remain a major driving force, there are exciting developments across every category. Varietal development will be key to this progress, particularly as technologies like CRISPR and AI begin to transform how breeding and product development are approached.
Dani and David were privileged to attend Fera’s 10th Anniversary Event at the House of Commons — the setting felt both momentous and symbolic underscoring how Fera bridges the public and private sectors in scientific collaboration. Seeing so many peers from government, industry and academia come together made clear just how impactful Fera has been over the past decade. The evening’s mix of celebration and forward-looking ambition — referencing Fera’s mission to turn “science into clarity, impact and advantage” — resonated with everyone in the room.
Last month, Eden was proud to partner with the Agricultural Industries Confederation (AIC) as a sponsor for their annual dinner and conference for the second year running. This year’s conference delivered valuable insights from speakers including Dame Angela Eagle, Baroness Minette Batters, and Robert Sheasby, highlighting both the opportunities ahead but recognising the changes both within the sector and politically that need to take place.
And finally, Eden co-hosted the Cambridge Food and Drink Dinner, held at Queen’s College, Cambridge, alongside Mills & Reeve, Barclays and Houlihan Lokey. In its 26th year, the dinner brought together over ninety senior food and drink executives to meet with their peer group in a relaxed and informative setting. This year Sarah Dean, Owner of Noble Foods, gave an excellent, personal and honest after dinner speech and Dr Clive Black of Shore Capital was at his irrepressible best. We were delighted with the evening and are looking forward to co-hosting the event for many years to come.
Attending these industry events is always a valuable reminder of the energy, innovation, collaboration, and ambition driving the agri-food sector forward, which we are immensely proud to be part of.