This year’s Festival of Fresh had its usual mix of speakers from across the industry, but 2 of the standout messages came in the first half of the day. John and Guy Shropshire spoke about the history and future of G’s Group. Ever a vocal supporter of the industry, John Shropshire called for a reduction in the number of barriers that are placed in front of companies trying to invest. The number of regulations one must comply with make the task incredibly daunting, time consuming and even more costly. Given that successive governments have stated economic growth as their key priorities, this will undoubtedly be holding that back.
Traditionally, investment has been hampered by a lack of confidence from the sector in the often-short term thinking that retailers have engaged in. 2-year contract were the norm and no sooner were you out of one tender cycle and into another. With many large-scale investment projects having multi-year pay back terms, it’s no wonder a “wait and see” approach was often taken. However, Hannah O’Relly (Category Director Produce at Sainsbury’s) made it very clear that there is a recognition from the top down that longer term commitments are needed to give growers the confidence to invest. As a result, they are going to be entering into more 5-year contract commitments within Fresh Produce, mirroring other fresh categories.
The message was a clear one. The country wants / need to improve its productivity. When people are healthier, they are more productive. Our food system can absolutely become the driving force behind economic growth and that’s an opportunity for all.