How did you come to work in the fresh produce industry?

In 1972, I joined the Francis Nicholls Group, which was part of Geest, as group accountant. I was intending to pursue a career in accountancy, but a year and a half later, I took over the running of all our import operations.

Moving out of the finance function into the commercial activities of the business was a big opportunity and an even greater challenge for me. Over the succeeding years we built the operations up until, at the time Geest was floated on the stock exchange in 1986, we were trading in 75 different countries, importing a comprehensive range of all the fresh produce lines and supplying all the major supermarkets, as well as the wholesale markets.

It was a tremendous opportunity and a wonderful life.

So you then joined the FPC as chief executive?

I left Geest in 1994 and joined the FPC. David Hope-Mason was the driving force behind the FPC, which had just been established when I joined as chief executive.

Shortly after that, the Fruit Importers’ Association joined - a merger that gave the FPC comprehensive representation across the entire produce industry in the UK.

We were also very active at a European level with both Eucofel and CIMO, the European Importers’ Association, and I was very much involved in the merger of these two organisations to form Freshfel.

The FPC gave me an opportunity to get involved in and contribute to many of the areas of the fresh produce industry that I was really interested in.

How would you describe the industry response to the establishment of the FPC?

It was extraordinarily positive. Prior to the formation of the FPC, trade representation had been fragmented between wholesalers, importers, packers and retailers. At that time, there was a very strong feeling that to be effective and meet the emerging challenges, the industry had to come together. The establishment of the FPC was a major step in this direction.

It gave the industry an opportunity to work more closely with the government, both in the UK and at a European level. It also meant that we could actively participate in the development and implementation of standards in the supply chain that would more effectively meet consumer demands in the areas of food safety management and sustainable systems of production, as well as conduct our affairs in a socially acceptable manner.

How has the FPC evolved since its inaugural days?

Over 15 years, the FPC has developed very well. It has worked effectively in the development and introduction of industry-based standards and has been able to internationalise these standards, underpinning the integrity of the global supply chain that services UK consumers.

These standards have made importing and marketing fresh produce much easier and there is no doubt that it is an area in which the UK has led the rest of the world.

When I retired after 10 years as chief executive, I decided to have a complete break and give my successor, Nigel Jenney, a clean run. That gave Nigel the chance to put his own stamp on the organisation and develop and implement his own ideas. I think it was the right decision and the FPC has continued go from strength to strength. It continues to have an extremely important role to play in the industry and has justified all the hard work put into its creation.

So when you left the FPC, what next?

I became chairman of Management Development Services (MDS), which is based in Peterborough and was formed 20 years ago.

One area that we did not address at the FPC was the recruitment of appropriately qualified and well-trained staff to manage and develop a supply chain that was becoming much more integrated and technically based. MDS was an opportunity for me to get involved in this activity, which is of vital importance to the future of our industry.

Is it difficult to attract new people into the industry?

MDS recruits eight to 10 trainees every six months. Prior to the recession, it was difficult to attract new graduates in what was a very competitive market. But there has been a radical change over a very short space of time. There are now an increasing number of well-qualified graduates fresh out of university who are experiencing great difficulty in securing employment, at a time when many graduate recruitment programmes have either reduced their intake or stopped altogether.

We are finding more people are interested in looking at career prospects within the fresh produce industry. The internet has helped enormously and MDS has a very active website from which graduates can apply for a position on our training programme. Previously, very few graduates knew about the fresh produce industry or had any means of accessing information about it -now, it is quick and easy.

What services does MDS offer?

We offer a bridge between university and a career in the produce industry. This is achieved by providing four six-month secondments in different companies in different types of job.

At the same time, we provide trainees with 25 days of off-the-job training, all of which contributes to the award of a post-graduate qualification in Food and Fresh Produce Management for successful trainees.

We are the first graduate scheme in the country to be able to offer a full academic qualification - another first for the fresh produce industry.

What is the biggest change you have seen in the industry? What do you predict for the business in the future?

When I joined the industry in 1972, it was trading in fruit and vegetables.

Today, it is managing a sophisticated, technically based, consumer-focused supply chain that is under enormous and continuing pressure from the major supermarkets to become more efficient, cut its costs and develop its consumer offer.

Things are very uncertain in the wider economy, but generally speaking the produce industry is better placed than many to weather this storm. It will be tough - it always was - but people will continue to eat fruit and veg.