Dave Lewis Tesco

Dave Lewis

The essential role that supplier partnerships will have on the future of UK food supply will be highlighted by Tesco chief executive Dave Lewis when he delivers the City Food Lecture in February.

Confirming the title of his address - ‘Supplier partnerships and the future of food’ - Lewis emphasised that supplier partnerships have a key role to play in the way the food industry addresses many of the challenges it faces, such as food waste and sustainability.

He said: 'The City Food Lecture is an iconic event in the food industry calendar and I hope those attending will find the evening thought provoking and informative.”

Held at London’s Guildhall, the 2018 lecture will take place on the evening of 28February. The annual event brings together 700 industry leaders, academics and members of London’s seven leading food-related livery companies.

The lecture will be followed by a panel discussion focussing on issues raised in the lecture. The panellists will be Julia Glotz, managing editor of The Grocer magazine; Sir Peter Kendall, chairman of the Agriculture & Horticulture Development Board; and David Hughes, emeritus professor of food marketing at Imperial College, London.

City Food Lecture organising chairman John Giles said: “Dave Lewis’s speech is one of the most anticipated the City Food Lecture has had. No doubt his speech will address the challenges and opportunities the food industry is currently presented with, but we are also looking forward to hearing his take on the future of supplier partnerships, sustainability and how the industry can adopt triple-bottom line evaluation covering social, environmental and financial factors.”

The event will conclude with an informal networking supper in Guildhall’s Old Library room.For more information visitwww.cityfoodlecture.com.