MEET THE SPEAKERS

Speakers

Alison Hall

Port of Dover

Alison Hall is head of business development at the Port of Dover, where she has led the creation of a major fresh produce hub serving the UK. She has helped drive the port’s net-zero achievement, collaborates globally to unlock shipping corridors, and is secretary general of the 360 Quality Association.
Andy Clarkson

Dole

Andy Clarkson leads Dole UK’s wholesale division, operating 12 branches and an imports office in Kingston. The business supplies customers from farm shops to major food manufacturers, sourcing global produce. With a £250mn annual turnover, it serves over 4,000 customers weekly across a full range of fresh produce.
Andy Pembroke

Fresh Direct

Andy Pembroke has spent more than a decade at Fresh Direct, the UK’s leading foodservice supplier, working across supply chain, manufacturing and sales, before taking the helm in 2023. As managing director, Andy is an enthusiastic advocate of a customer-first proposition that sees the business delivering products and services that chefs really need.
Barbara Bray

Alo Solutions

Barbara Bray is a registered nutritionist and founder of B2B consultancy Alo Solutions, advising organisations on nutrition strategy, food systems and product development. With over 30 years’ experience, she is completing a PhD at Queen’s University Belfast on healthy ageing diets and was awarded an MBE in 2019.
Chris Rose

United Fruit Growers

Chris Rose has over 40 years of industry experience, including farm management, specialising in labour productivity, and managing a producer organisation. He is taking part in Festival of Fresh as an executive of the UK Fruit & Veg Association, where he represents the fruit sector.
Dame Angela Eagle

Defra

Dame Angela Eagle was appointed Defra’s minister of state in September 2025. She was previously minister for border security and asylum at the Home Office, and was elected as the MP for Wallasey in the general election of July 2024.
Dan Parker

Veg Power

Dan Parker has worked in marketing and advertising for 35 years for many of the world’s largest food brands. As chief executive of Veg Power, he now uses that experience to encourage kids to eat more vegetables, fruit and beans. Veg Power is best known for the multi-award-winning Eat Them to Defeat Them campaign, now in its eighth year.
Harriet Bell

Riverford Organic Farmers

Harriet Bell is the regenerative farming lead for Riverford Organic Farmers, the country’s biggest organic food box delivery company. Her focus is on the changes we need to make now to ensure optimal climate-resilient production for the future.
Jan Doldersum

Rijk Zwaan

Jan Doldersum is manager for chain and retail at Rijk Zwaan, where he works closely with retailers and supply chain partners to strengthen collaboration between breeding, production, and market needs. He focuses on translating consumer and retail insights into effective chain solutions that help boost fruit and vegetable consumption.
Martin Emmett

NFU

Martin Emmett was re-elected for a third and final term as chair of the NFU Horticulture and Potatoes Board in March 2026. He is a director of Farplants, based in West Sussex, and is a trustee of the LSA Charitable Trust.
Sam Trevey

Red Tractor

Sam is responsible for the management and development of Red Tractor’s Fresh Produce Standards, working with a wide range of stakeholders to ensure standards remain fit for purpose and meet the needs of the industry. He has had over 20 years’ experience in the food industry, with a background in food safety auditing at farm level in the UK and abroad.
Simon Conway

Horticulture Crop Protection

Simon Conway is part‑time chief executive of Horticulture Crop Protection (HCP), with 35 years of experience in fresh produce and horticulture. From a family farming background, he holds an MBA and was most recently managing director of Vitacress Salads and Herbs. He also chairs the British Tomato Growers Association and serves on the Veg Power CIC board.
Simon Pearson

Lincoln Institute for Agri-food Technology

Professor Simon Pearson MBE is head of the School of Agri-Food Technology and Manufacturing at the University of Lincoln, and a director of data analytics firm Fruitcast. As the founding director of the Lincoln Institute of Agri-Food Technology, he has led agri-tech projects worth over £120mn with 133 different companies, focusing on robotics, AI, and resilient food systems.