‘Senior talent must adapt to new realities of fresh produce job market’

It’s an interesting time, isn’t it? You can feel something shifting across agriculture, fresh produce and agri-tech at the moment. It’s not dramatic on the surface, but underneath things are moving.

We’ve got major food businesses merging. We’ve got restructures happening across government-backed ag-tech centres. And quietly, but steadily, we’re seeing a number of very senior, very capable individuals coming onto the market.

Which brings us to the question that doesn’t get asked often enough: what are they actually going to do next?

Because here’s where it gets uncomfortable. A lot of these individuals have operated for years at a certain level. Strong salaries, strong benefits, flexibility, influence. And rightly so because they’ve built careers, delivered results and earned their position.

But the market they’re stepping into now isn’t quite the same one they left.

We’re having conversations where expectations are still sitting at £120k, £140k, £150k and higher… combined with four-day weeks, fully hybrid setups, limited travel, minimal face-to-face.

And the reality is that’s not where the bulk of this sector is currently.

Agriculture and fresh produce are still, at their core, relationship-driven, operationally intense, margin-sensitive industries. They need people who are visible, present, making decisions, building trust, solving problems in real time. Not just dialling in from a distance.

So, what we’re starting to see is a gap.

On one side, a growing number of high-calibre individuals entering the market. On the other, businesses that need leadership but on very different terms to what some candidates are expecting. And that gap is where the tension sits.

So again, what are they going to do?

Some will adjust quickly. They’ll read the market, flex their expectations, and move. Maybe the salary is slightly lower, maybe the role is broader or more hands-on than before, but they get back in, and they build from there.

Others will double down and compete harder than ever. Because this isn’t a passive market anymore. These roles aren’t just landing in laps. You’ve got to show energy, relevance, visibility and be prepared to really go after it.

Then there’s the sideways move. Or even what looks like a step back but is actually a smarter repositioning. Different sector, different scale, different challenge but one that opens up new doors longer term.

And of course, there’s the consultancy route. “I’ll go out on my own… do something with a difference… build a portfolio.” We’re hearing that a lot.

The challenge is, so is everyone else. The market is increasingly crowded with very good people offering advisory services, strategic input, fractional leadership. And while some will absolutely make that work, many are finding it takes longer, is harder, and is less predictable than expected.

The other option, of course, is being picked up by another large corporate or government agency that can still support that level of package. And yes, that still happens. But there are fewer of those roles, more competition for them, and they don’t move quickly.

So we come back to reality.

This isn’t about capability and is far from it. There is some exceptional talent coming into the market right now.

But the market doesn’t operate on what you earned before, or what you’ve become used to. It operates on what businesses need today, what they can afford, and who is prepared to deliver it. That’s the significant shift.

And the individuals who recognise that quickly, who adapt, reposition, and lean into it, are the ones who will keep moving.

Those who don’t… tend to sit still. And in a market like this, sitting still is probably the biggest risk of all. Because the sector isn’t broken. It’s evolving.

And like it always does, it will reward those who move with it.

Max MacGillivray is the founder of Redfox, a recruit firm specialising in senior management roles for the fresh produce, agir-business and food retail sectors.