reflections on the london produce show and conference 2018 · the opening day of the london produce...

Reflections on The LondonProduce Show and Conference 2018

2 | londonproduceshow.co.uk

WORLD-CLASS LONDON PRODUCE SHOW REACHES MILESTONE

Representing every link in the fresh produce supply chain, the fifth-annual London Produce Show and Conference (LPS) wel-comed a host of exhibitors and attendees from all four cor-

ners of the globe when it convened June 6-8, to exchange ideas, make deeper connections and showcase new products.

Taking place once again at the Grosvenor House hotel on London’s renowned Park Lane, the LPS reached a five-year mile-stone in 2018 for proud organizers the Fresh Produce Consortium (FPC) and Produce Business magazine.

Over the past five years, the three-day event has evolved into the biggest gathering of global fresh fruit and vegetable buyers and suppliers on UK soil. So much so that the LPS is now an indus-try institution on the global produce calendar when attendees get to meet the right partners to drive their businesses forward.

The recent edition was no different, proving another hit with buyers and suppliers from the prelude conferences to the engag-ing breakfast panel, bustling trade exhibition, inspirational educa-tional seminars and lively chef demonstrations and the informa-tive industry tours on the closing day.

Intimate & ImmersiveCombining business, networking and education in one of the

world’s most iconic cities, the LPS18 again stood out for its inti-mate and immersive environment that gave exhibitors and visi-tors from across the world the unrivalled opportunity to network directly with international produce buyers from the retail, food-service and wholesale sectors.

Through a series of networking occasions and educational seminars, together with a one-day trade show and industry tours, the LPS18 was a veritable celebration of all things fresh produce during which attendees could create and strengthen business relationships.

Added to that, the LPS18 was honored to invite as its Show Ambassador Dr. Rupy Aujla — one of the most exciting new names on the health and food scene in the UK — who officially opened the one-day trade show and supported the event’s mis-sion to drive opportunities for the fresh produce industry.

As a London-based general practitioner and founder of popu-lar blog The Doctor’s Kitchen, Dr. Aujla is on a mission to inspire more people to eat nutrient-dense food, such as fresh fruits and vege-tables, by explaining the medicinal effects of eating well.

UK’S FOREMOST BUYER-SUPPLIER NETWORKING EVENT CELEBRATES FIFTH ANNIVERSARY IN 2018

#celebratingFRESH | 3

Inspiration & Innovation London remains a world center for trade and commerce, and

the UK is historically a renowned standard-setter in the fresh produce industry – both of which were reflected throughout the show.

The UK retail scene is evolving rapidly as discounters, pre-mium and online retailers grow faster than the established main-stream. London’s vibrant foodservice and catering sectors have redefined British cuisine, and a huge wholesale sector buys from all over the world to keep their wide array of retail and catering customers continuously supplied.

The national horticulture sector, at every level, is re-establish-ing its reputation for being at the sharp-end of innovation — with concepts and products that not only increase demand for locally grown food, flowers and plants, but also form many of the trends that will shape the global produce industry of tomorrow.

By hosting the LPS in London, each attendee had the chance to learn about these new developments and to share ideas with the industry’s finest thought-and-practice leaders on how to advance the global fresh produce business while #celebratingFRESH.


The opening day of The London Produce Show and Conference 2018 began with the second edition of The Foodservice Forum, addressing the hottest tends in UK foodservice and

the role fresh produce can play in boosting profits.During the morning sessions, speakers and panelists repre-

senting prominent companies from across the UK’s eating-out industry highlighted opportunities to sell more fresh fruits and vegetables as a result of the flexitarian, vegetarian and vegan movements.

The experts say plant-based eating in all its guises has devel-oped into a firm fixture that is here to stay on eating-out menus across the UK, driven by consumer health concerns as well as global sustainability.

Referring to the MCA Menu & Food Trends Report 2018, Simon Stenning, executive director for MCA Insight, pointed out the important and continued growth of vegetarian and vegan meal offerings across the spectrum of the UK food-to-go market; from chain and fast-food restaurants to managed pubs.

“When we look at the labeling on menus (how dishes/recipes are labeled), we’re seeing an increase in the number of dishes labeled as vegetarian, and there are more than double the num-ber of dishes labeled as vegan,” explains Stenning as he opens the one-day program with a deep-dive analysis of the UK food-service industry.

On chairing a panel of chefs gathered to examine the topic further, marketing director for contract caterer Bartlett Mitchell and longtime vegetarian Lin Dickens describes the flexitarian movement as really having been ‘born.’

As the panel discussion gets underway, the Millennial gener-ation is singled out as the consumer group at the forefront of plant-based eating by both Rob Kirby, chef director for Lexington Catering, and Andrea Waters, creative director and executive chef of Redemption Bar, a plant-based dining concept in London.

Waters says most vegans fall into the younger audience bracket of 15- to 35-year-olds. “From Monday to Thursday, they want to fill up with nutrition; they want to get their health fix and lessen the impact of what they want to eat at the weekend,” she says.

When asked whether veganism is here to stay, Waters replies wholeheartedly, “Absolutely. Youngsters are a lot more aware than we were of global issues, their health and sustainability. These are our customers of the future, and companies need to sit up and take notice.”

THE FOODSERVICE FORUM POWERS INTO SECOND YEAR

EXPERTS AGREE PLANT-BASED EATING IS HERE TO STAY


Kitchen ResponseWith the trend firmly established,

Dickens questioned the panel of chefs about how it has impacted their kitchens. Across the board, the chefs described a shift toward more plant-based food on their menus and increased training and outside support.

Lloyd Mann, global culinary director for Sodexo, highlighted his company’s sus-tainable food initiative with WWF, Green & Lean, which has placed plant-based food at the core of Sodexo’s global offering.

Similarly, Rob Kirby from Lexington Catering discussed the launch of the Grains & Greens vegetarian and vegan range, which he says performs “really well” across Lexington sites.

Andy Craig, head of Fresh Food, Field Team and Food Service at Sainsbury’s, detailed the steps being taken at the UK’s second-largest supermarket chain, includ-ing new product development on prod-ucts like mixed sausage comprising meat and veg.

Even the UK stadia hospitality indus-try — where meat pies have long been the staple dish — is witnessing a changing cli-ent base that is more conscious of its eat-ing habits, according to Thomas Rhodes, executive chef at Twickenham Stadium in southwest London.

In terms of educating chefs in delivering a broader meat-free offering, Simon Price, chef director for ISS Food & Hospitality, pointed out the importance of starting from scratch.

“It’s not just about a load of new reci-pes; it’s about going back to basics,” he suggested. “It’s inviting chefs to forums to really understand what is vegetarian or vegan currently […] it’s handing over to a tomato grower to understand the value of produce.”

Pioneering Chef Gayler Demonstrates Plant-Based Recipes

To bring to life the plant-based move-ment, celebrated vegetarian chef and UK Culinary Master Paul Gayler MBE demon-strated a couple of dishes during The Foodservice Forum.

Sponsored by LifeWorks Restaurant

Group, Gayler cooked a fennel tarte tatin with roasted and pickled beetroot, Granny Smith apple ketchup and chive flowers. Next up is a Moroccan B’stilla (or Pastilla) made from seitan (a ‘faux meat’) served with jeweled cous cous, aubergine hum-mus and roasted root vegetables.

Regarded as one of the pioneers of veg-etarian haute cuisine, Gayler agreed with the speakers preceding him that plant-based eating is here to stay and growing in both foodservice and retail operations.

“Produce makes a dish,” explains Gayler. “You eat with your eyes, and pro-duce brings a lot of color. Vegetarian food should be healthy, fresh and enticing for the palate. If you make good vegetarian food, you don’t miss meat.”

Fresh Produce Entrepreneurs In today’s challenging market, trends

are coming and going at a faster pace. Entrepreneur panelists agree the way for-ward is through sustained innovation. “As a wholesaler, I must say it is a difficult sec-tor to be in at the moment. You can’t be lulled into a false sense of complacency,” says Tony Reynolds, managing director, Reynolds.

Tom Heather, business development manager, Chop’d, notes in order to sus-tain the consumer’s desire for fresh, local produce, relationships with suppliers are more important than ever.

Nigel Harris, founder, The Proper Food & Drink Company and former owner of Fresh Direct, agreed. “Customers and sup-pliers need to work together.” He further noted Brexit will be good for the industry, “because it will be the shakeup we need,”

With an abundance of competition and higher rents, Heather says it’s harder for businesses to stand out. “We genuinely think people are looking at value. I think it is important as a retailer to be honest about that.”

The Procurement Experts Christopher Gaulke, lecturer food and

beverage management and supply chain at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY, dis-cussed the factors impacting procurement in U.S. operations. He said historically low unemployment, recent immigration poli-

cies, increasing wage requirements, con-sumer focus on sustainability, required transparency and traceability and global trade concerns are major factors, many of which are in play across the pond as well,

“We’re seeing a lot of our growth being driven by small regional chains” says Gaulke.

Panelist Steve Fox, purchasing director for Bartlett Mitchell, says a lot of vegetar-ian dishes have become very complex in order to keep the menu interesting, add-ing, “Rhubarb is rocking and rolling right now.”

Matt Jones, senior buyer for Reynolds, says menuing comes down to balance. “We should be eating less meat and more of the good stuff.” To that end, Jones says he is continually on the hunt for new sup-pliers. “It’s about finding the next country with the right economy to supply us what we can’t grow,”

New Kids On The BlockClosing out the day was a panel offer-

ing a glimpse into the future featuring two start-up entrepreneurs with new ventures. Chloe Stewart, founder of Nibs Etc., a com-pany that makes snacks such as crackers out of ingredients that would otherwise be thrown out such as juice pulp, says pro-duce is celebrated from start to finish.

Redemption Bar, which serves 100-per-cent vegan, organic and gluten-free foods, is open for breakfast lunch and dinner. Catherine Salway, chief execu-tive and founder, says her concept is all about “spoiling yourself without spoiling yourself.”


To uncover the potential impacts and opportunities for trading with the United Kingdom both now and after

Brexit on March 30, 2019, as well as how to meet changing plant health regula-tory requirements, the England-based Fresh Produce Consortium (FPC) hosted a well-attended seminar at The London Produce Show and Conference that fea-tured experts from the UK regulatory authority, a global law firm and the inter-

SPECIAL FPC SEMINAR ADDRESSES TRADING WITH THE UK, NOW & AFTER BREXIT

national produce industry.In summing up the tailor-made work-

shop, FPC chief executive Nigel Jenney, who chaired the proceedings, made it clear to the audience that change is com-ing to the UK, whether in the form of Brexit or plant health regulations. As such, he warned international produce operators not to underestimate the trading chal-lenges ahead, particularly in view of the UK’s reliance on produce imports.

“Regardless of Brexit, don’t ignore some of the challenges about plant health and food safety standards; these are fun-damental,” Jenney urged. “Plant health regulations will change before Brexit, and it has nothing to do with Brexit.”

From a Brexit point of view, Jenney called on produce suppliers across Europe and around the world to encourage and reinforce their governments about their desire for a successful trading relation-ship with the UK.

“Whatever the free trade agreement or what is subsequently agreed, it is not a one-way process,” he argued. “Britain may have voted for [Brexit], but the solu-tion will not just come from the UK.

“We have to find a solution that allows us as an industry to trade effectively,” he continued. “This is about feeding the nation. Two thirds of our fresh produce isn’t grown in the UK, and we have to get that product on the shelves.”

Post-Brexit Impacts & Opportunities

To understand the trading environ-ment between the UK and the European Union following Brexit, Dr. Robert MacLean, head of international trade and customs for Europe at global law firm Squire Patton Boggs, outlined six poten-tial trading models.

Out of the six, Dr. MacLean suggested the most likely future relationship either would be a free trade agreement (FTA), which would remove customs duties on trades in “substantially” all goods between the EU and the UK, or, a Customs Union partnership, which would require one common external tariff for the UK at the same levels as those for the EU’s 27 mem-

‘PREPARE NOW’ FOR UK ACCESS CHALLENGES, URGES FRESH PRODUCE CONSORTIUM’S NIGEL JENNEY


ber states that would cover some or most of the fresh produce coming from outside of the EU/UK.

“The best-case scenario for non-EU suppliers would be an FTA between the EU and the UK,” Dr. MacLean advised the audience.

“At the highest level [for opportunities], the UK under an FTA would adopt the EU’s customs duty rates for a temporary period but would have the option of reducing those tariff rates. The UK also would be free to negotiate its own FTAs with other countries … and possibly re-enter FTAs with former Commonwealth countries.”

Dr. MacLean added that an FTA would remove EU-anti dumping measures for certain products, as well as possibly reduce costs for produce exporters to the UK through the relaxation of some EU standards for food health and safety, such as labeling rules, pesticide usage and GMOs.

With the main impact under both mod-els relating to logistics and shipments between the EU-27 and the UK, however, Dr. MacLean recommended produce oper-ators take steps to reduce or mitigate the anticipated additional costs and delays.

In particular, he suggested reorganizing and/or reviewing supply chains for non-di-rect UK shipments, ensuring timely deliv-eries, planning delivery schedules well in advance, and seeking to manage the risk

of damage to produce, for example via insurance or hedging.

Satisfying Regulatory Requirements

When it comes to accessing the UK, suppliers and importers also need to be aware of two new EU regulations – New Plant Health Regulation (PHR) and Official Controls Regulation (OCR) – pointed out Richard McIntosh, assistant chief plant health officer at Defra (The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in the UK).

From December 2019, McIntosh explained there will be a significant exten-sion to the list of goods that will require a phytosanitary certificate when entering the EU, as well as an extension to the list of commodities that will be refused entry until a risk assessment is completed to demonstrate that trade can continue.

The more detailed underpinning leg-islation is still being negotiated, however. “We hope that by later this year [2018] we should have a good idea of what’s going to be on those lists; they’re still up for discus-sion,” stated McIntosh.

On the upside, McIntosh said the changes will improve biosecurity, create a risk-based approach, introduce faster decision-making and drive greater collab-oration between both EU member states and plant health services. He also noted

there will be opportunities for lower costs through reduced import checks.

Maximising Global Opportunities

From the supplier side, Jose Antonio Garcia, director of Ailimpo in Spain, and Jaime Cárdenas, director of the Peru Trade & Investment Office in the UK, reassured UK buyers that Spain and Peru are pre-pared for the changes ahead.

With Spain representing the EU’s larg-est fresh produce supplier to the UK by far, Garcia was keen to point out the steps his country has taken, including several high-level meetings.

“We are quite dependent on the UK,” Garcia admitted. “What’s most important is to get ready, to identify the best oppor-tunities, to make proposals, to lobby, to try to motivate both the private sector and the public authorities.”

Cárdenas had a similarly upbeat take on the UK opportunities for Peru both now and post-Brexit, as he detailed Peru’s aim to double its global agriculture exports to US $4.23 billion by 2021. Cárdenas was especially keen to highlight the future potential thanks to his country’s growing “new exportable offer” that appeals to the “adventurous” tastes of British consum-ers. Such products include squash, aguay-manto and figs, among others.


To celebrate the official opening of The London Produce Show and Conference 2018, fresh produce industry profes-

sionals from around the world gathered in high spirits on the balcony of the great room at the Grosvenor House hotel for a spectacular evening reception filled with superb conversation, music, food and drink.

Recognized as the UK’s produce net-working event of the year, the welcome cocktail party presented an invaluable opportunity for show attendees to meet, learn and do business with hundreds of key decision-makers in a relaxed business environment within a five-star deluxe set-ting on London’s prestigious Park Lane.

The two-hour social gathering was sponsored by the Moroccan Nadorcott

OPENING RECEPTION STAGES NETWORKING OCCASION OF THE YEAR

Seedless Producers’ Association, which represents 212 growers committed to offering the best naturally seedless, easy-peeler Nadorcott Clementines for export markets, including the UK.

Rounding off an outstanding open-ing day featuring the second-annual edi-tion of The Foodservice Forum and a special seminar titled ‘Accessing the UK’ that was organized by the Fresh Produce Consortium, the crowd mingled and sipped champagne to the music of aptly named local band The London Producers, who returned to delight the audience with a playlist of uplifting tunes.

At the same time, the exceptional kitch-ens at the Grosvenor House delivered an exquisite offering of foods from across the globe, including beautifully presented can-

apes, a highly popular sushi bar, a hearty carvery and a delicious paella station.

Thanks to its unique location overlook-ing the trade exhibition below, the recep-tion also afforded attendees a fantastic sneak preview of the following day’s pro-ceedings. While they shared ideas and made deeper connections, the air filled with excitement in honor of the show’s hashtag #celebratingFRESH.

After a generous evening of refresh-ment and discussion, the largest annual social gathering in the UK’s fresh produce calendar closed with guests having caught up with global friends and new acquaint-ances, ready and eagerly anticipating the following two days ahead.

THE LONDON PRODUCE SHOW AND CONFERENCE 2018 CONVENEDINTERNATIONAL FRIENDS, OLD AND NEW, TO CELEBRATE FRESH


Following a hearty breakfast served in the ballroom of the Grosvenor House hotel, a stellar panel of nine interna-

tional produce buyers and one London-based NHS doctor jointly addressed the growth potential for the fresh fruit and vegetable industry.

Chaired by world-renowned fresh pro-duce writer and analyst, the Perishable Pundit, Jim Prevor, the spirited Thought-Leaders Breakfast Panel tackled the role of consumption, market evolution and

sustainability.

RAISING CONSUMPTIONTo prompt the discussion, Prevor said

future industry expansion must come partly from raising consumption through communicating the benefi ts of eating more fruit and vegetables.

Maria Wieloch, senior category man-ager for fruit, vegetables and fl owers at ICA Sweden, agreed, having just scooped the 2018 International Award for Marketing

Fresh Produce to Children, presented by Produce Business UK and The London Produce Show and Conference.

“Consumption is decreasing among kids, which is really worrying,” she says. “Research shows the taste for fruit and vegetables is acquired at a very early stage – even by the age of two. If you don’t get in there by then, it will be diffi cult to get con-sumption up afterward.”

Show Ambassador Dr. Rupy Aujla is also passionate about getting more people to

THOUGHT-LEADERS BREAKFAST PANEL EXAMINES WAYS TO ADVANCE THE INDUSTRY

10 EXPERTS DISCUSS PRODUCE CONSUMPTION, MARKET EVOLUTION AND SUSTAINABILITY

DR. RUPY AUJLA The Doctor’s

Kitchen

RICH DACHMAN Sysco Corporation

CURT EPPERSON Publix Super

Markets

STEVE FOX Bartlett Mitchell

PETER GOHL Spar Group


eat produce. By explaining the science behind the ingredients used in his recipes, Dr. Aujla is on a mission to encourage UK doctors to practice culinary medicine.

“When you look at the research, the food we consume has a massive impact on health outcomes,” he notes. “It’s more powerful than any pill I can prescribe. When more people realize that we can drive up consumption for the greater good.”

Rich Dachman, vice president of pro-duce at U.S.-based Sysco Corporation – the largest foodservice distribution com-pany in the world — went on to exemplify the credible success of the Brighter Bites campaign in the USA which targets the eat-ing habits of underprivileged children at a very early age. “Farmers are our future pharmacists,” he says.

MARKET EVOLUTIONFrom there, the conversation shifted to

the evolving global produce market with regards to the various routes to market and the emerging competition for retail and foodservice operators.

Jonathan Olins, managing director of Poupart Imports, highlighted the vibrancy of the UK wholesale market, which pro-vides a stable and profitable non-super-market sales channel for his business.

“When we set up Poupart Imports 20 years ago, we travelled the world to find new producers,” he says. “They didn’t think there was life outside of the major [UK] supermarkets. We had to prove that we could add value, […] get a premium.”

Food tech, meanwhile, is emerging as a new retail competitor, says Paul James Morgan, category manager for fruit and

vegetables at Spinneys Dubai.“All customers are shopping across all

channels, and our competitors are abso-lutely the likes of [online food order-ing companies] Deliveroo and Uber Eats because of their accessibility, speed and convenience,” he says.

Brian Riordan, managing director of the LifeWorks Restaurant Group, added his company is having to respond to strong competition in the UK and United States from the many high-street retailers sur-rounding the corporate businesses in which LifeWorks operates restaurants.

“You have to complement your food programs to keep people on site,” he says. “It’s about customization; building up a meal from 20 different components. That’s what our consumers want.”

When it comes to customer loyalty, Curt Epperson, business development direc-tor of Produce and Flora at Publix Super Markets in the United States, says quality and service are fundamental.

“We’vet worked hard to create long-standing relationships with suppliers,” he says. “When they’re harvesting, it’s our request to leave products on the vine, bush or plant a bit longer to provide more flavor and nutrients.”

SUSTAINABILITYNext, the panel turned its attention

to sustainability, with Peter Goal, general manager of perishables at Spar Group in South Africa, indicating the stark reality of climate change.

“The paradigm of local procurement is possibly changing [because] climate change is real,” he warns, as he related how South Africa’s subtropical Northeast

is getting wetter and cooler, while the Southwest is getting hotter and drier.

Theresa Huxley, technical manager at Sainsbury’s in the UK, agreed water availa-bility has a significant impact on the resil-ience of the produce supply chain and its operators.

“The water issue is far bigger than Sainsbury’s and the UK,” she asserts. “All stakeholders have a responsibility to work together. The vision must be the insights, the technology and the best practices are shared globally.”

Sustainability is also top of mind for foodservice operators, such as contract caterer Bartlett Mitchell, according to the firm’s purchasing director Steve Fox.

“If it’s not going to be sustainable, I don’t want to start marketing it,” he notes. “Growers need to back up what they say in easily understandable terms that I can grasp as a buyer, and that we can forward communicate to our customers.”

THE FUTUREWith the produce business facing so

many challenges, Prevor drew the dis-cussion to a close by asking Wieloch of ICA Sweden for her thoughts on the path ahead.

“This is the most exciting industry to be in because it’s the only industry that has the biggest growth potential,” she replies enthusiastically, pointing to the opportu-nities presented by the flexitarian move-ment and the unattained 500g per day produce consumption recommendations.

In summing up the various topics under debate during the morning, Prevor con-cluded the industry must continue to find new and exciting ways to feed the world.

THERESA HUXLEY Sainsbury’s

PAUL JAMES MORGAN Spinneys Dubai

JONATHAN OLINS Poupart Imports

BRIAN RIORDAN Lifeworks

Restaurant Group

MARIA WIELOCH ICA Sweden


At the heart of The London Produce Show and Conference (LPS) lies a bou-tique one-day trade exhibition where

suppliers and service providers show-case their wares to a considerable crowd of global retail, wholesale and foodservice buyers all eager to find the next new prod-uct or innovative solution.

Held in the historic Great Room at the Grosvenor House hotel — where Queen Elizabeth II once took ice skating lessons — the fifth annual edition of the exhibition officially was opened by Perishable Pundit Jim Prevor and LPS18 Show Ambassador Dr. Rupy Aujla following the Thought-Leader Breakfast Panel in the Ballroom.

Once again, the LPS18 delivered another busy business-to-business plat-form where exhibitors and buyers created new opportunities, forged relationships and strengthened sourcing arrangements to add real value to their bottom lines.

Exhibitors represented countries throughout the globe, arriving from

ONE-DAY TRADE EXHIBITION CONNECTS BUYERS WITH SUPPLIERS

Belgium, Egypt, Latin America, the Mediterranean, Morocco, the Netherlands, Serbia, the UK and the U.S., among other regions. As such, visitors were presented with a broad range of products and ser-vices, from suppliers of conventional and organic fresh fruits, vegetables and flowers to logistics and shipping opera-tors, technology providers, labelling and packaging manufacturers and charitable organizations.

To sustain the crowd, Sun World Innovations sponsored a number of cafe stations located around the show floor, where attendees could refuel with healthy and tasty salads, sandwiches and other light bites.

Overlooking the trade show on the upper rink balcony, six leading chefs rolled up their sleeves in the LPS Chef Demonstration Theatre. Using many of the products displayed on the show floor, each chef demonstrated how they are placing fresh produce at the heart of their

high-end menus and consumer recipes, all the while showcasing a variety of cooking styles and the latest culinary trends.

Also, running concurrently to the trade show were 12 educational seminars held across two stages where expert speakers delivered enlightening and engaging pres-entations on topics, including: shopper marketing, Buying British, emerging sup-pliers, innovative logistics, ag-tech, food tech, plant-based diets and energy costs.

When the trade exhibition came to a close, the two tons of fresh fruits and vegetables displayed by exhibitors were collected by LPS18 charity partner City Harvest. As London’s largest food redistri-bution charity, City Harvest impressively set about redistributing all of the show’s produce to provide nutritious meals to more than 4,500 hungry and thankful Londoners the next day.


For the fifth year, The Chef Demonstration Theater came alive with lights, tantalizing aromas and cel-ebrated chefs creating mouthwater-

ing dishes featuring fresh produce.at The London Produce Show.

Peter Gorton, international restau-rant consultant and emcee, introduced each chef and helped explain the intrica-cies of each produce-centric item while they cooked each dish. Show attendees enjoyed a host of chef demonstrations complete with one-of-a-kind tastings.

The lineup for 2018 included: Tom Cenci, executive chef at Duck & Waffle in London; Carlos Martinez, group head chef at Chucs Restaurants; Robert Ortiz, executive chef at Peruvian restaurants LIMA Fitzrovia and LIMA Floral; celebrity chef Dipna Anand, owner of the recently opened Dip in Brilliant Punjabi restaurant in London; and Dutch chef Christian Weij from Puur-e in the Netherlands.

Running concurrently to the LPS18 trade exhibition, the Chef Demonstrations used many of the fresh fruits and vegeta-bles that attendees saw on the show floor. Charged with inspiring others to get more produce on plates, the dynamic chefs created special recipes for the event in

CHEF DEMONSTRATION KITCHEN DELIVERSFOOD FOR THOUGHT

which fresh fruits and vegetables reigned supreme.

First up was the highly engaging Dipna Anand of Brilliant Restaurant, who created well-received Punjabi cuisine featuring produce provided by Robinson Fresh. Chef Anand has a new restaurant opening in London’s Chelsea district, Dip In Brilliant. She also is currently on a mission to teach the UK how to cook ‘real Indian food’ with her TV show Dip In Kitchen, alongside run-ning her own School of Indian Cookery in West London, and guest lecturing at The University of West London on the subject of Indian cooking.

Dutch chef and fermentation expert, Christian Weij followed Chef Anand with a vibrant and tasty cookery demo that showed the audience how to utilize fer-mented vegetable offcuts like cauliflower leaves, commonly perceived as kitchen waste to create fabulous dishes. The food designer and owner of Puur-e, an organic and local food catering company in the Netherlands, helped to raise awareness of the popular Dutch Cuisine movement, which has gained the backing of numerous chefs in the Netherlands.

Carlos Martinez, group executive chef of Chucs and KS created a widely

applauded avocado scotch egg – a signa-ture dish at Chucs Restaurants showcasing Colombian produce. Chucs Restaurants is a collection of four restaurants and cafes serving Italian favorites in sophisticated settings across London.

Next, Michelin-starred Robert Ortiz of Lima Restaurant enlisted the help of his apprentice to showcase the fin-est Peruvian produce. The Peru Trade & Investment Office in London provided a range of vibrant and nutritious Peruvian ‘superfoods,’ that Ortiz worked his culi-nary magic on.

Tom Cenci, executive chef at Duck and Waffle, created an amazing Eaton Mess fea-turing strawberries provided by Mudwalls, Warwickshire. Known for his passion and originality, chef Cenci is a proud supporter of local British ingredients, which he uses in the modern dishes he creates for the sustainable and seasonal menus at Duck & Waffle.

Dr. Rupy Aujla closed the show in show-casing a couscous and bean dish from his book, The Doctor’s Kitchen for members of the foodie media in a seated master-class accompanied by wine.


Attendees benefited from a unrivaled range of activities to meet, share, learn and grow at The London Produce Show and Conference, including the renowned Educational Seminar Program that took place across two stages on the central day of the event.

A top-line selection of global food busi-ness speakers successfully inspired audi-ences to foment further industry success during 12 seminar sessions that dove deep into a broad range of global issues and hot produce industry topics such as: shopper marketing, Buying British, emerging sup-pliers, innovative logistics, ag-tech, food tech, plant-based diets and energy costs.

Suppliers to shoppersStage 1 seminars on the great room

balcony began with an energetic panel dis-cussion about the Pacific Alliance, moder-ated by John Giles of Promar International and featuring United Kingdom directors from ProChile, ProColombia, ProMexico, the Peru Trade & Investment Office in the UK, plus Matthew Greencell from UK importer Greencell.

The representatives from the Pacific Alliance member nations — Chile, Colombia, Peru and Mexico — spoke about the advantages and opportunities of importing fresh produce from their countries. They explained how the main objectives are to complement production among the member countries – noting 92 percent of the products they trade are not subject to tariffs – and to facilitate trade with different global markets.

The representatives also revealed how the alliance is working to increase pro-duction and exports from the member

countries, highlighting that they can each export as an independent country. They also can work together in the promotion of their fresh produce.

Later, Nick Kirby, the shopper, e-com-merce and analytics director for market-ing consultant Bridgethorne in Bracknell, England, discussed the main differences between shoppers and consumers, and how the retail sector must focus their strategies to engage with shoppers.

In his presentation, he showed that shoppers are responsible for 100 percent of retailers’ income, independent of who consumes their products. Kirby also told attendees that the process of engaging with shoppers is becoming more complex and that the key is understanding their needs and integrating that information into the thinking, planning and realization of sales strategies.

In other Stage 1 seminars, Captain Peter Wedell-Neergaard, senior reefer specialist at Danish-based container and ship oper-ator Maersk, discussed Remote Container Management (RCM) — a groundbreaking innovation in refrigerated technology — and the full visibility it provides to users across the reefer supply chain.

On the subject of supply, Alex Pavlović, director of USAID Competitive Economy Project in Serbia, presented a fascinating insight into the modernization of Serbia’s produce sector and the subsequent opportunities to buy high-quality apples, berries, stone fruit and vegetables from the European country.

Similarly, Jack Ward, chief executive of British Growers Association, empha-sized big opportunity to buy more British produce, as he explained the time is now

to expand British fruit and vegetable production.

Rounding off the day on Stage 1 was Monserrat Valenzuela, manager of the Chilean Citrus Committee, who shared some key developments taking place in Chile’s citrus industry, including the rise in exports because of new orchards, and the global efforts to promote the consump-tion of mandarins, Clementines, oranges and lemons.

Global trends Stage 2 seminars in the Buckingham

Suite commenced with a talk by Miguel Gómez, associate professor of applied economics and management at Cornell University, regarding some of the key trends shaping the global produce indus-try and their implications for the UK.

Gómez pointed out the UK’s heavy reliance on produce imports, consider-ing domestic production accounts for only 54 per cent of vegetable supply and less than 10 per cent of fruit supply. With Brexit set to produce some major changes to the country’s trading regulations with European Union (EU) member countries, he said it is likely the UK will establish more regional trade agreements with countries worldwide.

Although a great deal of uncertainty remains regarding the impact of Brexit, Gómez said it is feasible that fruit and veg-etable prices would rise, depending on the pending trade policies.

Next, Alessio d’Antino, chief execu-tive of food and beverage consultant CrowdFooding in the UK, took to the stage to explain Food Tech and Open Innovation. Having emerged in the United States some

EDUCATIONAL SEMINARS ENLIGHTEN PRODUCE EXECUTIVES

SPECIALIST SPEAKERS IMPART RESEARCH, KNOWLEDGE AND GUIDANCE ON PIVOTAL INDUSTRY TOPICS


years ago, d’Antino said Food Tech is tak-ing Europe by storm as startups increas-ingly use technology to transform the dynamics of the food sector. At the same time, he explained how Open Innovation is allowing corporates and startups to ben-efit from embarking on future innovation strategies together.

Carolyn Hudson of consultant England Marketing unveiled new research on sig-nificant health-driven changes in UK eat-ing habits and the opportunities for the produce sector. She explained how 23 percent of shoppers now regularly look for vegetarian choices, while 13 percent of shoppers regularly seek out suitable vegan food.

Hudson also noted the substantial increase in plant-based eating, with 68 percent of people saying they follow a ‘Flexitarian Diet’, which involves reducing meat, fish and dairy consumption. “The supermarkets are definitely backing this taste of plant-based eating with money and investment,” she said, explaining the opportunities for the industry to not just meet demand but to drive it.

Ed Moorhouse, managing director of Agrifood Solutions, detailed some of the latest and most innovative precision farm-ing technologies, including artificial intel-ligence, satellites and robotics. The global farming industry is facing ever-growing challenges, including rising input costs and declining labor availability, he explained. This, along with retailers pushing down prices, means growers’ profit margins are constantly being squeezed, which is why ag-tech will play a huge role in adding value for the entire produce supply chain.

Moorhouse said the amount of inno-vation taking place in the farming sector is “phenomenal” given the sector’s tight margins, adding that he believes that the industry’s “true survivors will be the innovators.”

The final two seminars were presented by Craig Watson, business client lead at UK energy provider nPower, and John Giles, divisional director at Promar International, who spoke about the ways to mitigate ris-ing energy costs and how buyers can com-pete for supply in the competitive UK mar-ket, respectively.


On the afternoon of the main day of The London Produce Show and Conference 2018 (LPS18), a carefully curated group

of food writers, bloggers, consumer and trade journalists were invited to an exclu-sive Media Masterclass to discover the concept of ‘culinary medicine’ and the role that fresh fruits and vegetables have to play in this increasingly important health movement.

Hosted by LPS18 Show Ambassador Dr. Rupy Aujla, the founder of popular blog The Doctor’s Kitchen, the Media Masterclass began with a champagne reception in the Jeeves suites. Once gathered, the group sat down to listen to London-based gen-eral practitioner Dr. Aujla talk about the medicinal effects of eating well and his mission to inspire the UK to eat more nutrient-dense food, such as fresh fruits and vegetables.

“I believe what you put on your plate is the most important health intervention you can make,” says Dr. Aujla, as he explains the enormous role nutrition has to play

MEDIA MASTERCLASS GIVES FOOD WRITERS INSIDE TRACK ON ‘CULINARY MEDICINE’

PLANT-BASED EATING ADVOCATE DR. RUPY AUJLA DEMONSTRATES HOW PLATES CAN BE AS POWERFUL AS PILLS

in the first step toward both treating and preventing numerous chronic illnesses that are largely lifestyle-influenced.

“I really foresee a time hopefully in the near future where fresh produce takes the place of pharmaceuticals, where we can be having genuine conversations about social prescribing, and that means not only life-style, exercise, meditation and sleep but also food.

“If we can prove that food is as, if not more, cost effective than medication with limited side effects, better enjoyment and better overall for the patients, we could be seeing an interesting scenario where food could be on prescriptions.”

Indeed, Dr. Aujla points out the vol-ume of nutritional science research over the past 30 years that backs up the signifi-cant role food has to play in healthy living. “I see this as a tool in my clinical toolbox, and certainly it should be the first point of entry [in treating patients],” he explains.

Despite the evidence, however, Dr. Aujla laments the fact currently UK doc-

tors “over-prescribe” the use of pharma-ceuticals, which is why he is striving for physicians to be educated in how to teach patients to adopt lifestyle practices that are evidence-based.

“If medical doctors have not been trained in how to introduce the concept of diet and lifestyle, or don’t even know about it themselves, the first step is always going to be a pharmaceutical one,” he stresses.

Although he believes there is “no such thing as the perfect plate,” Dr. Aujla says there are five healthy eating principles that apply for the majority of the population.

“The principles of healthy eating are: eating whole, eating colorful, eating largely plants, eating fiber and eating ‘in time’ (within an 11-12-hour window),” he says.

Later, Dr. Aujla took the group of media representatives over to the Chef Demonstration Kitchen located on the upper rink bar, where he showed the writ-ers how quick and easy it is to prepare meals that both pack a powerful nutri-tional punch as well as taste delicious.

An advocate of plant-based eating, Dr. Aujla was keen to highlight the importance of using various fresh fruits and vegeta-bles as he re-created his recipe of Borlotti Beans with Herby Giant Cous Cous featur-ing garlic, chili, lemon, olives, baby toma-toes, parsley, basil, oregano and pine nuts.

After sitting down with Dr. Aujla to dis-cuss his work and to enjoy his healthy, fresh produce-packed dish, the group of food writers each were treated to a per-sonal signing of Dr. Aujla’s debut cookbook titled ‘The Doctor’s Kitchen’, which is filled with tasty recipes and an eye-opening explanation of the clinical research behind the ingredients he uses.


As part of its vision to drive forward the industry, The London Produce Show and Conference 2018 hand-picked

40 highly talented, confident and enthu-siastic students from a record number of applicants to join an educational program designed to nurture the next generation of talent for the fresh produce, foodservice and culinary sectors.

Having run for five consecutive years, the student program is having a consid-erable impact on industry recruitment, with a number of graduates securing jobs, placements and internships across a broad range of produce-related sectors. In turn, this is creating an impressive network for each successive intake of LPS students.

This year, students from horticulture, business, culinary, journalism and event management from 15 different universi-ties in the United Kingdom and the United States got a chance to meet, learn from and engage with representatives from the fresh fruit, vegetable and flower trades, as well as the foodservice and culinary sectors.

Guided by an expert panel of expe-rienced industry mentors, the students — who are studying a range of courses associated with the wider fresh produce industry and at levels varying from foun-dation degree to Ph.D. — were put through their paces via a series of seminars, work-shops and tasks. In addition, they attended the Foodservice Forum, the Opening Cocktail Reception, the Thought-Leader

STUDENT PROGRAM ENTERS VINTAGE YEAR OF OPPORTUNITY

Breakfast Panel and the trade exhibition.Coordinated by lead mentor Sarah

Calcutt from Partners in Produce, this year’s mentor panel boasted a global reach that covered all aspects of procurement, technical, production, retail and digital gateways; featuring Andrew Sharp of FW Mansfield & Son, Guy Moreton from More People, Andrey Ivanov from Wilkin & Sons, Amy Lance from HelloFresh, Dan Jolly of Yagro, Matt Jones of Reynolds and Roxanne Martin from Barclays Agriculture.

Up first on the seminar stage was Sharp, who set the scene for the varied and inter-esting career paths open to the students, describing his own journey that began in production before progressing to banana management for retailer Marks & Spencer and now as a consultant to one of the UK’s largest fruit growers, Mansfields.

Moreton then outlined the role that specialist recruitment firms such as More People play in the ever-changing produce industry, followed by Ivanov, general man-ager of farms at Wilkin & Sons, who talked about his remarkable career ascent since arriving in the UK as a seasonal harvest worker.

Moving onto the retail sector, Lance, head of technical at HelloFresh, outlined the changing landscape for meal plan box deliveries, and the technical challenges of producing delivery kits to make millions of meals while ensuring freshness, quality and flavor.

Continuing the digital theme was Dan Jolly of Yagro, a digital group purchasing platform. Jolly delivered an entertaining demonstration of why no career path is ever a simple journey from A to B. Jolly also encouraged the students to take chances by requesting a volunteer from the audi-ence to demonstrate the benefits of going outside of your comfort zone.

Wholesale management and procure-ment was examined by Matt Jones, who took the group on a whistle-stop tour of the Reynolds foodservice supply busi-ness. Jones also talked about the impor-tance of personality and the need to work hard while understanding different team dynamics.

The program finished with an agricul-tural banking viewpoint from Roxanne Martin of Barclays. She outlined the oppor-tunities to support and nurture innovation through financial services and presented a good understanding of the sector.

Following the mentors’ presentations, the students joined the trade show where they could walk the show floor, watch the chefs cooking in the live demonstration kitchen and listen to top speakers involved in the educational seminar program.

On the final day, the 40 students capped off their experience by participating in the production and wholesale market indus-try tours, where they gained a first-hand insight into the inner workings of the fresh produce supply chain.


The London Produce Show and Conference 2018 drew to a fitting con-clusion with a series of bespoke and

informative tours that brought to life the latest trends taking place across all aspects of the produce supply chain, from produc-tion to retail. Hosted by experienced pro-fessionals from the relevant sectors, the four exclusive tours transversed London and southern England.

Retail TourThe ever-popular Retail Tour was

coordinated this year by Jan England of England Marketing who took delegates on a thought-provoking and enjoyable tour of the fresh produce aisles at a cross-section of the UK’s largest food retailers: Asda, Lidl, Marks and Spencer, Sainsbury’s, Tesco Extra and Whole Foods.

Taking in the entire spectrum of the UK retail market from discounters to pre-mium retailers and niche operators based in both south and west London, the tour visited a diversity of store formats to allow delegates to compare key factors from packaging, range, advertising and availa-bility to customer service, merchandising and quality.

Foodservice TourAn overview of the booming food-

service picture in one of Europe’s most vibrant and cosmopolitan capitals was also provided by Reynolds, a leading fruit and vegetable supplier to the UK foodser-vice scene.

INDUSTRY TOURS EPITOMIZE SPECTRUM OF SUPPLY CHAIN TRENDS

Andy Weir, head of marketing, deliv-ered an appetizing tour around some of London’s newest eateries to demonstrate the increasing focus on vegetarian and vegan options, and the growing emphasis towards fresh and natural ingredients.

First, attendees headed to fast, casual-dining outfit Freshii, which was founded in Canada and is now undergoing rapid expansion in the UK and worldwide. Other stops included Natural Kitchen, an ‘all-day’ dining concept, as well as Bill’s, an upmarket British cafe chain serving beau-tifully presented dishes. The tour wound up at Sticks’n’Sushi, a Copenhagen-based restaurant chain specializing in sushi and yakitori sticks.

During the tour, participants met with some of the restaurants’ owners, chefs and key personnel, and, of course, sam-pled plenty of delicious dishes!

Wholesale Market TourThe Wholesale Market Tour headed to

New Spitalfields Market, located in east London, which provided a unique oppor-tunity for attendees to visualize the trad-ing of numerous fresh fruits and vegeta-bles from various parts of the globe.

On the site, which is the UK’s highest turnover horticultural wholesale mar-ket, visitors experienced first-hand the workings of the market that moves some 750,000 tons of produce per year, and sup-plies 42 percent of the fruit consumed in London alone.

Ben Milligan, general manager of New

Spitalfields Market, showed participants around the market’s facilities, highlighting the large variety of fruit, of which he said exotics are among the most popular.

The market’s chief executive, Jan Hutchinson, meanwhile, revealed that there are plans to expand the facility into another location in the coming years.

Production TourA group of 25 delegates also took a

fascinating production tour of Wilkin & Sons – a 300-year-old family business in Tiptree, Essex, that was hosted by Chris Newenham, joint managing director; Andrey Ivanov, general manager of farms; and Mark Smith, factory manager.

Widely renowned for its jams and mar-malades, over the past decade Wilkin & Sons has branched out into the fresh fruit trade, supplying strawberries and raspber-ries exclusively to UK retailer Sainsbury’s during the summer season.

On arrival, attendees enjoyed refresh-ing teas and coffees while Newenham and Ivanov gave a comprehensive overview of the evolution of the business, alongside some of its future challenges.

The group then explored Wilkin & Sons’ factory operations, including the hand-sorting of fruit and increasing auto-mation, before heading outside to tour the diversity of the company’s fruit crops and some of the technological innovations designed to address the dry climate in Tiptree.

reflections on the london produce show and conference 2018 · the opening day of the london produce...

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