Q & A with Martin Seymour

The 2002 Soft Fruit conference gave pre-picked members of the audeience the chance to put a few questions (and gripes) to representatives from the industry. There were a few topics identified as being particularly pertinent in today's industry. Growing News took four of othese issues and approached the only major UK soft fruit marketing desk (Advanced Marketing Services LTD) not to have a voice on the panel. Here is what their MD Martin Seymour had to say.

GN: The minimum wage is an area that has considerable amount of press coverage; not least for the very real threat it poses the British farmer in their abilility to compete with overseas producers, what are your thoughts?

MS: It's my observation that everyone is running around complaining that the minimum wage has increased. I believe we should stop complaining to anyone who is prepared to listen, who with no doubt will never reduce the minimum wage and instead embrace it for the benefit it brings our employees and try to increase wherever possible the wages we pay our staff by making a cohesive industry effort to pay the correct price to the UK grower for their products. We have done something positive by creating Fruitful Jobs an initiative to help find experiences and keen seasonal and full time staff for farms, whilst taking away from the grower the various hassles that inevitably occue when you are trying to find and employ staff.

GN: With the adoption of category management the number of produce suppliers has dwindled to meet the demands of the major retailers, any marketing company would find it a struggle to survive in 2003 without the support of one of the multiples. What do you think the future has in store for the remaining UK Marketing desks?

MS: I think growers should be encouraged to deliver direct to stores pre-programmed, pre-agreed deals, where the marketing company as it exists now is an unncessary expence. We have embarked on this with ASDA's backing by having stores in certain regions supplied by local growers and it has been successful for all the growers and stores involved. We need growers to come forward as individuala or groups to place their products in their local store. The scheme offers the benefit of the grower having has/her name on the label and perhaps a way to reach once loyal PYO customers whose lifestyles now restrict food shopping to a weekly trip to the supermarket.

GN: The search for a variety that will provide the yield at the cost that UK farming requires, along with the right flavour, colour and texture for the UK consumer doesn't seem to be any closer. With no united industry effort to address the problem and the level required investment to solve it not available from private programmes what do we need to do to ensure we have the berry to keep our UK growers competitive?

MS: I think that this is an issue we, the industry, have to address as a matter or urgency. I believe that all British growers producing fruit for UK multiples should be certified and part of this certification is an agreedlevy per kilo for fruit produced, maybe growers PO's could pay the levy and therefore get EU funds for a UK breeding programme. This levy would be collected by a newly formed independent company that is charged with the responsibility of using all the funds they receive on a large and meaningful breeding programme for British growers a.k.a. Davies University of california and the Californian Strawberry commission. I don't think it should be lost on anyone that all the major varieties used in the world today have been generated by the Davies University Programme. This would still leave room for brave independent entrepreneures such as Peter Vinson, Tim Miyasaka and Driscoll Ass to embark on their own breeding programmes should they wish.

GN: You raised your reservations about the work done by the National Summer Fruits Association (NSFA). You suggested that a more professional, national campaign was needed to raise consumer awareness, do you still feel this is the case?

MS: I appreciate that volunteers undertake the work done by the NSFA and obviously AMS were criticised by the new chairman for not contributing to the fund, while he may feel that the best is done with its limited funds, I don't think that such events as strawberry basket presentation at an OAP's home for a 90th birthday is helping promote my growers products to the people who buy them. A Tv or national press ad campaign may sound extravagant but they target a much bigger spread of the population and cost per person reached is not as expensive as the chairman suggested. I did find it suprising that the new chairman informed the conference that he didn't think they would be able to do anything better than was currently being done with an injection of funds.

GN: What did you think of the conference overall?

MS: I was disappointed with the content on the whole. Same old questions unanswered, same people without the answers. In my view the information supplied was slanted towards particular marketing desks, united in their condemnation of ASDA's marketing even though they know nothing about it. As the category managers for ASDA I would have expected AMS to be invited to answer any observations or accusations made by the panel or delegates. Because I was so disappointed I am going to speak to colleagues, growers and associated companies and hope to accounce an alternative conference in the near future.

Spring 2003