Call to British food and agriculture businesses

Adam Couch, CEO of Cranswick PLC, spoke at the annual Food and Agribusiness Dinner held at the opulent Queen’s College, Cambridge and hosted by Mills & Reeve, Deloitte and Barclays this month.  Cranswick has grown significantly both organically and through acquisitions in the last few year with sales of more than a £1billion to become a major listed player in the UK food processing industry.  Adam Couch set out a bullish attitude to surviving, and thriving, in uncertain times.  He stated there was a clear demand for British products and that industry should focus its attention on quality products and producing food within the UK market. Whilst national self-sufficiency had diminished year by year what was required was significant investment in the sector. Adam Couch accepted this was counter-intuitive, particularly where overseas competition was fierce, nevertheless he stated it was only by embracing new technology and innovation through investment alongside maintaining the excellent welfare and quality standards that businesses would flourish in the home market and through exports.