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WHAT WE CAN LEARN FROM THE FXXK UP CREATED BY THE DHL & KFC DEBACLE…

By Max MacGillivray

Many moons ago, a Supply Chain Director in a Fresh Produce business on the South Coast of the UK had a very smart salesman in a very smart suit in his office pitching him a great new concept in supply chain efficiencies.

“And you see Sir….there is so much profitability held up within your supply chain….that if you allow us….a large yellow branded logistics business…the global supply chain experts….. to run your supply chain, your profits will grow year on year exponentially and we can just guarantee that for you. We are experts. Just sign here….Sir…….and here……and here…….thank you Sir. It’s going to be an absolute pleasure working with you!”.

The Supply Chain Director was ever so pleased. He had struggled to get three differing pack houses with three differing packing and IT systems to work as one, let alone delivering into key retailers highly perishable products. He had been at the end of his tether. The retailers were biting his arse – as was his Board surrounding packing and delivery efficiencies. But it was OK. A Knight in a shiny suit from a big yellow company had saved his bacon. OK….the price was high to outsource this all but it was going to work. The “Suit” has said so.

Move forward a month and picture the scene.

Ring ring….ring ring… “Yes….we need to speak to your Supply Chain Director right away….it’s very very urgent…this is his major retailer customer and he has dropped the ball. We have none of your product and the sun is shining and it’s a Friday and our customers want to buy it…NOW. The weekend is going to hell in a salad bowl if he does not deliver – we cannot short our customers of your product. Where the hell is he….?????”

Meanwhile the Supply Chain Director was in another office getting verbally tarred and feathered by his Directors. Turns out the logistic “experts” that the work had been outsourced to had actually a different way of operating. They treated every product and every clients customer as the same thing….a brown box commodity. It may work if the actual product is a brown box, but perhaps not if it is a highly perishable salad product grown and picked with loving care by some of the best growers in the land.  And not if the customer is a highly stroppy and highly efficient top four retailer with a RDC (Regional Distribution Centre) that ran akin to a nuclear power station banging on red alert day after day.

Turned out that the outsourced “experts” did not care for their client or the products they grew or the retailers in question either. A lucrative 2-year deal had been signed up with penalty clauses to leave early. The Board of the Fresh Produce business had no option but to bite the bullet and void the contract early to save their business from being de-listed by multiple retailers. And a lesson had been learnt very quickly in the fresh sectors.

The Salesman in the shiny suit got no more “deals” in fresh. He instead moved on to other areas….and driving around….he went into a KFC drive thru for a spot of lunch….bit into a Colonel Saunders Chicken wing…had a lightbulb moment….and then made a call to his boss….

And the moral of the story?  Actions always prove why words may mean nothing in fresh produce.

By Max MacGillivray

The author

Claire MacGillivray

Discussion

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Customer Technical Manager (Waitrose)

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Commercial Manager Required for Probably the Most Exciting Fresh Sector Business There Is In The Market…

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Redfox Executive Selection Ltd
1 day ago
Redfox Executive Selection Ltd

Commercial Manager Required for Probably the Most Exciting Fresh Sector Business There Is In The Market via Redfox Executive Selection…CLICK LINK - lnkd.in/erRiUgj5

#freshproduce #horticulture #CommercialManagement
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Commercial Manager Required for Probably the Most Exciting Fresh Sector Business There Is In The Market via Redfox Executive Selection…CLICK LINK - https://lnkd.in/erRiUgj5  #freshproduce #horticulture #commercialmanagement
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Redfox Executive Selection Ltd
4 days ago
Redfox Executive Selection Ltd

Smashing pic team!We think this is Red Campion Silene dioica...but please tell us if we are wrong! Captured by our Max MacGillivray on a beautiful Estate in Suffolk in the UK that has actively practiced regenerative agricultural for over 20 years - Rougham Estate.

Rougham Estate - www.roughamestate.com
Beanstalk Global - www.beanstalk.global

#farming #regenerativeagriculture #agriculture #sustainableagriculture
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Smashing pic team!
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Redfox Executive Selection Ltd
5 days ago
Redfox Executive Selection Ltd

Rain has assisted cropping in the UK. But the turbulence of the market sectors continues. Dial into the important Beanstalk.Global Broadcast with the AHDB on "How to Manage in a Crisis". CLICK THIS LINK - lnkd.in/eqKzft_G

AHDB - ahdb.org.uk/
Beanstalk Global - www.beanstalk.global

AHDB AHDB Beef and Lamb #agriculture #farming #agribusiness
... See MoreSee Less

Rain has assisted cropping in the UK. But the turbulence of the market sectors continues. Dial into the important Beanstalk.Global Broadcast with the AHDB on How to Manage in a Crisis. CLICK THIS LINK - https://lnkd.in/eqKzft_G  AHDB - https://ahdb.org.uk/
Beanstalk Global - www.beanstalk.global  AHDB AHDB Beef and Lamb #agriculture #farming #agribusiness
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Redfox Executive Selection Ltd
1 week ago
Redfox Executive Selection Ltd

HR Director Required for one of the UK’s Leading Fresh Sector Businesses via Redfox Executive Selection LtdCLICK LINK TO FIND OUT MORE - lnkd.in/eizBwUjq

#hr #humanresourcesmanagement #humancapital #freshproduce #horticulture
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HR Director Required for one of the UK’s Leading Fresh Sector Businesses via Redfox Executive Selection LtdCLICK LINK TO FIND OUT MORE - https://lnkd.in/eizBwUjq  #hr #humanresourcesmanagement #humancapital #freshproduce #horticulture
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Redfox Executive Selection Ltd
1 week ago
Redfox Executive Selection Ltd

Another great upcoming Broadcast with the AHDB and Beanstalk Global. Dial in...we are 😀🚜😀Beanstalk.Global/AHDB Talking Leaders – “We Don’t All Fit in One Box!” Jamie Feilden & Jake Curtis from Jamie's Farm. CLICK LINK - lnkd.in/eYsuGvHj

We know how important it is to be inspired by both big businesses and individuals, which is why we are excited to present Talking Leaders, an ongoing initiative from the AHDB - Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board which sees a series of inspirational speakers share their life experiences and deliver impactful stories to the AgriLeader community.

In our May broadcast, we have joining us Jamie Feiden & Jake Curtis: Co-CEO’s of Jamie’ Farm.

Jamie’s Farm supports vulnerable young people nationwide to thrive academically, socially and emotionally through a unique 5-day residential experience and follow-up programme. The programme is a blend of ‘Farming, Family, Therapy and Legacy’ where children take on real jobs with purpose, punctuated with therapeutic support.

Join us on Thursday 19th May at 11.00am BST to hear from Jamie and Jack and Mark Campbell from the AHDB by clicking this link - lnkd.in/eYsuGvHj

Jamie’s Farm – jamiesfarm.org.uk/
AHDB - ahdb.org.uk/
Beanstalk Global – www.beanstalk.global

#talkingleaders #farming #agriculture #agribusiness #freshproduce #agrileader Jamie's Farm AHDB
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Another great upcoming Broadcast with the AHDB and Beanstalk Global. Dial in...we are 😀🚜😀
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Redfox Executive Selection Ltd
1 week ago
Redfox Executive Selection Ltd

Thats a great pic of a slightly vintage CLAAS combine!Lovely to see the Country Shows coming back so well with a great attendance at the South Suffolk Show held this weekend. We wonder how old this CLAAS is?! 😊🚜😊 ... See MoreSee Less

Thats a great pic of a slightly vintage CLAAS combine!
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Redfox Executive Selection Ltd
2 weeks ago
Redfox Executive Selection Ltd

Redfox Executive Selection is live to source a great FARM MANAGER for a beautiful Farm in East Suffolk - Great Lodge Farms. CLICK LINK TO VIEW - lnkd.in/e9ti4v5z

#farming #agriculture #agritech #agrifood #agribusiness #freshproduce #regenerativeagriculture
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PlayFarm Manager Required - East Suffolk
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Redfox Executive Selection Ltd
2 weeks ago
Redfox Executive Selection Ltd

Sign of the times indeed.... ... See MoreSee Less

Play
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Redfox Executive Selection Ltd
2 weeks ago
Redfox Executive Selection Ltd

Major role now live via Redfox Executive Selection - CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER REQUIRED. EXCELLENT SALARY/BONUS & LTIP. Click link to review - lnkd.in/eJMWA6KN

#horticulture #freshproduce #ceo #ceoleadership #protectedcropping #agritech
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Chief Executive Officer - Horticulture - Redfox Executive Selection Ltd.

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Chief Executive Officer Required Based Eastern Counties Excellent Salary/Bonus & LTIP Redfox Executive Selection is representing a very well regarded and highly thought of independent Fund Management ...
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3 weeks ago
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This will be an important Broadcast to attend "How do we plan in a crisis?" ... See MoreSee Less

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A Dedicated Risk Management Broadcast for the Agricultural & Fresh Produce Sectors in Partnership with the AHDB. “How Can We Plan in a Crisis?” - Beanstalk Global

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Retail. Supplier. Grower. Collaboration is business critical - Beanstalk Global Broadcast series
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