Future food industry leader wins top prize

Citation

(2005), "Future food industry leader wins top prize", Nutrition & Food Science, Vol. 35 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/nfs.2005.01735aab.020

Future food industry leader wins top prize

Future food industry leader wins top prize

Sainsbury's Senior Brand Manager Ben Crowther demonstrated innovative ideas and sound business acumen to win £2,000 and The Tate & Lyle Young Managers Business Challenge at IGD's 2004 Food Industry Awards.

The challenge was for the entrants to look at the issue of health and obesity, and the role they believe the industry, and in particular their company, must play.

Ben believes that health and obesity is an issue that cannot be ignored and will require collaboration from all key stakeholders. The food industry however must act now in certain areas to avoid further criticism and legislation, for example in promoting healthy lifestyles through promotions and in-store activities, implementing pricing policies on produce and healthy options and clear nutrition labelling.

Ben believes that communication is key and for campaigns such as traffic lights to work effectively there needs to be a major communication campaign so that people can understand the complexities of how they fit into a diet. He says that industry can help the government to understand consumers better and that schools are key to influencing diets through healthy lunches.

Of Ben's entry, the judges remarked "Ben submitted a thoroughly researched paper and presentation covering the whole breadth of this complex and far-reaching issue. He had clearly thought the issue through and was not afraid to criticise the industry".

Ben fought off stiff competition from:

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  Francois Landers, Account Manager, Unilever. Francois says the industry approach should be based on being proactive, collaborative and taking a position of leadership where possible. He believes that the industry should address the issue through providing choice to the consumer and the evolving environment should be regarded as an opportunity and not a threat.

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  Guy McLaren, Retail Sales Manager, Bighams. Guy believes the social responsibilities of the industry are marketable consumer benefits for which companies can charge a premium price whilst still representing value for money. He believes that the industry is already responding quickly to this issue with healthier foods, and that it should educate people to make well-informed choices.

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  Marc Warburton, Customer Manager, Kraft Foods. According to Marc, the food industry has a crucially important role to play, however it is only through the inclination, determination and co-operation of all concerned parties, that any real progress will be made. He also believes that industry should educate the consumer.

For details of the winners of the rest of the Food Industry Awards, visit www.igd.com/awards