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This is a dynamic and energetic sourcing and sales Arm of a well-established fresh produce Import and Marketing Group. They have offices in the West Midlands, Lincolnshire and NL. We are seeking a dynamic and results-oriented Sourcing and Sales Manager to join our client’s team. This role is customer and supplier-facing, requiring exceptional communication skills, market insight, and a strong aptitude for business development. A Fresh Produce background is not a requirement as full training, mentoring and guidance will be supplied. Most importantly they are looking for a new Commercially orientated ‘Star’ to build their career in this fast-paced and exciting Industry. You will skilfully immerse yourself in this environment developing a keen focus on service levels, category management, and new product development (NPD), taking onboard the key elements of selling the products you have sourced. The primary responsibilities will include managing sales and margins, crafting compelling presentations and proposals, account management, negotiation, and building and maintaining strong relationships across the supply chain. Key Responsibilities:

1. Customer and Supplier Relations: Serve as the primary point of contact for both customers and suppliers, ensuring exceptional service levels and fostering strong partnerships.
2. Market Insight: Stay abreast of industry trends, market dynamics, and competitor activities to identify opportunities for growth and innovation.
3. Business Development: Proactively seek out new business opportunities, develop strategies for expansion, and drive growth in key market segments.
4. Fresh Produce : Eventually, after training, you will leverage your understanding of the fresh produce market to optimize sourcing strategies, manage inventory effectively, and drive product innovation.
5. Service Levels and Category Management: Monitor and optimize service levels to meet customer demands and ensure efficient category management.
6. New Product Development (NPD): Collaborate with internal teams and external partners to drive NPD initiatives, from concept ideas to commercialisation.
7. Sales and Margin Management: Develop and execute sales plans to achieve revenue targets while maintaining healthy margins.
8. Presentations and Proposals: Prepare compelling presentations and proposals to pitch products and solutions to customers and prospects.
9. Account Management: Oversee the management of existing accounts, ensuring high levels of customer satisfaction and retention.
10. Negotiation: Utilise strong negotiation skills to secure favourable terms with suppliers and customers while maintaining positive relationships.
11. Relationship Building: Cultivate and nurture relationships with key stakeholders across the supply chain, including customers, suppliers, and internal teams.

Requirements:

• Showing commercial potential.
• Bright, talented, ambitious, flair, keen to learn, confident, rapport builder.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Useful to have a track record of Sales, Business development, NPD...
• Negotiating skills.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
• Numeracy, Microsoft skills.
• Ability to work to tight deadlines.
• Can finish what you start.
• Ability to analyse data and extract actionable insights.
• Team Player.

If you are a bright, confident, and articulate professional with a passion for fresh produce and a drive for success, we encourage you to apply for this exciting opportunity.

We have a role for a Quality Controller for a successful and well-respected Grower, Importer, Packer and Distributor based in a beautiful setting in North Kent. Our client has a robust and trusted QMS developed over many years dealing with UK Retail and Non Retail customers. The main requirement of the Job is the inspection and assessment of fresh produce on arrival, on the production line and on despatch.   DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES  

• To maintain excellent standards of personal and environmental hygiene at all times
• Assessment of raw material with production of related reports and guidance to business relating to ongoing use (e.g. advising Technical, Commercial and Packhouse management)
• Inspection of finished product, and production of related reports, to ensure the standards specified by the customer or recognised marketing standards (UK / EU) are achieved
• Selection and monitoring of shelf life samples
• To monitor and report on observations relating to hygiene standards and practices in all areas
• To be responsible for the health and safety of self and others
• To understand the meaning and importance of food safety culture
• Report machine faults and other defective items / equipment to the Site Manager, Quality Manager or Technical Managers

Commercial Manager   Summary: Our client, a prominent Latin American Agricultural Group specializing in the cultivation of Avocados, Grapes, Asparagus Pomegranates, Citrus and Blueberries with extensive exports to Europe, are seeking an experienced Commercial Manager. This role can be Hybrid, their offices are based in Hampshire. The Commercial Manager will play a pivotal role in shaping the group’s sales strategy. Key Responsibilities:

• Develop and execute sales strategies for direct expansion into retail markets.
• Drive business development efforts across non-retail channels, including food service, processing, e-commerce, box companies, and wholesale.
• Manage grower relationships and customer accounts.
• Demonstrate highly developed communication skills.
• Fully cognitive of the Fresh Produce Market and in particular detail the product areas imported.

Qualifications:

• Minimum of 3 years of senior experience in a similar role.
• Familiarity with the Fresh Produce Supply Chain is essential.
• Autonomy and ability to work effectively within a small team.
• A background in Sales to UK Retail and/or Non-Retail is expected.
• Fluency in the English language is essential, another European language, desirable.
• Knowledge of Microsoft Excel and Word

  What We Offer:

• Competitive salary package.
• Opportunities for professional growth and career advancement.
• Involvement in exciting new initiatives that shape the future of this company.

If you're ready to take on a challenging yet rewarding role where you can make a tangible impact by fostering business growth and driving initiatives within the Fresh Produce Marketing industry, we'd love to hear from you.   How to Apply: Please submit your CV and a cover letter detailing your Fresh Produce Commercial experience , business development achievements, and how your skills align with the role Send a CV to frank@fmkconsulting.co or Call Frank on 07734 861 080

This company is a significant force in the European and UK Salad trade they are looking for a Senior Fresh Produce professional to join their UK team as Sales and Procurement Manager. They are extremely well respected and hold a prominent position in the overall Salads Trade. They remain a family concern with an enviable staff retention rate and a reputation that makes them a ‘go to’ employer. In addition to growers across the globe the Dutch based company has won accolades that celebrate them and their supply chain with the most sustainability practices for a produce company in Europe. The hiring Team is based in Kent and covers all UK Retail and Non Retail sales, all sales to Spain and France (Summer) and manages the Winter season procurement for NL and UK. The ideal candidate will be experienced with the Fresh Produce Industry in both Sales and Procurement They will be responsible for the management and development of various Salad categories and implementation of business development strategies to capitalise on new opportunities and establish strong strategic partnerships. The role: 

• To provide market leading strategies to deliver new product developments in both fresh and value-added categories
• To deliver outstanding service expectations, ensuring customers’ expectations are met
• Grow the customer base
• Formulation and implementation of seasonal programs with the integrated Supply base.
• Lead pricing negotiations
• Establish, develop and maintain a commercially beneficial relationship with key customers. Write, implement, evolve and communicate a plan for all required areas.
• Achieve all sales, volume and margin targets within key accounts
• Provide weekly sales forecasting to the business; · Provide accurate account information for the use in longer term forecasting and programming
• Continuously evaluate the supply chain to identify cost savings and opportunities to improve the quality and freshness of the product
• Liaise with internal departments (supply chain, procurement, technical, operations) to ensure quality and timely delivery of product
• Liaise with procurement and supply chain teams to address sourcing and availability issues. Maintain and develop Winter procurement (currently mainly Morocco).
• Understand and communicate technical issues with the customer commercial team where necessary and liaise on these issues internally with technical and quality teams to achieve satisfactory resolution
• Develop and maintain an understanding of the market sector including consumer trends, competitor activity and product lines
• To identify and deliver opportunities for profitable business growth within key accounts
• Ensure the adherence of administrative and financial systems and controls
• Provide summary information regarding sales, volumes, margins and prices as and when required

Qualifications and Experience

• 5+ years’ experience in a commercial role within fresh produce (fruit and vegetables)
• A proven track record of successful business relationships together with the development of new products, marketing, and strategic partnerships
• Written and spoken fluency in English

Skills

• A specialist all-encompassing knowledge of fresh produce
• Demonstrable initiative-taking and innovative problem-solving abilities
• A strong, professional communicator who builds mutual trust and respect within a European supply-base.
• Skilled negotiator with commercial and financial acumen
• Possesses a win-win mindset
• To consistently meet targets and thrive in a high- pressure environment

  You must be eligible to work in UK, be willing and able to travel internationally and be in receipt of a valid passport and full driving licence.   To apply for the exciting role, send a copy of your CV to /frank@fmkconsulting.co (just.co)  

Our client is a successful Strawberry Grower in the SW. They have a solid Quality team maintaining most of the QMS, they now have an opening for a Technical Manager to primarily ensure their BRC status continues on the right path. We envisage this role may take up 3 days a week but again this is open for discussion.

"To control the processes that ensures all of the technical requirements of the company are achieved and fully compliant. All activities to be in accordance with the stated Company protocols of Food Safety, GMP and HACCP. In the absence of the post holder, all responsibilities for technical issues, Food Safety, Legality and Quality will be taken up by the Technical Director who will be your Line Manager.

MAIN DUTIES:

•     To ensure that the BRC Manual is complete and fully updated.

•     To lead the HACCP team and ensure compliance

•     To conduct any audits as required including any un-announced customer audits.

•     To conduct weekly GMP audits and report

•     To ensure strict compliance with the company’s food safety and quality operating procedures (QOP) are adhered to.

•     To ensure all regular meetings are minuted and attend where appropriate

•     To check all quality systems and conduct tests as per QMS v9.

•     Check Shelf life tests, analyse and report to Cardiff.

•     Receive quality reports and analyse for trending.

•     Grower / Supplier sign off,  Due Diligence  ( Imported Berries )

•     Receive complaints/rejections and conduct thorough review and report.

•     Trend results

•     Manage pest contracts, and act according to situation

•     Conduct regular inspections to the packhouse exterior/interior and advise to the appropriate Manager.

•     To motivate all staff to comply by all protocols and procedures as described in the Manual.

•     To ensure all equipment operators are using equipment in accordance with instruction.

•     To complete any other duties as may be required in line with the position of Technical Manager, or as directed by the management and leadership team

This is a part - time role

Location: Somerset

Call Frank Kinsella on 07734 861080 or email frank@fmkconsulting.co to apply

This is a unique opportunity to join a successful Berry Grower based in Somerset. They are looking for a Technical Manager with a background in BRC (AA) maintenance and ideally with Fresh Produce experience, although this is not critical. You will be supported by a strong Quality team with a large amount of the routine tasks under their remit.The Farm operations are well organised and working effectively, this can allow for flexibility in the Technical Managers working arrangements. These are open for  discussion. To control the processes that ensures all of the technical requirements of the company are achieved and fully compliant. All activities to be in accordance with the stated Company protocols of Food Safety, Red Tractor and HACCP. MAIN DUTIES:      To ensure that the BRC Manual is complete and fully updated (last update 2023)

•      To lead the HACCP initiatives and ensure compliance
•      To conduct any audits as required including any un-announced customer audits
•      To ensure strict compliance with the company’s food safety and quality operating procedures (QOP) are adhered to.
•      To ensure all regular meetings are recorded and attend where appropriate
•      To check all quality systems and conduct tests as per QMS v7.
•      Check Shelf-life tests, analyse and report to stakeholders.
•      Receive quality reports and analyse for trending.
•      Grower / Supplier sign off, Due Diligence  ( Imported Berries )
•      Receive complaints/rejections and conduct thorough review and report.
•      Manage pest contracts, and act according to situation
•      To motivate all staff to comply by all protocols and procedures as described in the Manual.
•      To complete any other duties as may be required in line with the position of Technical Manager, or as directed by the management and leadership team.

 

This is a fantastic opportunity to join an established and respected international logistics group working in the Fresh Produce Business with their UK office in Kent.

A rare chance to join a successful family company that encourages innovative thinking, ambition over experience, works as a team in line with its vision and values and is committed to progressing talented individuals.

With a focus on customer satisfaction and innovation, they are expanding their team and seeking a dynamic Account Manager to join their sales department. This role will be instrumental in promoting and selling their transport services to clients across the UK.

Job Summary: As an Account Manager, you will be responsible for identifying, pursuing, and closing sales opportunities with potential clients in the UK. The primary focus will be on selling their comprehensive range of transport services, ensuring that client needs are met while maximizing revenue for the company. This role involves building and maintaining strong relationships with clients, understanding their unique requirements, and providing tailored solutions.

Responsibilities:

1. Client Acquisition:

· Identify and target potential clients in the UK who could benefit from their transport services.

· Conduct market research to understand industry trends and competitor offerings.

· Develop a strong understanding of client needs and challenges to position their services effectively.

2. Sales and Revenue Generation:

· Proactively reach out to prospects through various channels, including phone calls, emails, and in-person meetings.

· Present and demonstrate the value of their transport services to potential clients.

· Prepare and present compelling proposals and negotiate contracts to close deals.

· Achieve and exceed sales targets and revenue goals.

3. Relationship Management:

· Build and maintain strong, long-lasting relationships with clients.

· Act as the main point of contact for clients, addressing inquiries and concerns promptly.

· Collaborate with internal teams to ensure seamless service delivery and customer satisfaction.

4. Market Intelligence:

· Stay informed about industry trends, market conditions, and competitor activities.

· Provide feedback to the marketing and product development teams based on client interactions.

5. Reporting and Documentation:

· Keep accurate records of sales activities, including sales calls, presentations, and closed deals.

· Provide regular updates and reports to the Sales Manager on sales progress and market insights.

Qualifications:

· Proven experience in sales, preferably in the transportation or logistics industry.

· Strong communication, negotiation, and interpersonal skills.

· Ability to work independently and as part of a team.

· Results-oriented with a focus on achieving and exceeding sales targets.

· Knowledge of transportation and logistics industry practices is a plus.

Benefits:

· Competitive salary with performance-based incentives.

· Opportunities for professional development and career growth.

· Dynamic and collaborative work environment.

If you are a motivated and results-driven individual with a passion for sales and transportation services, we invite you to apply for this exciting opportunity to contribute to the success of our growing company.