sUMMER ‘18
CONTENTS 01 A WORD from OUR CEO 02 GROWERS DIRECT 03 THIS SEASON’S NEWS 05 Kissabel Red-Flesh Apple Plantings Ramp-Up 07 Measuring water scarcity risk in our supply base 08 New Shelf Life Room 09 Working Together to Make a Positive Difference since 2005 10 Wild Flower Ideas Provides Big Reward
Hello everyone We’ve had a really busy time since the last issue of The Core and as a business we have a lot going forward, which makes it an exciting place to be. I’m really happy with how WFL is progressing this year and want to thank everyone for your work and support. Summer is my favourite season of the year as growing up with Scottish weather I treat every sunny day as a gift! I think the extra light gives us extra energy and overall, we all seem to smile more. One of the treats of summer has always been soft fruit and I’m delighted that we’ve made our first inroads as a soft fruit supplier. I hope you enjoy reading about what we’re doing. This issue of The Core highlights the fascinating breadth of scope that our business operates across. Are you excited about red-flesh apples? It’s great to learn about our environmental work as it’s hugely important and making real differences! We’ve got a number of great people sharing what they do so thank you to all the contributors. I even found out that myself and Martyn Clare both love Chicken Dhansak!! I hope you have a great summer.
11 Joint Venture With Euroberry Sees WFL Move Into Soft Fruit 12 Investing in our People 13 Supplier development: packing at source capabilities in france 14 Back and forth 15 Our Man in ItalY: Henry consten 16 MEET THE GROWER 17 OUTSIDE THE WFL FRUIT BOWL 18 RECIPE 19 competition
The Core Magazine is always looking for fresh ideas and new stories so if you have something to share or want to get in touch, please email gary.harrison@worldwidefruit.co.uk
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GROWERS
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The food industry is forever changing. With the likes of Amazon looming over the sector after buying Wholefoods in the US and entering the UK as an online supplier of fresh produce, it’s vital that businesses and suppliers do not stand still and instead keep growing fruit sales, whilst also being open to new ways of working.
Supplied 27,000 crates of Gala to Del Monte with another 40,000 programmed for the next UK season
Supply Granny Smith and avocados to Adelie Foods, who in turn supply sandwiches and salads to Café Nero and Starbucks
14,400 cases of Braeburn vIA Reynolds supplied to Pret A Mange r
In December 2016, WFL made the decision to take ownership of Growers Direct from Greenyard Foods as it allows the company another platform to expand into other market sectors. Empire World Trade first launched Growers Direct in 2001 as a fruit supplier to the wholesale market and convenience trade with sales focused on topfruit, citrus, avocados and stonefruit. Fast-forward 17 years and Growers Direct now employs ten employees (four full-time sales staff, four support staff and two directors) and has a turnover of approximately £8.5million. The company receives financial support, PR3 system, HR and the supplier approval process from WFL. Their supplier base and brands are vital to the company and includes Eva in Austria, Castang in France, Melinda in Italy and Bastion Fruit in Poland. They supply a host of wholesale markets around the UK such as Total Produce, Dunns Birmingham and Tydene in Spitalfields, while also counting Spar, Greggs, Del Monte and Pret among its convenience sector customer base. So, with Amazon’s founder and chief executive Jeff Bezos claiming he “wants to sell everything to everyone”, what are the future aspirations for Growers Direct? As well as improving current relationships with its wholesale customers to increase returns for stakeholders, the company is targeting the online sales sector, looking to penetrate further into the processing sector, whilst also aiming to become customers’ first choice for apples and bananas for fruit-on-the-go.
le the Midd n i s l e t o h et Supplies he Barak t h g u o r rs of East th containe y 0 1 h t i Group w misphere Grann He Southern programmed Smith
Currently supplying 300 Greggs shops with apples and bananas through its partnership with Pratts Bananas in Bedford
NEWS 02
THIS SEASON’S NEWS llin e, Co and m i t y re s spa ealth In hi o keep h l, running t l likes volleyba gym. s e y enjo ing to th o and g
MEET COLLIN OUR L ATEST INTERN
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WFL is pleased to announce the arrival of Collin Jiri, who is currently in his second placement at the company as a financial assistant. Originally from Zimbabwe before moving to the UK aged 16, Collin has always wanted to pursue a career in the food industry after studying agriculture from the age of 13. Unfortunately, when Collin moved to the UK he didn’t get the opportunity to continue studying agriculture so moved on to do International Business at university. In his mind working for a multinational company was always the goal but once again he started to think about agriculture and specifically the fresh produce industry. Having been fascinated with the variety of fresh produce that is grown around the world, Collin started to believe that the fresh produce industry could be an attractive place to learn new skills, experiences and grow as a person. The main objective of Collin’s current role is to help him understand the function of the accounting department, its importance, its systems and how it works with the other departments within the business. A business can’t function without finance so it’s been a great way for Collin to learn about WFL. He also recently worked at the BBC Good Food Show with the JAZZ™ team which allowed him to see the consumer facing side of the business too.
“Working for a fresh produce organisation became more and more attractive because I knew it would give me the opportunity to see international business in practiCe between organisations in different parts of the world. I carried out research on fresh produce organisations within the UK and then I came across the MDS grad scheme which I joined in 2017. What really pushed me to apply for the scheme was the fact that they offered opportunities to work for four different fresh produce companies in four different roles, which will provide me with a broad range of experience and skills plus give me the opportunity to work out where I fit best.”
C ol li n co m m en ts 03 NEWS
JAZZ™ PIPS COX JAZZ™ Apple’s rising star status is showing no signs of diminishing after it pipped Cox to become the UK’s fifth most popular apple with an all-time high retail value of £48.7million. The news from Kantar coincided with the beginning of the JAZZ™ Apple Southern Hemisphere apple season, the variety’s summer sampling campaign at the BBC Good Food Show and the launch of a limited-edition number of exclusive nine box JAZZ™ in Asda.
Peter Ch award- andler and winning his apples
The Kantar data revealed that consumer spend on JAZZ™ in the 52 weeks ending 18 May 2018 rose to £48.7million, an increase of 44% since May 2016. After undergoing a brand refresh last year prior to Fruit Logistica, which saw changes to their branding, packaging, promotion and global digital platforms, the JAZZ™ brand is going from strength to strength with over 250,000 JAZZ™ trees to be planted in the UK over the next 3 years. The variety also scooped the ‘UK’s Tastiest Apple’ first and second place at the National Fruit Show 2017/18, lovingly grown by Peter Chandler and Simon Bray respectively. Gary Harrison, UK Commercial Manager for JAZZ™, said: “We’re thrilled to reach this fantastic milestone and become the UK’s fifth favourite apple and it just shows you how far the variety has come since it first launched in the UK in 2004. The credit has to go to the legendary JAZZ™ growers around the world who ensure top quality fruit all year round in our supermarket and wholesale markets. Without their hard work, dedication and passion we wouldn’t be where we are today, so this news is as much for them as it is for us.”
BELL BULLIES FIELD TO WIN WFL GOLF DAY The WFL golf day returned to Spalding Golf Club on a very wet Saturday in April and was won for the second time by young hotshot Simon Bell. Unfortunately due to the course being flooded only thirteen holes were playable but although it was very tough going at times it didn’t spoil what was a fantastic day. Picking up second and third places were Jimmy Manson and Richard Bell respectively, while Dean Foster scooped the unwanted wooden spoon trophy after coming in last place. Samuel Cliff showed everyone his power on the fairway with a whopping hit to claim the ‘Longest Drive’ trophy.
The n ext W F take place L golf day on Se w 2nd 2 ptemb ill 0 er with 18 so get i n Ri like t chard Bell touch o get involv if you’d ed.
e boxes n i n ™ Z Z A Special J ced for Asda produ
A huge well done to all who competed and a special mention for Richard Bell who organises the whole day in his spare time to ensure a great time is had for all. The next WFL golf day will take place on September 2nd 2018 so get in touch with Richard Bell if you’d like to get involved and try and take Simon’s trophy.
Hotshot Simon Bell with his trophy
Simon Bell 1 NEWS 04
RED-FLESH
APPLE PLANTINGS
RAMP-UP After the first red-flesh apples hit the shops last year, WFL is delighted to announce that it is planting 50,000 new Kissabel® trees before the end of 2020.
Ifored was set up in 2012 and is a global consortium of 14 leading apple producers from five continents with the aim of developing and commercialising a range of innovative, completely natural, red-flesh apples that are astonishing in both appearance and taste.
A total of 2,500 trees, made up of two varieties, will be planted this winter on Jeremey Linsell’s farm in Suffolk. The first fruit for commercial sale from this planting will be available in 2020.
The project has been 20 years in the making with research being conducted using natural methods by French breeder IFO, where wild red-flesh apples were crossed with other varieties.
In 2018 and 2019 there will be small quantities of fruit from two pilot plantings and WFL will also have access to fruit being grown by their global partners within the Ifored consortium.
Ifored held the market launch for the first three new redfleshed apple varieties at Fruit Attraction in October 2016 and last year launched the brand Kissabel®, which the new varieties now sit under. Pre-commercial plantings of the new varieties took place in Europe in the spring of 2016, with the first harvest taking place in the autumn of 2017. Further commercial plantings around the world will follow in 2018 with additional red and pink-flesh apples of various skin colours also being assessed for future commercial production.
The Ifored team “It’s been a pleasure for WFL to be involved in this project which perfectly encapsulates the desire and innovation driving the global apple sector. These new varieties can’t help but excite the eyes and create conversation so we’re confident they will attract and retain the next generation of consumers due to their multisensory characteristics.”
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“We released a small quantity of the apples to M&S and Waitrose last year. The varieties within the Kissabel® Orange and Juane seem to grow best in the UK so we plan to concentrate our efforts and plant varieties from these two categories to begin with. The quality and appearance of the fruit is so outstanding, we are confident they will become a regular sight in supermarkets and a consumer favourite over the next 5 years and beyond.” — Tony Harding, Technical Director at WFL
05 SPECIAL FEATURE
The first three Kissabel® red-flesh apples were made available last year and sold by M&S and Waitrose. Under the Kissabel® brand there will be three sub brands where there will be a selection of varieties that can be grown by the consortium partners. ® ouge R l e b a Kiss d skin. a bright re
ith red flesh w isp flavour that is cr an intense h hints of berries. t enriched wi
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pink-red flesh with or a sensational sweet- ange skin. tart balance.
® JAUNE l e b a s Kis
s sweet yellow skin that reveal nuances. flesh with delicate pink SPECIAL FEATURE 06
MEASURING WATER
SCARCITY RISK IN
OUR SUPPLY BASE By Kirsten Barney
WFL are in the process of creating a supplier environmental performance scorecard which will allow each supplier to be scored against several factors to determine how their business affects and reacts to the environment. We identified water as a prominent factor within this, given that it is one of the most immediate environmental, social and economic challenges of the coming decades that we face in the food sector. Water issues are complex and defy simple measurement and technical solutions, therefore we felt it was important to engage with our suppliers to establish the on-ground realities with an aim to better understand how growers measure and determine water scarcity risk, as well as manage it.
Almost 70% of the suppliers we contacted replied, giving us feedback on over 6,500 hectares; many with very detailed answers, providing valuable information. We have been able to collate this data into excel and compare water risk ratings by country as well as regions, and between different suppliers. After having successfully gained knowledge and opinions of on-ground realities, WFL visited Cranfield University to speak to Professor Tim Hess to share the project so far. This gave us an opportunity to identify possible next steps and an insight into how we can best use the information that we’ve gathered.
We contacted our biggest strategic suppliers in Argentina, Chile, Israel, New Zealand, Peru and South Africa. Each supplier recieved a water risk table with their top 10 growers by hectarage listed. They were asked to engage with these growers to give a water risk rating from ‘1 – criticial risk’ to ‘5 – sure of no risk’. As well as this we sent a questionnaire for each grower to complete which covered water collection, water storage, water usage, irrigation, and scheduling. Questions were worded with the aim to not only gain information on current practices but also how practices have changed recently and are likely to do so in the future. We were keen to gain opinions of the practices used and the need for change, as well as the factors regarded as limitations by growers.
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Theewaterskloof dam in Grabouw 07 BEHIND THE SCENES
NEW SHELF LIFE ROOM By Jason Winter You may have noticed the new shelf life room to the side of store 5. This is the culmination of a couple of projects where we have looked into our shelf life process as a whole and looked to remove waste and improve efficiency where necessary. The three areas we looked at were the facility itself, the tools used for recording and reporting data as well as a review of the resource carrying out the process.
New Facility
The new f
acility
So why do we need to move the shelf life room from its current location? 1. Increase in business means we did not have enough space for all samples required to be kept. 2. Currently samples are stored in several locations around the site. 3. Current facility does not allow for adequate temperature control for mimicking store and home life properly. 4. The stonefruit business requires a permanent “rot box� for accelerated ripening trials. Based on the points above it was decided that we needed to build a new shelf life facility that could meet these demands.
What does the new facility offer? 1. A rot box facility that can hold just over 180 boxes at a time and that will allow us to carry out accelerated ripening trials of not only stonefruit but also apples, pears and avocados as and when required. 2. The room will allow control of both humidity and temperature levels. 3. Increased chilled shelf life capacity, meaning we can store all chilled samples in one location, reducing the time wasted moving samples around the site.
New Reporting Tools Currently our shelf life data capture and reporting is carried out via an excel spreadsheet. Data entry is time consuming as is reporting and trending of data. To this end, we have started using the same Green Light Quality Control system that we are using across other parts of the Business (QC Intake and Online Assessments) for QC data capture and reporting. This will not only allow quicker and more accurate data entry and reporting but will also allow us to bring all of our QC reporting under one system.
New Shelf Life QC Role We also reviewed the roles of the team carrying out the shelf life process and it became apparent quite quickly that there was very little ownership over the process and reporting of data. The new role will be Monday-Friday and will allow for more consistency of data entry, reporting of issues and management of the shelf life process as a whole. When these improvements are brought together it should give us the ability to be more dynamic in how we manage shelf life allowing us to extend life when the fruit is good and reduce life when needed using well rounded data to do so. It will also give us a showcase facility we can use for reviewing shelf life with our suppliers and customers when they are on site.
BEHIND THE SCENES  08
WORKING TOGETHER TO MAKE A POSITIVE
DIFFERENCE
5 0 0 2 e c n i S
I was so pleased that, having worked with me on a project in her previous company, Trish McCarron asked me to work with her in 2005 to enable WFL Managers and Team Leaders to develop their skills. Having been a Management Consultant for a number of years this was my first project in the fresh produce sector so it was really interesting to learn more about the industry and challenges that are faced on a daily basis.
By Rachel Blackburn Founder & Director of US2U Consulting Ltd
Since 2005, it has been great for my team and I to work with a wide range of colleagues at WFL to deliver the Management Development Programmes and other projects so that so many talented people have had a chance to learn and share best practice as WFL has continued to evolve as a vibrant, dynamic business.
Some of the highlights since 2005 • Delivering tailor-made Senior Management and Team Leaders Training Programmes. • Celebrating WFL achievement of the Investors in People Bronze Award. • The donation of a WFL fruit box as an auction prize as US2U Consulting raised money for Macmillan Cancer Support Charity. • Working with the Executive Team on their development and delivering a Presentation Skills Programme for a range of staff. • Supporting Senior Managers through 1:1 Coaching. • Introducing 360 Degree Feedback for the Executive Team and Senior Managers. • Working with the Your Voice Representatives to develop the framework and produce a film to strengthen employee relations.
• Producing the Field to Fork Avocado film in 2014. • Attending the opening of the new cold store facility. • WFL hosting a visit for Saudi Aramco to show a good example of a business that was using a range of different tools and techniques to transform into a dynamic, customer focussed business. • Producing the Equal Opportunities film • The introduction of the Buddy Programme to support new employees across the business. • Implementing Mental Health and Stress Awareness Training for Managers to create more understanding of a sensitive subject which can be a challenge to manage appropriately. • The introduction of the new Management Principles which set the WFL standard for important behaviours to engage with team members and drive the business forward.
And so the journey continues to support Continuous Improvement in line with the new Direction of Travel objectives.
Investors in Trish and RacheelAward 2006 People Bronz 09 BEHIND THE SCENES
Saudi Ara
mco visit to
Spalding
2015 Rachel & Steve Maxwell at the Cold Store Opening 2014
Mark Eve greenhousrett and Rachel in e in Spai n in 2014the
WILD FLOWER IDEAS PROVIDES
BIG REWARD
A typical
Simon explains
“sterile” D
utch orcha
rd
A few years ago Megan McKerchar, who works in the Waitrose Team, undertook a study about pollination in top fruit orchards with the aim of identifying beneficial insects, monitoring populations at key times of the year, and ascertaining the environments and food sources they prefer.
“When I arrived at the farm he said he was particularly happy to see me (which rarely happens) and had a surprise to show me (which never happens). I was intrigued to say the least! He then showed me a machine that he had made to cultivate a 30cm-wide strip of ground, plant the seeds of 12 different wild flowers, and then cover them over again, all in one pass.”
The aim was to find out how the orchard environment can be manipulated to increase their numbers. More pollinators doesn’t just give more fruit, but they also give better fruit and can help with the control of pests without using chemicals.
“I was gobsmacked. Based on a conversation we had over a coffee and a few mails exchanged about Megan’s project, here I stood in front of a machine that had been designed and made to help increase his quality and yields. He gave a demonstration of the machine, which he had only just finished building, and it was very impressive and did exactly what he wanted. He had also received interest from several other growers and had plans to do the same in their orchards.”
Megan’s project was not only very comprehensive but also very user-friendly. Ultimately the most important recommendation was that growers should plant a mix of wild flowers in the grassed alleyways of the orchard to act as both shelter and a sustained food source for beneficial insects. At the beginning of last year WFL Technical Manager Simon Devanny was in Holland visiting Direct Fruit Services and specifically a top fruit grower called Johan De Ruiter, who also owns a company that makes farm machinery. Simon spent half a day with Johan completing a Waitrose Farm Assessment, which includes a section on biodiversity. The Dutch are very neat and tidy growers and as a result they have a fairly basic mix of pollinating insects. After running through Megan’s project with Johan it was agreed that Simon would send him some further details. Fast forward to spring last year and when Simon arrived in Holland he was shocked at what Johan had to say.
“It’s not often we see results like this but when we do it is very humbling, and reminds us why all the hard work by people like Megan is so important, not only to our business but to our partners’ too.”
ild t e r t h e wwn f a d r a h T h e o r cr s h a v e b e e n s o flowe
Simon wi th the machi Johan De Ruiter ne he com missionedand
BEHIND THE SCENES 10
JOINT VENTURE
WITH EUROBERRY S ee s W FL M ov e In to S of t Fr u it
WFL is delighted to announce an exciting new project in the soft fruit category after facilitating the supply of blueberries into M&S from Euroberry. A joint venture between blueberry growers from Spain, Atlantic Blue SL, and the world’s biggest producer called Hortifrut SA from Chile, Euroberry began in 2003 with the aim of supplying and commercialising berries in Europe all year round. In addition to being able to supply the finest quality fruit 52 weeks of the year, Euroberry also own and market their own exclusive varieties, namely the highly-acclaimed Rocio and Corona. Supply into the retailer via WFL began in April with the M&S team visiting Euroberry in Spain before the successful trial period finished at the end of June. Re-supply will start again in October when the Southern Hemisphere season kicks off.
Blueberr
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The news follows WFL’s recent move into the stone fruit category and highlights another area where the company is using LEAN principles to maximise efficiency, generate product stretch and drive growth. With berries continuing to see strong demand from consumers, especially the health conscious, WFL will initially concentrate on supplying blueberries outside of the UK season but will also look at other soft fruits such as blackberries.
D an ny Fr an ci s, w ho ha s be en ov er se ei ng th is ne w pr oj ec t, co m m en ts “Just like with the stone fruit, we’re looking to put all the blocks in place and build legitimacy as a soft fruit option for retailers. We have incredible experience in handling, ripening, packaging, supplying and marketing fruit so soft fruit is another area where we believe we can add value. It’s early days but incredibly exciting to be working with Euroberry as we get this project off the ground.”
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11 BEHIND THE SCENES
ested
arv ot be h
INVESTING
IN OUR PEOPLE TOGETHER By Steve Maxwell
One of our core values is TOGETHER and with this in mind WFL has made a major investment this spring with all people managers attending a Mental Health & Stress Awareness course. Some people can be a bit wary of this subject and we understand that but we can all agree that it’s certainly a topic that is becoming far more visible in the news. The fact is that, we can all suffer from poor mental health, or stress, at different times in our lives. It’s not always just work that’s the cause of the problem, usually there’s a build-up with issues out of work as well. Latest statistics say that mental health issues and stress are costing UK businesses £33-£42 billion per annum, therefore there’s a strong business case to look at this. But it’s not just that. As a great company to work for, we want to look after, and retain our staff. So mental health will be rising up our agenda, and if anyone wishes to discuss this further, please let your line manager or the HR department know. To be an even better business we need to support people when they join and when they go through difficult times. TOGETHER – I’m sure you’ll all agree.
THE BUDDY SCHEME The Buddy Scheme is also important to us and we’ve trained more Buddies during May and given some of our existing Buddies a refresher. This scheme was introduced to help new people settle into the business. Our business is complex and becoming more so as we add to our product range and work on joint ventures with others. Sometimes we slip into jargon, or use language which takes a bit of getting used to and this can be confusing if you’re new. As with most new schemes, we’ve now reviewed the Buddy Scheme and improved it. I would ask you to support this scheme wherever you can; line managers by giving those involved time to take part, and colleagues by understanding new staff need time to meet their Buddies.
if a n this yone w line furthe ishes t o r depa manag , plea discu s ss e e rtm ent r or t let yo he H kno ur R w.
SUPPORT BEHIND THE SCENES 12
By Katrina Moore J.S. BU Technical Manager I landed in a small airport in northern France ready to meet our French suppliers. I had the questions formulating in my head with the objectives… ‘do they have the skill and capability for packing at source?’ and ‘do they have the technical requirements set by WFL and in this instance Sainsbury’s?’ With a short time spent at each supplier it is very important that it is used wisely so I created a supplier audit template to guide and focus on the technical aspects. The most important aspect was to make sure our suppliers met the high standards we set for ourselves and that the fruit is handled in the best possible way. For all technical people our main (and most important) aim is that the fruit the customer ’receives is one, safe to eat, and two, of a good eating quality standard as set by our customer. I met the team to understand their history and then looked at their HACCP systems. Once I had established the process and got to know their quality management systems I could make a start. I began in the orchard looking at glorious Pink Lady™ apples about to be picked, following them to the grading area where they are separated for size, colour and defects, and then into the cold store before moving onto the packhouse. The bulk bins are then tipped into water tanks where the apples float to the lines to be individually checked and packed into boxes. They are then QC checked and pallatised and ready to be sent out on the road to Spalding.
Apples fl oa individuat to the lines to be lly checke d A technical audit was conducted at each site to the same standard to assess their packing at source capabilities which included HACCP, team structures, quality management systems, GMP, food safety systems, labelling and packaging controls, quality standards and ethical requirements. A league table broken down into three areas, food safety, food quality and ethical, is used to score and assess each pack site. They are scored against the same criteria to create an overall score and ranked list. This has now been used for other countries and suppliers audited as a standard to score against. Travelling from the north to the south I visited four suppliers in four days travelling 650km across France. There were varying standards viewed at the different suppliers with different levels of focus on food safety and quality understanding, which showed both big and small suppliers need a little more guidance on process controls. The objectives of the trip were fully covered and clear leaders of the technical standards and packing at source capabilities were identified.
Overall, a successful trip. Au revoir! eing b e r o bef he road d e k c e ch sent on t C Q s Apple atised and pall 13 BEHIND THE SCENES
BACK AND FORTH with Martyn and Mel Clare
The Martyn and Mel love story first began 18 years ago after they met through a mutual friend on a night out. After buying their first home together in 2002, sons Connor and Brandon soon followed before the big marriage in 2015. Often spotted in Spalding’s many watering holes, Martyn joined WFL in 2012 will Mel following in 2014, working with the warehouse team before moving into the logistics office.
Q: Favourite hobbies? MARTYN I love all sports but football has to be my favourite, whether it’s watching Spalding United or my children play. One plays for Holbeach United and the other for Spalding United youth team so plenty of football to see. MEL As well as watching our kids play football like Martyn, I also like to attend weight classes at the gym and enjoy cycling around Rutland water.
Q: Favourite food? MARTYN My favourite cuisine has to be Indian and it would have to be a Chicken Dhansak. Anyone who knows me well would know I’d choose chicken. MEL Again we agree on something! My favourite cuisine is also Indian, especially from the Moonlight Tandoori in Looe, Cornwall.
Q: Best holiday? MARTYN This is a hard one as I’ve been lucky to have had many great family holidays but my last trip to Hurghada, Egypt, would be the first choice. It was a surprise for my 40th birthday by Mel and we both had an amazing time. How that didn’t manage to get out at work I’ll never know. MEL Yes I absolutely loved Hurghada too! Thanks for keeping it quiet at work.
Q: Favourite films? MARTYN I think I would have to say Con-Air, Face Off and Gone in 60 seconds. MEL A little different to Martyn as I would choose Annie. I rented it out weekly as a child and now own the DVD. I even watched it at the West End Theatre last year.
Martyn and
Mel Clare
Q: Actor/actress who would play you in a film? MARTYN Well, being a fan of most of his films I would have to say Nicolas Cage. MEL Julia Roberts. Serious when needed but also has a wild side.
Q: Tell us something people may not know about you? MARTYN I once passed a football referee course many years ago. Watch out Simon Bell! MEL When I was a toddler I very nearly drowned in the neighbour’s swimming pool next door. Had it not been for my mum hearing a splash and looking out of the window I would not be here now!
Q: Worst habit? MARTYN I have to say no bad habits. Ok, maybe a couple. Grinding teeth while sleeping and smoking. MEL Where do I start! Hogging the TV remote, playing games on his phone, never finishing a job that he starts. The list goes on but the number one bad habit is saying, “yeah I’ll sort it”, and a week later it’s still not done!
Q: First song or album you bought?
Q: Favourite fruit?
MARTYN Michael Jackson’s Dangerous is the first album I can remember getting my hands on and what a classic it is!
MARTYN I don’t get paid to say JAZZ™ Apples but they’ve got to be my number one! Behind JAZZ™ it would be grapes!
MEL Oh dear, Jason Donovan and Kylie Minogue – Especially for You. I’m a massive Neighbours fan.
MEL It would have to be passionfruit for me.
PEOPLE 14
OUR MANH e n r y
n e t s n o IN ITALY C By Keith Butterworth
Henry moved from Belgium to Italy in 1984 but started his employment for WFL in 1993 following a joint venture between the company and Pomona, his previous employer. Over time the role Henry has undertaken is to manage WFL’s grower relationships in the Tyrol (VOG apples) Emilia Romagna (Fruit Modena pears) and Pied Mont (apples) using fairness as his principle for negotiation. WFL have applied the continual improvement principle in Italy as at the beginning of the relationship Henry did encounter a few issues. Once when exporting artichokes from Naples to France he found the fruit to be underweight. However, before he could put in a claim for the fruit he was told that the artichoke grower was also the head of the local mafia. The claim was declined rather than run the risk of retribution. Having moved on from that early experience, Henry now has responsibility for visiting the packhouses each week during the season to ensure the fruit quality meets WFL’s specifications. He also helps WFL’s technical and ethical teams with the challenging task of getting the growers to comply with our required standards. Last year WFL imported 105 lorries of apples and 52 lorries of pears from Italy valued at £3.6m with packing taking place from September to May.
nsten
Henry Co
15 PEOPLE
WFL have sourced Green William pears from Fruit Modena for over 30 years and over time the quality of the fruit and relationship has improved significantly. WFL now agrees the seasonal programme before harvest so that Fruit Modena can store and select the correct raw material for WFL in dynamically controlled atmosphere storage. The packing programme is then sent over one week in advance so that Henry can visit to see the production taking place and inspect the fruit. As a result of the above planning and storage, WFL have ripened the fruit this season and only removed 2.9% defective fruit. At VOG, WFL have a more diverse range of apples which are both conventional and organic covering Pink Lady™, JAZZ™, Royal Gala, Braeburn, Granny Smith, Red Delicious, Kanzi™, Envy and Modi. VOG are the largest apple producers in Europe with total production of 600k tonnes, which can be put in to context when you consider the whole UK crop is 150k tonnes. The packing programme is sent over one week in advance so that VOG can plan the packing across the eight packhouses and Henry can visit to inspect the fruit. Typically throughout the season Henry will be visiting VOG three days a week to discuss price structure, fruit quality and packing programmes. This has been recently highlighted with the first flow wrapping at source of Pink Lady™’s for M&S in Europe which Henry played an active part in organising. This resulted in VOG being awarded a prize at the recent business update in Berlin.
MEET THE
GROWER S e b a s ti á n Bulnes
Sebastian at the project in PerOlmos u m the o r f t i u first fr ru in 2018 s t i d e v i e e WFL rec ct in Olmos P proje
With the Chilean avocado season due to the start in August and deliveries expected to the UK in time for September, this month we doth our caps to Santiago’s greatest grower Sebastián Bulnes. Sebastián has been in the avocado business since 2004 after spending three years in the US studying an MBA, although his father planted the first avocados in Chile in 1990 and helped pioneer the industry in the country. Sebastián now has 3,000 hectares of the best land for avocados and citrus fruit in Latin America, with 2,000 hectares in the Aconcagua Valley in Chile and 1,000 hectares in Olmos, Peru, in a relatively new development. Sebastián’s goal is to deliver the best quality avocados to his customers year round which is why he takes extra special care of his crop and carefully selects the places that allow him to grow the best fruit. Aside from producing excellent quality fruit for WFL, Sebastian is happily married and when he’s not kept busy with his five children (3 boys and 2 girls) he enjoys playing and watching polo and football.
Bees help wit h the of the crop in pollination Chile
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New high density planti ng on th of the mountains in Chil e slopes e
PEOPLE 16
OUTSIDE THE
WFL FRUIT BOWL With Thade Harms Ethical Trading Administrator
Q: What is the best thing/place/person you have ever photographed and why? The best place I have ever been to for taking photographs is the Scottish Highlands. I love doing landscapes and there is just so much to capture there. In many places the Highlands are rugged, raw and dramatic which makes it tremendous fun to go there and shoot. In other places it can be difficult to find the right location for a good shot but in the Highlands you can just go out, start wandering around and you’re almost guaranteed to get some good pictures.
Q: Is there one thing/place/person you would love to photograph in the future? Q: When did your love of photography start and what inspired you to get into it? Back at school I was always pretty terrible in art classes. I have a distinct lack of dexterity regarding anything to do with arts and craft and my best piece of art from school would probably have been mistaken for something that a 7-year-old produced (to be honest I am actually still stuck at that level). However, at university I came across a photography channel on YouTube and realised that I could actually use photography as a creative device and that there is more to it than taking a couple of snapshots in a nice place. Once I started trying photography I found that you can use light, perspective and colours to create pictures that tell a story instead of just capturing a moment.
Q: Is it more of a hobby or do you do it to make money? It is definitely only a hobby! If I wanted to make money with it I would have to take the photos that the client wants rather than the photos that I like. And for me that would take the fun out of it. On top of that, I prefer taking photos of landscapes and nature and to make money as a photographer you usually have to focus on events and portraits.
Sister
17 PEOPLE
I would love to go to the Alps or the Rocky Mountains. I like the breathtaking beauty of mountains and I find they have the tendency to make humans aware of how small we are and help one put things into perspective. Also, I grew up in an area of Germany so flat that the highest elevation is the top of the area’s landfill site, so maybe that has something to do with it.
Q: Is it an expensive hobby to do? Camera costs etc? It is as expensive as you want it to be. One can easily spend £1,000s or more on lenses, equipment, etc. On the other hand, mobile phone cameras these days are so high quality that most people today already have a piece of equipment in their pockets that photographers ten years ago could only have dreamed about. How much it costs is really completely up to the individual and what kind of photography they want to do.
Q: What tips would you give to any people wanting to start? Buy a beginner’s guide to photography and start off with your phone camera. The guide will help you to learn how to frame subjects, to be aware of lighting, and will quickly help you to improve your photos. That way you can try out if you like photography as a hobby and if you do you can still upgrade to a fancier camera.
SCotland
Lion
Method: Mix all the marinade ingredients into a small bowl. Cut the tofu into cubes and place in to a large bowl and pour over the marinade. Cover with a plate and let it marinate for 2-3 hours or even better overnight if you can. Assemble the skewers by alternating the vegetables and JAZZ™ Apple with the tofu. You should have some marinade left at the bottom of the bowl. Brush it all over the skewers, making sure all the vegetables are coated. Cook the skewers on the BBQ for about 5-6 minutes each side or until the vegetables are cooked.
™ JAZZ
For the marinade: 1 tbsp of Tamari sauce 1 tsp of Miso Paste 1 tsp of Maple Syrup The juice of 1/2 Lemon 1/2 tbsp of Sesame Seed Oil
With UK consumers cutting down on their meat intake, the famous British barbecue can present a problem to those who have never made one without meat. Here is a fab recipe created by the Happy Skin Kitchen to save the day this summer and we guarantee that with the miso and tamari marinade adding so much flavour and a lovely smokiness, you won’t miss the meat.
& u f o T k e S wers e ppl A
Ingredients: 300g of Tofu 1 JAZZ™ Apple 2 Red Onions cut into small quarters 1 Red Pepper deseeded and cut into pieces
RECIPE 18
Competition£50
WIN A
SUPERM
VOUCHAERKET
Answer the question below correctly and you could win a £50 supermarket voucher. Email your answers to comp@worldwidefruit.co.uk by 31st August 2018 and one lucky winner will be picked in early September.
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Who did JAZZ™ Apple pip to fifth place in the UK apple rankings? A) BrAEburn B) Cox C) Royal Gala ANSWER TO EMAIL YOUR .CO.UK DWIDEFRUIT RL COMP@WO
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Congratu lat to the win ions ne last comp r of our etition w ho was Paul ina Kondr acka
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SUDOKU Solve the puzzle by logic and reasoning alone, there is no maths involved. Complete the grid so that every row, column and every 3 x 3 box contains the digits 1 to 9.
Worldwide Fruit Kent Acorn House, Unit 68-69,John Wilson Business Park, Harvey Drive, Chestfield, Whitstable, Kent CT5 3QT
Worldwide Fruit Spalding Apple Way, Wardentree Lane, Pinchbeck, Lincolnshire, PE11 3BB Tel: +44 (0) 1775 717000