Cost of living vs health-conscious consumers.
The global food industry finds itself in the midst of a battle. A battle that sees sustainability at the forefront and in many more ways than one.
The rise in global costs is having varying effects on the markets within consumer & retail. Within the food industry it brings it’s own unique challenges forcing shoppers to reassess their own personal balance between cost, environmental impact, origin, fresh vs frozen, nutrition, as well as where & when to shop. High inflation in the UK & Europe is driving more budget friendly product development, positioning and packaging design, with the US market showing signs of following suit, however at a smaller scale due to considerably lower inflation.
As a result, we’re successfully delivering more reactive and fast paced talent campaigns, with our clients looking to commission and complete projects within reduced timeframes, across all functions. For example, a UK Food Group briefed us on an urgent need for an NPD Technologist. As specialists, we presented a candidate from our network for interview and managed through to acceptance just 6 days after receiving the brief.
Our food practice have added further PSL agreements for three major UK food manufacturers, with a large number of roles available throughout Q3 and Q4 of 2023, including Engineering, Supply Chain, HR, Finance, Procurement, and Commercial. We have also been retained on a range of Executive roles with existing clients based in the UK and Europe, with headhunts ongoing.
The Commercial arm of our dedicated Food team is working with a number of high-growth SME’s, with a particular focus on building international sales teams to break into new territories. Our Finance specialists have also reported strong growth in their markets, supporting a number of new clients with multi-role team expansion and targeted market maps.
Many of the world’s major food groups have also continued to develop their long-term sustainability and environmental initiatives, including Nestle, Del Monte, and General Mills who aim to be net-zero by 2050 as well as PepsiCo and JBS by 2040.
At MacGregor Black, our global Food practice attended the Retail Supply Chain & Logistics Expo in London, consulting with a number of emerging brands in the market. In April, a selection of our dedicated team attended the Food & Drink Expo at the NEC Birmingham, to support a number of clients with upcoming projects, discuss future vacancies, and offer advice.
If you’d like to discuss our support on a current or future role, or are looking for your next career move, get in touch with our dedicated Food Practice today via hello@macgregorblack.com or by calling +44 (0)191 691 1949