Meet the Team – Wholesale Business Unit
As part of our ongoing commitment to growth and innovation, we are excited to announce the recent expansion of our Wholesale Business Unit, a strategic move aimed at enhancing our portfolio, reach and service within the fresh produce industry. This expansion reflects our dedication in broadening our product portfolio, meeting the increasing demand for quality produce and strengthening our position as a key player in the market. To support this initiative, Fresh Hub Group (FHG) has appointed James Hancock, Jason Cooke and Lucien Jeffries as Commercial Managers within the Wholesale BU. Working alongside our experienced colleague Geoff White they bring extensive experience and a wealth of knowledge that will be instrumental in driving our vision forward. With these new team members onboard, we are also excited to introduce several new product categories to our offerings, including Salad, Vegetables, Grapes, Stone Fruit, Citrus, Melons, Top Fruit and Soft Fruit. Our goal is to create a dynamic, customer-focused Wholesale BU that not only meets but exceeds the expectations of our partners, ensuring that we deliver the freshest, highest-quality produce to markets across the UK. With these new team members onboard, we are confident that our Wholesale BU will set new standards in the industry and open up exciting opportunities for growth and collaboration. How I got to be… James Hancock, Commercial Manager, Wholesale Business Unit An interview with one of Fresh Hub Group’s wholesale business unit team, James Hancock Job title: Commercial Manager Years of experience: 7 Places you have worked before: Poupart Imports, Dole UK Favourite all-time fruit: Lychee – they’re super sweet and they can last in the fruit bowl! What do you have to take to a meeting: My phone (on silent) – so useful to look up information, add peoples’ contact details and to take notes. 1. What did you want to be when you grew up? I had no idea! All I wanted to do was travel and meet people in whatever I did. 2. Why did you decide to go for a career in food & drink? I spent a year working in consultancy – and it made me realise I wanted to do something tangible – working with real products, that people use every day. 3. Describe your job in one or two sentences. We import trucks and containers of fruit from all over the world and sell to the non-retail and non – processing sectors. This can be wholesale markets, service providers, caterers – anyone 4. What does a typical day look like for you? We start work between 6.30 and 6.45 – the fruit team will have a quick call to catch up and decide sales strategy for the day. After that we will spend the morning calling customers, sending out offers and selling what we can. The afternoon tends to be dealing with paperwork and liaising with suppliers about upcoming arrivals as well as chasing prospects. We normally finish between 4.30 and 5.30. 5. If you could go back in time and give your younger self career advice, what would you say? Worry less about what you ‘should’ be doing – spend your time meeting people and following up on those connections that you find meaningful. 6. What is your favourite project you’ve worked on in your career so far, and why? I worked on developing a mobile app for customers to see a live stock of products – it was great to follow that process all the way through and be able to see the end result. 7. If you could work in any other industry, regardless of qualifications or experience, which one would it be and why? Hospitality – I’d love to run a hotel on an island somewhere 8. What made you apply to be a (job role) at Fresh Hub Group? The company has great ambition on where it wants to get to, and I was – and still am – very excited to be a part of getting it there. 9. What’s the most rewarding part of working in the fresh produce sector? Every day is different, there’s always a new challenge – the industry changes year by year and day by day. 10. What is your motto in life? If you’re happy with your decision day 1 – be happy day 2, don’t let hindsight drag you down. 11. If you could pick a celebrity to join your team who would it be and why? Joe Pesci – he seems like he’d be an amazing salesman and good for a laugh. 12. What luxury would you have on your desert island? My phone – I might be able to sell some coconuts! Curious about our Wholesale Business Unit? Have questions? Contact us today!
Fresh Hub Group unveils new look
UK and European based fresh produce business has rebranded to better reflect its group structure, enhance awareness and improve the outward communication of its key messages. Originally founded as Parallel UK in 2009, the business has grown into a recognised industry player in the supply of grapes, citrus, avocados and berries among other fresh produce categories. It has established a reputation for delivering exceptional quality fruit produced through its grower shareholder ownership, with a strong commitment to serving key industry sectors with best-in-class supply. The rebrand focuses on evolving the original logo and developing compelling messages for the business and its sector-dedicated companies. The eye-catching corporate identity is being applied to various assets, including business signage and communication initiatives. Additionally, the website has also undergone a refresh from both a design and content perspective. Commenting on the refresh, Managing director Rob Landymore, “We have a focused objective to grow the business in the coming years. The rebrand was essential to deliver a compelling identity that aligns with our ambition for clearer positioning and recognition in the fresh produce sector. We aim to raise awareness of our established expertise as a forward thinking, sector-dedicated, grower-owned business with a clear track record in responsible environmental and community stewardship. The positioning has been well received internally, with the team acknowledging it as a solid step in securing a strong future for the Fresh Hub Group.” Fresh Hub Group continue to grow in the fresh produce market thanks to their sector dedicated approach and their continued focus on varietal, quality and innovative solutions. This enables the business to provide customers with fresh produce that their consumers will want to come back and buy time and time again. Earlier in the year Commercial Director of Fresh Hub Group, John-Paul Burton commented on the success of the business; “The key drivers of our sales growth this year include the continued success of Tango citrus which has recorded another year of really strong growth, as well as increased consumer demand for our speciality grapes which have seen continued market growth as their exciting flavour messaging chimes with consumers”.