2025
We were delighted to welcome our keynote speaker John Shropshire, OBE Chairman of G’s Group and our panel.
Keynote speaker Mr John Shropshire OBE Chairman of G’s Group discussed ‘Preparing to farm for 2040, with success’
At the 24th City Food & Drink Lecture on March 11th, key note speaker John Shropshire presented his thoughts to 650+ leaders in the food and drink industry on ‘Preparing to farm for 2040, with success’
John Shropshire, a Newcastle University graduate with a BSc Hons in Agriculture, entered the family farming and marketing business in 1976. He has led G’s to become one of Europe’s leading fresh produce companies, specialising in high-quality salads, vegetables, and value-added products across the UK, Spain, Central Europe, Senegal, and the USA. Today, the company generates an annual turnover of £720 million, supplies over 20 million packs of produce weekly, and employs approximately 9,500 people worldwide.
The following key topics were covered by John in his lecture then thoroughly debated by the panel and audience
● A vision for UK food production
● Succession and family farming
● Risk and entrepreneurship
● A common-sense approach to sustainability
● Insights from the Independent Labour Review and image of the industry
To view the highlights of CFDL 2025 including interviews, see here:
2025 Full Video
2025 Highlights Video
2024
Keynote speaker Mr Simon Roberts , CEO of Sainsbury’s addressed ‘good food needs a great food system’
At the 23rd City Food & Drink Lecture on March 11th, Keynote speaker and CEO of Sainsbury’s, Simon Roberts presented his thoughts to 600+ leaders in the food and drink industry on why good food is the result of a great food system.
Simon outlined four key priorities for the industry to collaborate on in order to build resilience of the UK’s food system amidst the growing and diverse risks, such as climate change. These priorities include:
- Policy: Implement accessible policies and funding to support farmers and producers, encouraging investment in technology for sustainable UK production.
- Partnership: Foster long-term partnerships between supermarkets, retailers, and producers, focusing on trust, value creation, and sustainable contracts.
- Sustainability: Collaborate across the industry to reduce environmental impact, particularly in addressing scope three emissions and implementing system-wide solutions.
- Customers: Educate and empower customers to make informed choices about sustainable food options, fostering resilience in the UK food system.
He emphasised the importance of harnessing collaboration, leveraging technology and new investments, as well as fostering long-term skills and capabilities development to create a future-proof food system. Simon also highlighted the significance of establishing a direct connection between consumers and the source of their food, to promote a more positive food culture and enable universal enjoyment of quality food.
Following the lecture, Simon was joined by an expert panel for an interactive Q&A session. This year’s panel consisted of NFU President Tom Bradshaw, the Food Foundation’s Executive Director Anna Taylor, and Dan Aherne, Global CEO of New England Seafood International. Chaired by Charlotte Smith, who is well known for her role as presenter on BBC1’s Countryfile and on Radio 4’s Farming Today, the lively debate focused on food policy, retail supply relationships, trade deals, and tackling the health crisis.
To access all the photographs taken by Phil McCarthy Photography during the Future Generation Forum afternoon session, the Lecture and buffet supper please see https://philmccarthyphotography.smugmug.com/CFDL-March-2024
2024 Full Video
2024 Highlights Video
2023
Sir Charles Godfray, Director of the Oxford Martin School and its Oxford Martin Programme on the Future of Food.
“The shifting challenges in building a just, healthy and sustainable food and drink system.”
Charles Godfray is an academic who has spent his career at Oxford University and Imperial College London. He is a population biologist who has conducted experimental and theoretical research in ecology, evolution and epidemiology. He has a particular interest in pest and disease-vector management, in particular biological control using the parasites of pests, and innovative genetic interventions to control mosquitoes.
His current position is as Director of the Oxford Martin School[1] at Oxford University which supports interdisciplinary research across all subjects to address the major challenges of the 21st century. He personally leads the School’s Future of Food[2] programme which brings together food system research from across the University. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society and in 2017 was knighted for contributions to science and science advice to government.
2023 Full Video
2023 Highlights Video
2022
Ash Amirahmadi, Managing Director of Arla Foods headlined the 21st City Food Lecture
‘Food’s Defining Decade: Finding a way to feed the world while protecting the planet’
Ash Amirahmadi said “I am honoured to be part of the City Food Lecture. It’s an incredibly well thought of event and one that I have admired for years. Having worked in the industry for over 20 years and having a passion for agriculture, food and sustainability.
After delivering his lecture, Ash then joined the panel discussion between James Lloyd -Jones Founder & CEO of Jones Food Co. Richard Clothier MD of Wyke Farms, Fraser McKevitt Head of Retail & Consumer Insight, Kantar and chaired by Charlotte Smith of BBC Radio 4’s Farming Today and BBC 1’s Countryfile.
To view the photographs, click here: https://philmccarthyphotography.smugmug.com/City-Food-Lecture-2022/
2022 Full Video
2022 Highlights Video
Archive
2021
Mel Smith
Chief Executive, Ocado Retail
Trust & Tech – Future of Food
See our short Highlights Video
2020
Professor Louise Fresco
President of the Executive Board of Wageningen University & Research,
Fish nor Flesh or Both? Foods for the future.
Professor Louise Fresco, President of the Executive Board of Wageningen University & Research, Europe’s leading academic agri-food organisation and research and development centre.
See our short Highlights Video
2019
Dominic Blakemore
Chief Executive, Compass Group
Trust & Tech – Future of Food
See our short Highlights Video
2018
Dave Lewis
Chief Executive, Tesco
Supplier Partnerships & The Future of Food
2017
Professor Chris Elliott
Queen’s University Belfast
Does it Matter Where Our Food Comes From?
Due to family circumstances, Professor Chris Elliot was sadly unable to deliver the Lecture. He was ably replaced by Michael Bell, Executive Director of NI Food & Drink Association who delivered it on his behalf.
2016
Christophe Jouan
Chief Executive, The Future Food Foundation
What, when and how will we be eating in 2025?
Our previous keynote speakers 2001 – 2015
| 2015 | Richard Evans President, PepsiCo | The responsiblity of the food industry for improving the Nation’s health |
| 2014 | Charles Wilson Chief Executive, Booker | Growth outside the supermarkets |
| 2013 | Paul Bulcke Chief Executive Officer, Nestle | Water – the linchpin of food security |
| 2012 | Justin King Chief Executive Officer, Sainsbury’s | UK Grocery Retailing – back to the future |
| 2011 | Paul Polman Director and Chief Executive Officer, Unilever | Food security in a changing climate |
| 2010 | Sir David King Director, Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment, University of Oxford | Managing the earths resources to deliver food for nine billion |
| 2009 | Sir Terry Leahy Chief Executive, Tesco | Consumers, competition and a changing world |
| 2008 | Lord Haskins Government advisor on food and farming | Are the Malthusian chickens coming home to roost |
| 2007 | Lord Peter Mechett Policy Director, Soil Association | Food and values – the organic future |
| 2005 | John Sunderland Chairman of Cadbury Schweppes | The role of food in public health |
| 2004 | Sir Francis Mackay Chairman of the Compass Group | Changing the menu |
| 2003 | Sir John Krebs Chairman of the Food Standards Agency | Protecting consumers in the future world market |
| 2002 | Niall Fitzgerald Chariman of Unilever | Facing the future – the UK food industry in a changing world |
| 2001 | Peter Blackburn Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Nestle | The UK food chain – making life better |
City Food & Drink Lecture 