Member Article

Head of Technical at Lincolnshire ingredients supplier given role at Food Industry Intelligence Network

Gary Ridgewell, Head of Technical at Lincolnshire-based ingredients supplier Sleaford Quality Foods, has taken a position sitting on the Technical Steering Group for the influential Food Industry Intelligence Network (FiiN).

FiiN helps to ensure the integrity of food supply chains and protect the interests of the consumer through its member companies. It has been set up to address the recommendations made within ‘The Elliot Report’ for the food industry to establish a “safe haven” to collect, collate, analyse and disseminate information and intelligence.

Gary said: “As part of my time on the Technical Steering Group (TSG) for FiiN, I hope, along with my colleagues on the TSG, to play a vital role in distilling insights from our members’ submitted authenticity testing data and other external data sources relevant to food authenticity and food fraud.”

Gary will now be supporting the TSG in proposing responses to potential food authenticity and food fraud risks as guidance to the FiiN membership.

The TSG also publish recommendations to members on a quarterly basis, as well as pull together ad hoc specialist groups, draft external experts and advise members on testing programmes and recommend changes, upgrades or improvements to data submission formats to improve effectiveness and insight for FiiN members.

Gary has worked in the Herb and Spice sector for 20 years and is also an active member of the technical committees for both the UK Seasoning & Spice association (SSA) and the European Spice Association (ESA). He was worked at Sleaford Quality Foods for nearly five years, first as a Technical Supply Manager, before being promoted to Head of Technical.

James Arnold, Managing Director of Sleaford Quality Foods, said: “FiiN could not have chosen a more qualified steering group member than Gary. He has proven time and time again that his 20 years of experience along with his technical and quality credentials are second-to-none and he will undoubtedly prove a powerful and valuable voice as the food industry looks to ensure the integrity of its food supply chains.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Laura Jones .