SAVE THE DATE - 2026

JW MARRIOTT GROSVENOR HOUSE

Friday 25th SEPTEMBER

2026 JUDGES

The Fresh Awards 2026 judges are a dedicated team of individuals who are senior directors in a range of businesses from across the industry, providing a comprehensive representation of the FPC membership.

NIGEL</br>JENNEY

NIGEL
JENNEY

Nigel heads up the FPC executive team, providing strategic leadership to effect growth and increased membership. Nigel joined the Fresh Produce Consortium as Chief Executive in 2004.

ALAN</br>FORRESTER

ALAN
FORRESTER

Alan has been involved in the fresh food sector since leaving university. His experience spans produce multiple retail buying as well as instore management and he has worked in fresh produce and flower imports, growing, preparation and distribution…

MIKE</br>PARR

MIKE
PARR

Mike has worked in the perishable freight industry for over 33 years. He gained a wealth of experience working for a number of forwarding companies and, in October 2003, started his own company PML Ltd…

VERYAN</br>BLISS

VERYAN
BLISS

Veryan Bliss - an established leader in agricultural consultancy with an unwavering commitment to sustainability and Agritech.
Food Intelligence – Empowering Your Agribusiness Through Expert Consultation and Innovative Solutions. (food-intelligence.co.uk)

A respected name in the industry, Veryan has two decades of strategic leadership and advisory experience at board level, spanning multiple product categories with an emphasis on protected salads. With a storied career centered on fostering improvements in technical and commercial aspects, Veryan has consistently contributed to policy formulation, compliance assurance, promotion of change,and delivery of efficiencies. Among her significant achievements include serving as the Commercial Technical Director for Suncrop Produce Ltd, where she excelled in managing technical, environmental, and social governance aspects .As an active industry representative in several esteemed organisations, Veryan's experience spans from serving on the Red Tractor Fresh Produce Sector Board to the Waitrose Agronomy Group &Waitrose Farming Partnership Group. A long-standing Non-Executive Director for the Fresh Produce Consortium, she effectively addresses a spectrum of industry issues from EU plant health to food security.

Veryan’s roles in Agri Tech includes advising PES Technologies, consultant for SoilPoint Ltd/Kingston Companies, and mentor for the AgriTech accelerator programme at the University of Lincoln and Barclays Eagle labs.

MARTIN</br>PANTER

MARTIN
PANTER

Over the years Martin set up and ran a number of horticultural trading businesses specialising in the sale of flowers and plants.

In 2001 he formed the Zyon Group with a Dutch colleague. Based on the Westland clock auction in Holland the business has subsidiaries in Hungary and the UK…

RICHARD</br>THOMPSON

RICHARD
THOMPSON

Richard is a director of family company Gilbert Thompson (Leeds) Ltd, GT Produce Ltd, GT Flowers Ltd.

After university, and a stint as a computer analyst, Richard joined his family's wholesale business in 1999. Since then, the business has undergone several changes, including relocation to a private site, an MBO where Richard and his brother Daniel acquired the business from their father, and a major restructure…

DREW</br>REYNOLDS

DREW
REYNOLDS

Drew is the Technical, Sustainability and Health & Safety Director at Total Produce UK. Drew has a PhD in horticultural science and extensive experience in all aspects of the horticultural industry, including growing, management, acquisition, research, consultancy, prepared food and produce technology…

SIMON</br>TREWIN

SIMON
TREWIN

Having over 25 years experience in fresh produce, Simon’s early career was as a buyer with Tesco and then Safeway. He has had board director roles with Huntapac and SH Pratt Group before becoming Commercial Director at Compagnie Fruitiere UK in 2018. Latterly, Simon has worked to help develop businesses within the vertical farming sector . . . .

CHRIS</br>BAVIN

CHRIS
BAVIN

Fresh produce TV favourite Chris Bavin is officially back for the FPC Fresh Awards – this time as one of our 2026 judges, helping to spotlight the very best talent, businesses and breakthroughs across the UK’s fresh produce, cut flower and plant supply chain.

FPC FRESH AWARDS 2026