FARMING
The common ingredient in annual reports
At the risk of scaring off all but themasochistic readers, Brexit features in the annual reports from Gloucestershire businesses concerned with the food and drink sector. Most recently a significant Cotswold business whose tentacles reach into almost every corner of the food and drink sector made its feelings known on the impact of the protracted extraction of the UK from the EU. Board members of the £23 million turnover company come from some of the nation’s biggest food and beverage-related businesses. Senior figures from Kraft Heinz, Tesco, AB Inbev, Warburtons, Nelstrops sit on its board - to name but a few. It has “a close relationship with over 2,500 member companies (in 80 countries), through 1,535 membership accounts” and its aim is “to be seen as the partner of choice for the food and drink industry”. That company, Campden BRI, which celebrates 100 years in business this year, exists to provide practical scientific, technical, regulatory and information support – to help businesses in the food and beverage sector “succeed”. “The uncertainty created by Brexit made 2018 a very
unpredictable and challenging year,” said the Cotswold- based firm’s annual report for the year to the end of December 2018, signed off by Campden BRI chairman Alec Kyriakides. Mr Kyriakides is also head of product quality, safety and suppliers performance at Sainsbury's Supermarket's Ltd. “The government has focused on food supply for a number of potential scenarios. Consequently, there has been less effort into the funding of R&D (research and development). Income from UK government departments/agencies now accounts for just over three per cent of the group's income. “Alongside this, the uncertainty has affected confidence of the industry to invest. This is compounded by a valuation of the British pound which has led to increased costs by the UK industry. Despite this, the work funded commercially has increased in value by almost two per cent,” said Mr Kyriakides. He added: “Campden BRI has actively reduced its reliance on UK government funding, as they continue to face budget challenges and increased uncertainty. Although tenders are reviewed for appropriateness income is derived mainly from membership feeds (16
Pull yourself together - have you brought your charity jigsawyet?
112 | July 2019 | www. punchline-gloucester .com
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