The impeccably coiffured Elizabeth Edwards, UK marketing manager of Twinings tea, caused rather a frisson at the first Food and Drink Federation organic forum last week, reports a colleague. Her confession she was feeling "rather delicate" after a night on the tiles at the tea trades dinner the night before caused much comment from the floor. The Soil Association's chief executive Jack Slatter growled: "So it wasn't tea she was drinking." "G and T," riposted new certification md David Peace, as Edwards launched into her laquered presentation. Too bad for Cafe Fresh founder Chantelle Ludski that the bonhomie ran out when she went on. She was hauled across the coals by an irate cereal producer for saying fmd was a cloud with a silver lining for organics. Even the fact that her company had provided the delicious lunch buffet could not appease his wrath. Meanwhile members of the press were invited to Harrow to experience Spar UK's plush new headquarters. No longer will "air conditioning" be code for opening the windows ­ they've got the real thing and the tropical summer climate indoors will be a thing of the past. Neither will conversations be interrupted every few minutes as the Intercity trains roar by. However, the new offices have one or two minor drawbacks. One or two members of the team are feeling a little agoraphobic, having given up their individual offices for a splendid 21st century open plan layout, while retail therapy in the shopping centre next door is proving expensive for some. {{COUNTERPOINT }}

Topics