Charles Wright
Charles is The Grocer’s digital and social producer, specialising in trend pieces, profiles and range previews - curating content and shaping The Grocer’s online presence.
Charles conducts interviews with industry professionals, providing a glimpse into the personal and professional lives of leaders in food and drink through My Alternative CV profiles, and offering insight into what a career in fmcg could look like for other young people through My Food and Drink Job.
They preview upcoming product ranges, especially during seasonal events, highlighting new product launches, trends, and innovations before they hit supermarket shelves. Charles also contributes to analysis pieces covering trends, industry developments and attitudes social media.
Contact info
ProfilesPooch & Mutt CEO Paul Dennison on Whippets, Space Odyssey and fake £50 notes
‘More honesty and openness from the start would help build lasting, long-term buyer relationships’
ProfilesMy food & drink job: Lucy Provan, sales & marketing executive, Fearne & Rosie
‘Always aim to work for and with brands that align with your personal values because this is where you will shine the most’
ProfilesWhite Rabbit CEO Nick Croft-Simon on micro-managing, skaters and pizza
‘I had a phobia of the wind when I was a kid. I was convinced I’d get blown away’
ProfilesMy food & drink job: Lizzie Douse, account manager, Birds Eye
‘If sales start to fall behind, it’s my job to bring forward solutions as to how we’ll plug the gap’
ProfilesBeyond Belief Brewing’s Freddie Ugo on pasta beer, sustainability and wizards
‘It’s honestly like being in a science lab, we’re constantly testing and trying new surplus base malt recipes’
ProfilesMy food & drink job: Maria Valencia, skilled butcher, Booker
‘Last month, I broke down a whole lamb for the first time and it was a real highlight for me’
ProfilesBooker’s Karen Poole on podcasts, Christmas and diversity
‘There’s nothing better than being in the development kitchens with colleagues reviewing products. You can’t taste on Teams’
ProfilesMy food & drink job: Ali Baker, shopper marketing manager, Phizz
‘New touchpoints are always being introduced like digital screens, as well as more advanced opportunities to connect with consumers online and via retailer apps’
ProfilesParagon Brands MD Chris Jones on flights, supplier portals and Aperol Spritz
‘My bugbear is online supplier portals – they are seemingly designed to be unintuitive and make life harder than it needs to be’
ProfilesMy food & drink job: Jade Simpkin, assistant brand manager, The Gym Kitchen
‘The brand’s energy and ambition were clear from the outset, and I knew I wanted to be part of that journey’
ProfilesBol’s Toni Ehrnreich on data, baggy jeans and Thomas the Tank Engine
‘Data is so vital to unpick what’s happening in your product markets, and for creating strong sell-in stories that show the value your brand delivers on shelf’
ProfilesMy food & drink job: Jenna Morice, marketing officer, Guild of Fine Food
‘To hear about old family recipes, glorious single-ingredient products and innovative takes on traditional classics means I’m always looking to try new and exciting foods’
ProfilesWafflemeister’s Rikos Leong-Son on challenger brands, Star Wars and waffles
‘The biggest reward is seeing people eating your product out and about and having a huge smile their face’
ProfilesMy food & drink job: Luke Batson, assistant brand manager, Hovis
‘People believe that launching a new product that aligns with the current trends can happen within weeks’
ProfilesAstonish CEO Howard Moss on Sky Sports, price wars and Mongolia
‘I feel privileged each day to work in a role which feels more like a hobby’
ProfilesMy food & drink job: Emily Lui, senior technical project lead, Suntory
‘Getting involved in different areas helps you build a broad set of skills, and you might be surprised by how much value your unique perspective can bring’
Range PreviewTesco puts premium on the menu with 2025 Finest Christmas lineup
Tesco’s range for winter 2025 features more than 200 NPD launches in total, but it’s the upgraded Finest offer that takes the limelight
ProfilesJubel’s Harry Neale on stacking shelves, ski trips and supply chains
‘The biggest frustration as a smaller, fast-growing brand is trying to navigate your way around enormous supply chain systems’
ProfilesMy food & drink job: Ntooukan Achmetoglou, veterinarian, Food Standards Scotland
‘We’re the first line of defence before food even hits the shelves’
ProfilesEdgewell’s Katharine Goodchild on sailing, archaeology and Cyndi Lauper
‘Between balancing work and home life with my twin girls, I sometimes wish I really did have eight arms!’