Former government health tsar Henry Dimbleby has revealed he is taking the National Food Strategy ’on the road’, with the launch of a firm advising governments and food companies on health and sustainability policies.
Dimbleby has hired the founder of Boston Consulting Group’s (BCG) food systems practice in Africa Chris Mitchell, who from mid-November will become managing partner of the new company, Bramble Intelligence, with Dimbleby as chair.
The Leon restaurant founder told The Grocer the new company aimed to help ministers and food & drink companies who were looking to embed health and sustainability at the core of their strategies.
Dimbleby, who quit as a government advisor in March 2023 in protest at the government’s lack of action to tackle obesity, launched Bramble Partners investment firm in January to support companies creating healthier and more environmentally friendly products.
The investment firm covers the environmental or health impacts of food to help improve food security or issues posed by climate change.
Dimbleby said Bramble Intelligence would become a sister business to Bramble Investments, which he claimed would provide “unparalleled insight into the food system”.
“What I realised while doing the food strategy was that there weren’t any advisory firms that really understood and had connection into the government and food industry,” he told The Grocer in an exclusive interview to announce the new venture.
“We hope that Intelligence will help governments and CEOs navigate the key challenges when it comes to environmental policies and health.
“We think we have a network of advisors that doesn’t really exist anywhere else.”
He added: “On the government side of things things this is all about taking the National Food Strategy on the road.
“My message about breaking the junk food cycle has really started to land in other countries, like Germany and Australia, and we think we are uniquely placed to offer governments around the world advice.
“Health is absolutely central to the new company. Family businesses are looking at their portfolios and thinking ’I’m not going to be operating in 20 years’ time if we don’t change’. That is absolutely front and centre to what we will be helping people with.”
Mitchell has had a 20-year career in Europe, Asia and Africa, with Bain & Company then with BCG, where he ran its food systems practice in Africa.
“Our mission is to help clients navigate the complexities of transforming the food system to provide healthy and sustainable food for all,” said Mitchell.
Also joining the company as partner is Archie Mason, former head of strategy and business development at Waitrose. He also led the strategy and innovation team at the investment and advisory firm True. “Working with Henry and Chris at Bramble Intelligence represents a unique opportunity to influence the future of food,” he said.
Mason added: “Our combined expertise will provide the strategic insights necessary to tackle some of the most pressing issues in the food system today.”
1 Readers' comment