Bacon suppliers were asked to nominate their favourite buyers, based on accessibility, communication and negotiation skills, and promises delivered. Ian Lovell, Morrisons’ senior buyer, received several nominations from suppliers who said he treated them as partners.
Lovell said: “My main aim is to drive the category forward and to deliver a quality product at a competitive price to the customer all of the time.”
Kate Luscombe, who is provisions, bread, cakes and meat buyer for Batleys, appeared on the Six of the Best feature on yogurt buyers in September. She has been nominated again because of her refusal
to compromise on quality. Another supplier nominated Alasdair Davidson, a category buyer at The Co-operative Group, because “he doesn’t try to weaken the Co-op’s offer with a million and one tertiary brands” and “he’s keen to check bacon’s coming from where it’s supposed to be coming from”.
Kenton Buchell, category controller at Londis, was said to have a very straightforward manner and although Bill Randles, the Sainsbury buyer, has only been in the job for nine months, he was praised for his strong feel for the market. Sophie Wilson, who has now moved on to become a project manager with Waitrose, was nominated for “fantastic” category knowledge.
Six of the best bacon buyers
>>nominated this month are...
Ian Lovell
Senior Buyer, Morrisons
Suppliers said Ian Lovell has coped well during a major period of transition for the supermarket.
Lovell has been a buyer for bacon since 1999 and his approach is favoured by suppliers because of his loyalty and because he considers buying a partnership.
He explains that an important part of his job is to follow the product from farm to fork and says: “A good relationship is built by talking, trusting and working closely with suppliers, understanding problems on both sides of the table and seeing deals through.
“I’ve also got to learn about my product - not just the finished product, but where it comes from, talking to the farmers, the slaughterhouses, the cutting plants as well as the curers and slicers. If you show an interest in your product you will gain a wealth of information from the people who work in the industry.”
Lovell started work for Farmers Boy, the manufacturing arm of Morrisons, in 1981 after serving an apprenticeship in engineering. He was a supervisor in the warehouse before starting work alongside a buyer controlling stock intakes. In 1996 he was a buyer for raw materials for the Farmers Boy factory.
Alasdair Davidson
Category buyer, The Co-operative Group
“Sticks to principles; keen to find out where bacon comes from - doesn’t just think it starts and ends with the slicer.”
Davidson joined the CRS in 1993, and held positions in both frozen food and bakery. He left CRS to join the CWS in 1998, prior to their merger to form the Co-operative Group. He has been the category buyer for bacon and fresh pork since October 2003.
Bill Randles
Buyer, pork, bacon and sausage, Sainsbury
“New, but has very quickly developed a strong feeling for the market.”
Randles has been buyer for pork, bacon and sausage for the past nine months. Prior to that, he has also been a buyer for turkey, duck, game and frozen poultry as well as for ambient products in the grey market. Before joining Sainsbury, Randles worked in nutrition research, gaining a PhD in nutritional physiology.
Kenton Buchell
Category controller, Londis
“Very up-front and delivers on his promises.”
Buchell has been category controller for the last year but has been part of the Londis buying team for four years. He spent two years with Londis in logistics, first based at the RDC in Andover and then moving to the head office in Middlesex in 2000. Prior to joining Londis, Buchell worked with Somerfield in retail store management.
Kate Luscombe
Buyer of provisions, bread, cakes and meat, Batleys
“Doesn’t stint on quality. Even when Batleys faces stiff price competition from rivals she refuses to reduce quality.”
Luscombe joined Batleys in 1996 as an assistant buyer, involved in all areas of the business. She was promoted to buyer in petfood a year later before moving to her current role. Prior to joining Batleys, Luscombe was a marketing assistant at Pedigree Masterfoods.
Sophie Wilson
Project Manager, Waitrose
“Fantastic category knowledge.”
Wilson joined Waitrose in 1997 from Capespan, starting as a marketing assistant in meat, poultry, fish and dairy buying. A year later, she became buyer for sausages and ready to cook. In 2000 she moved to buyer for pork & bacon and then to project manger, involved in a relaunch of bacon.
Lovell said: “My main aim is to drive the category forward and to deliver a quality product at a competitive price to the customer all of the time.”
Kate Luscombe, who is provisions, bread, cakes and meat buyer for Batleys, appeared on the Six of the Best feature on yogurt buyers in September. She has been nominated again because of her refusal
to compromise on quality. Another supplier nominated Alasdair Davidson, a category buyer at The Co-operative Group, because “he doesn’t try to weaken the Co-op’s offer with a million and one tertiary brands” and “he’s keen to check bacon’s coming from where it’s supposed to be coming from”.
Kenton Buchell, category controller at Londis, was said to have a very straightforward manner and although Bill Randles, the Sainsbury buyer, has only been in the job for nine months, he was praised for his strong feel for the market. Sophie Wilson, who has now moved on to become a project manager with Waitrose, was nominated for “fantastic” category knowledge.
Six of the best bacon buyers
>>nominated this month are...
Ian Lovell
Senior Buyer, Morrisons
Suppliers said Ian Lovell has coped well during a major period of transition for the supermarket.
Lovell has been a buyer for bacon since 1999 and his approach is favoured by suppliers because of his loyalty and because he considers buying a partnership.
He explains that an important part of his job is to follow the product from farm to fork and says: “A good relationship is built by talking, trusting and working closely with suppliers, understanding problems on both sides of the table and seeing deals through.
“I’ve also got to learn about my product - not just the finished product, but where it comes from, talking to the farmers, the slaughterhouses, the cutting plants as well as the curers and slicers. If you show an interest in your product you will gain a wealth of information from the people who work in the industry.”
Lovell started work for Farmers Boy, the manufacturing arm of Morrisons, in 1981 after serving an apprenticeship in engineering. He was a supervisor in the warehouse before starting work alongside a buyer controlling stock intakes. In 1996 he was a buyer for raw materials for the Farmers Boy factory.
Alasdair Davidson
Category buyer, The Co-operative Group
“Sticks to principles; keen to find out where bacon comes from - doesn’t just think it starts and ends with the slicer.”
Davidson joined the CRS in 1993, and held positions in both frozen food and bakery. He left CRS to join the CWS in 1998, prior to their merger to form the Co-operative Group. He has been the category buyer for bacon and fresh pork since October 2003.
Bill Randles
Buyer, pork, bacon and sausage, Sainsbury
“New, but has very quickly developed a strong feeling for the market.”
Randles has been buyer for pork, bacon and sausage for the past nine months. Prior to that, he has also been a buyer for turkey, duck, game and frozen poultry as well as for ambient products in the grey market. Before joining Sainsbury, Randles worked in nutrition research, gaining a PhD in nutritional physiology.
Kenton Buchell
Category controller, Londis
“Very up-front and delivers on his promises.”
Buchell has been category controller for the last year but has been part of the Londis buying team for four years. He spent two years with Londis in logistics, first based at the RDC in Andover and then moving to the head office in Middlesex in 2000. Prior to joining Londis, Buchell worked with Somerfield in retail store management.
Kate Luscombe
Buyer of provisions, bread, cakes and meat, Batleys
“Doesn’t stint on quality. Even when Batleys faces stiff price competition from rivals she refuses to reduce quality.”
Luscombe joined Batleys in 1996 as an assistant buyer, involved in all areas of the business. She was promoted to buyer in petfood a year later before moving to her current role. Prior to joining Batleys, Luscombe was a marketing assistant at Pedigree Masterfoods.
Sophie Wilson
Project Manager, Waitrose
“Fantastic category knowledge.”
Wilson joined Waitrose in 1997 from Capespan, starting as a marketing assistant in meat, poultry, fish and dairy buying. A year later, she became buyer for sausages and ready to cook. In 2000 she moved to buyer for pork & bacon and then to project manger, involved in a relaunch of bacon.
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