The Grocer Cup for Outstanding Business Achievement is one of the industry's top accolades. Presented at the IGD Food Industry Awards in London on 9 October, it is given to an individual who has inspired exceptional results and made the biggest contribution to the industry in the past year. And it's a special award because the winner is chosen by you, The Grocer reader. So who do you think has set the pace for the industry in the past year?
Here are the criteria we want you to use in selecting from this year's 10 outstanding individuals: Meeting tough targets and taking their organisation to a higher level of efficiency, service and profitability; Having the personality, tenacity and charisma to inspire others to achieve higher levels of success; Influencing beyond the boundaries of their own company and innovating in a way that changes the way we all do business. But don't delay - your vote must be cast by Friday 14 September. Vote by calling 01293 846535 or online at www.grocercup.co.uk Justin King Sainsbury's Arabs, Persians and Americans alike have been haggling over private equity bids for Sainsbury's. But CEO King has kept his team focused on operational improvements. leading to a ninth quarter of consecutive like-for-like growth and boosting profits by 42% to £380m in the year to May. The fact he's the preferred CEO in the event of a takeover speaks volumes about his performance. Sir Terry Leahy Tesco With record pre-tax profits of £2.6bn, Sir Terry's Tesco is a phenomenon. And Terry, arch-strategist that he is, continues to set the agenda, with a £500m environmental programme, £270m of price cuts, and an innovative convenience offering in the US called Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Stores that has taken the retailer into unfashionable ghetto locations.
Stuart Rose Marks & Spencer The bad weather has hit the share price in recent weeks, after profits crossed the £1bn mark this spring, but Rose's spirits are undampened: after opening 140 stores in the past year, he's recruited Steven Esom to head up his grocery operations and grow the highly successful Simply Food format still further, and plans to revamp three-quarters of all branches by Christmas. Robert Schofield premier foods Schofield now stands at the helm of the UK's biggest food and drink company following a bold £1.2bn reverse takeover of RHM at the back end of last year. The deal will test his ability to integrate brands and extend them into new categories, but he's already making his mark with decisive action to restructure the business, with factory closures accompanying product launches. Jonathan Warburton warburtons In just six years, Warburtons has been transformed from a northern-based baker to a national big hitter under Jonathan Warburton's stewardship. The company has consolidated its position as the number-one bread brand and is second only to Coca-Cola as the UK's biggest food and drink brand. Impressive for a company that has managed to maintain family control. Charles Wilson booker Booker's reverse takeover of struggling Blueheath earlier this year surprised just about everyone, but no more than Wilson's return to Booker in the first place, and look how that turned out. Wilson's reputation as a savvy businessman inspires confidence in many quarters that he can turn Blueheath's fortunes around and get into delivered wholesale in a big way. Peter Marks The c0-operative group Marks now presides over the world's largest consumer-facing co-operative society, following the merger of The Co-operative Group and United Co-operatives. With a £9.4bn turnover, 87,500 staff and 2,249 food stores, he has created a force to be reckoned with.
The mastermind behind the merger, he isn't likely to sit back and relax - his end goal is to create a super co-op. Jerry Marwood Spar UK Marwood has been instrumental in transforming Spar UK, the biggest brand in convenience retailing with 2,724 stores, from a staid operation into a modern brand. The outspoken MD has also played a key role in the Association of Convenience Stores' attempts to influence the Competition Commission's grocery market inquiry, and holds his own against the multiples.
ANDY BOND ASDA Sainsbury's grabbed more column inches, but under Bond, Asda increased its market share over its rival, according to the latest TNS data, to 16.8%, reporting 'mid-single digit' growth in sales for the quarter, while its margins remain significantly higher. That's not just thanks to the current price war but improvements to the fresh & organic offering and national internet deliveries. Salman Amin pepsico Uk & Ireland Amin has been president at PepsiCo UK and Ireland for nearly two years and while he has so far kept a lower profile than his predecessor Martin Glenn, that could soon change. This year he has taken over as chair of the Food & Drink Federation's health and wellbeing steering group, playing a pivotal role in countering pressure on the industry from government and lobby groups.
Here are the criteria we want you to use in selecting from this year's 10 outstanding individuals: Meeting tough targets and taking their organisation to a higher level of efficiency, service and profitability; Having the personality, tenacity and charisma to inspire others to achieve higher levels of success; Influencing beyond the boundaries of their own company and innovating in a way that changes the way we all do business. But don't delay - your vote must be cast by Friday 14 September. Vote by calling 01293 846535 or online at www.grocercup.co.uk Justin King Sainsbury's Arabs, Persians and Americans alike have been haggling over private equity bids for Sainsbury's. But CEO King has kept his team focused on operational improvements. leading to a ninth quarter of consecutive like-for-like growth and boosting profits by 42% to £380m in the year to May. The fact he's the preferred CEO in the event of a takeover speaks volumes about his performance. Sir Terry Leahy Tesco With record pre-tax profits of £2.6bn, Sir Terry's Tesco is a phenomenon. And Terry, arch-strategist that he is, continues to set the agenda, with a £500m environmental programme, £270m of price cuts, and an innovative convenience offering in the US called Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Stores that has taken the retailer into unfashionable ghetto locations.
Stuart Rose Marks & Spencer The bad weather has hit the share price in recent weeks, after profits crossed the £1bn mark this spring, but Rose's spirits are undampened: after opening 140 stores in the past year, he's recruited Steven Esom to head up his grocery operations and grow the highly successful Simply Food format still further, and plans to revamp three-quarters of all branches by Christmas. Robert Schofield premier foods Schofield now stands at the helm of the UK's biggest food and drink company following a bold £1.2bn reverse takeover of RHM at the back end of last year. The deal will test his ability to integrate brands and extend them into new categories, but he's already making his mark with decisive action to restructure the business, with factory closures accompanying product launches. Jonathan Warburton warburtons In just six years, Warburtons has been transformed from a northern-based baker to a national big hitter under Jonathan Warburton's stewardship. The company has consolidated its position as the number-one bread brand and is second only to Coca-Cola as the UK's biggest food and drink brand. Impressive for a company that has managed to maintain family control. Charles Wilson booker Booker's reverse takeover of struggling Blueheath earlier this year surprised just about everyone, but no more than Wilson's return to Booker in the first place, and look how that turned out. Wilson's reputation as a savvy businessman inspires confidence in many quarters that he can turn Blueheath's fortunes around and get into delivered wholesale in a big way. Peter Marks The c0-operative group Marks now presides over the world's largest consumer-facing co-operative society, following the merger of The Co-operative Group and United Co-operatives. With a £9.4bn turnover, 87,500 staff and 2,249 food stores, he has created a force to be reckoned with.
The mastermind behind the merger, he isn't likely to sit back and relax - his end goal is to create a super co-op. Jerry Marwood Spar UK Marwood has been instrumental in transforming Spar UK, the biggest brand in convenience retailing with 2,724 stores, from a staid operation into a modern brand. The outspoken MD has also played a key role in the Association of Convenience Stores' attempts to influence the Competition Commission's grocery market inquiry, and holds his own against the multiples.
ANDY BOND ASDA Sainsbury's grabbed more column inches, but under Bond, Asda increased its market share over its rival, according to the latest TNS data, to 16.8%, reporting 'mid-single digit' growth in sales for the quarter, while its margins remain significantly higher. That's not just thanks to the current price war but improvements to the fresh & organic offering and national internet deliveries. Salman Amin pepsico Uk & Ireland Amin has been president at PepsiCo UK and Ireland for nearly two years and while he has so far kept a lower profile than his predecessor Martin Glenn, that could soon change. This year he has taken over as chair of the Food & Drink Federation's health and wellbeing steering group, playing a pivotal role in countering pressure on the industry from government and lobby groups.
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