>>the highs and lows of a week in the industry
As commercial manager of North Downs Dairies, Alastair Jackson is the man behind the high double-digit growth of Pilgrims Choice cheese.
The brand is worth £43m in sales [TNS Superpanel, 52 w/e September 14] driven by growth in prepacked products.
Jackson also manages the expansion of the company’s own label business through retailers such as Tesco, Somerfield, Aldi and Sainsbury. “I enjoy my day-to-day work with account managers. I perform an account management role for Waitrose.”
Given his responsibilities, it’s no surprise that this week was packed with meetings with retailers and packagers clamouring for his time.
The week kicked off with the usual fortnightly board meeting. “It encompasses operational and day-to-day management,” says Jackson. “We looked at next year’s budgets - our financial year runs from December to January.”
On Tuesday, Jackson attended the annual World Cheese Awards in London, which forms part of the Spirit of Christmas show at Olympia. “We are a major sponsor,” he explains. “On Wednesday I was back in the office and had a
morning meeting with a packaging supplier. We have just relaunched our prepacked chilled range and are looking at designs for the relaunch of our deli range.”
In the afternoon, Jackson met representatives from Dunnhumby, which provides Tesco Clubcard data, to run through Tesco own label sales.
The next day, he travelled to the north of England to discuss cheese strategy for 2004 with “a major retailer”. Jackson plays his cards close to his chest, saying only: “It’s a big project involving the whole cheese category, including new products, merchandising, point of sale and promotions.”
He rounded the week off with a catch up day, running through e-mails and finishing off outstanding business.
A consultant in sales, consultancy and training is being sought by Pursuit NHA International, while a UK sales director is wanted by Jack Link’s Beef Jerky meat snack company
alastair Jackson, Pilgrims choice
As commercial manager of North Downs Dairies, Alastair Jackson is the man behind the high double-digit growth of Pilgrims Choice cheese.
The brand is worth £43m in sales [TNS Superpanel, 52 w/e September 14] driven by growth in prepacked products.
Jackson also manages the expansion of the company’s own label business through retailers such as Tesco, Somerfield, Aldi and Sainsbury. “I enjoy my day-to-day work with account managers. I perform an account management role for Waitrose.”
Given his responsibilities, it’s no surprise that this week was packed with meetings with retailers and packagers clamouring for his time.
The week kicked off with the usual fortnightly board meeting. “It encompasses operational and day-to-day management,” says Jackson. “We looked at next year’s budgets - our financial year runs from December to January.”
On Tuesday, Jackson attended the annual World Cheese Awards in London, which forms part of the Spirit of Christmas show at Olympia. “We are a major sponsor,” he explains. “On Wednesday I was back in the office and had a
morning meeting with a packaging supplier. We have just relaunched our prepacked chilled range and are looking at designs for the relaunch of our deli range.”
In the afternoon, Jackson met representatives from Dunnhumby, which provides Tesco Clubcard data, to run through Tesco own label sales.
The next day, he travelled to the north of England to discuss cheese strategy for 2004 with “a major retailer”. Jackson plays his cards close to his chest, saying only: “It’s a big project involving the whole cheese category, including new products, merchandising, point of sale and promotions.”
He rounded the week off with a catch up day, running through e-mails and finishing off outstanding business.
A consultant in sales, consultancy and training is being sought by Pursuit NHA International, while a UK sales director is wanted by Jack Link’s Beef Jerky meat snack company
alastair Jackson, Pilgrims choice
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