The dairy industry is suffering from high vacancy rates – but is also benefiting from the passion and energy of many motivated young workers, across branding, tech, sales and more. Meet some of them in our rising stars roundup
“The UK labour market remains hot, with the undesirable pattern of severe shortages and high inactivity alongside falling real wages continuing,” the FDF warned in July, adding that vacancy rates remained at a record 4.3% high.
This report served to further underline issues faced by the dairy industry, where 63% of dairy farmers have found recruitment very difficult over the past five years, according to a 2021 report by the Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers.
But for the leaders of a sector struggling to recruit – and beleaguered by Brexit, the aftermath of covid and soaring inflation – solace can at least be found in the wealth of talented young workers already recruited and rising through the ranks.
So, with the future more uncertain than ever, we are shining a spotlight on those best-placed to face it head on.
In the summer, The Grocer put out a call, asking the industry to nominate gifted colleagues, friends, even relatives. Who are those aged 30 or under making their mark with the potential of being future leaders, we asked.
From milk processing to trendy ice cream, businesses big and small, old and new, put forward their brightest and best. They could be found in sales, brand management, supply chain co-ordination, operations support and elsewhere.
Plaudits abounded. “Passion for learning”, “energy and willingness to take responsibility”, “excellent communication skills”, “readily adaptable for change” and “huge potential” were just a few.
We eventually selected six people to profile. Each expressed their zeal for their job and for the industry – which, they advised, could recruit more young talent by focusing on its commitment to sustainability and mental health, its technology and forward-thinking, and the variety of roles available.
While space permits us to feature only a handful of nominees at any length, it would be remiss not to mention the wealth of talented individuals nominated.
Many came from the same businesses. First Milk put forward individuals from various departments throughout the country. They included Danielle Cole in finance from Haverfordwest; Ashley Stamper, a programme manager in Northumberland; multi-skilled engineer Fred Harwood-May in Penycwm; and Joe Fowler, a Cumbrian cheese technician.
The glut of nominations from First Milk and elsewhere serves to remind the industry that it already boasts many amazing young workers worth shouting about.
Yasir Aman, 30
Data & reporting analyst, First Milk
As part of First Milk’s IT team, Yasir Aman is solely responsible for supporting every part of the dairy co-op with digital reporting and data dashboards.
“This critical information provides our staff with core business data and industry trends to ensure the right decisions are being made at the right time,” says the supplier.
Aman, a graduate of IT management for business from Glasgow Caledonian University, agrees his role is “quite crucial to the day-to-day running of the business”.
He took it on in December 2018, with no experience in dairy. Finding himself at the end of a temp job, he wanted “something more challenging – and the food industry is always evolving”. Plus, First Milk being a co-op also appealed, he adds.
Since then, Aman has acquitted himself with aplomb. First Milk points to his “relentless appetite to learn”, “passion towards customer service” and work “to remove manual records and create one version of the truth”.
This has led to the development of in-house software that utilises the latest cloud and mobile tech, providing constantly updating data that covers the likes of finances, product yield, technical issues and HR matters.
The system helps to make work easier and more efficient for Aman’s colleagues – and knowing that, he says, is the best part of his job.
Anna Draper, 28
Senior brand manager, Little Moons
“People seem endlessly surprised I don’t have ice cream in my bag,” says Anna Draper. Being hounded for freebies is the price she pays for her pivotal role in Little Moons’ success.
The mochi brand has become a sensation in grocery (and on TikTok) since lockdowns – “and with this comes a lot of business challenges”, it says. “Anna has been resilient, effective and successful in dealing with a broad range of tasks. She’s a super talent.”
Indeed, Draper has been “front and centre” at Little Moons during its rise in supermarkets and on social, she says.
She joined the brand in April 2018, having been impressed by the product and owners Vivien and Howard Wong.
She’s now the longest-serving member of staff, with a penchant for trialling NPD and working on brand comms with “loads of brilliant agencies”, she says. “Some of the work we’ve done with them, I’m really proud of.”
She points to June’s experiential billboard on Tottenham Court Road, London, which saw six dancers interacting with the public all day. “Around 20,000 people turned up.”
The event underlined for Draper the fact Little Moons had well and truly “made it”, she adds.
That realisation is down by no small degree to Draper herself. As the business puts it: “She has made Little Moons so much more than just another ice cream brand.”
Alex Rodda, 26
Retail account manager, Rodda’s
Born into clotted cream, Alex Rodda’s favourite way to eat it is on white bread with a splash of golden syrup. It’s called thunder & lightning – a traditional Cornish snack which proves “you can literally use [clotted cream] on anything”, he says.
His passion for the product is equal to his passion for the business – which he joined aged 17, working in the warehouse. After taking on a graduate role in procurement and stock control, he worked his way up to retail account manager, which sees him managing key retail accounts including M&S.
His role affords him the great pleasure of meeting customers at trade shows, he says. Clotted cream is so “symbolic” that people “can always remember the last time they had it,” and he loves to hear their stories.
With his passion for the business and its people, Alex is “a respected member of the team and a fantastic ambassador for the brand, now and for the future”.
And with the future in mind, he hopes to one day become a director, while along the way offering mentoring and guidance to other dairy businesses, sharing the knowledge he has gained and contributing to the health of the wider industry.
Because, even though dairy is under enormous pressure, he remains optimistic. “If you’re making great products with great people, selling to great customers, you can steer your ship through any storms.
Alex Holt, 25
Operations manager, Wells Farm Dairy
Other than brief dreams of being a professional rugby union player, Alex Holt always wanted to work in his family dairy in Staffordshire.
Having started at the milk producer “getting pooed on by cows at 4am”, he’s now on the processing side, and as it’s a family-owned business he “throws his hands at anything, be it production, helping engineers or working with transport”.
To that end, his most notable achievement to date has been instigating a trial of Polytag technology, enabling packaging to be tagged and traced through the recycling system. It “will provide data on recycling rates of HDPE milk containers and support dairy roadmap principles around extended producer responsibility” says the dairy.
His eye for impactful tech has also led to Holt introducing robots to the factory floor – a move that marks “the way forward” he insists.
The future of Wells Farm is very much front of his mind.
The business has to be “good for everyone” he says. “It has got to be good for the producers. Everyone has got to have a good living.”
That includes dairy’s next generation of staff, who will most likely be attracted by the message that “there are jobs for everyone” Holt believes.
As for himself, while he has a strong understanding of the industry, he’s still learning, he admits – but “that’s a fun part about it”.
Jake Rylands, 26
NPD brand manager, FrieslandCampina UK
Jake Rylands came into the dairy industry through an interest in brand creation, and a want to “explore how products can win consumers over through developing an identity”. This is where his role at FrieslandCampina ticks all the boxes, allowing him to “bring creative ideas to the table” for brands including Yazoo, Barista and Chocomel.
With regards to the latter drink, he recognises that many people are unaware of it – which is why his work is so crucial. He sees the branding as the consumer’s “first moment” with it, which makes him want to make his work “memorable in a way that drives a positive association”.
His colleagues say his work enables the company to develop creative ideas and support commercial growth objectives, helped by his “energetic, positive and proactive presence”.
Rylands wants to continue to grow Chocomel and Barista over the next five years by increasing awareness of the products and creating a strong foothold in the UK. However, in the long-term he hopes to create his own agency, where he will be able to help businesses drive their brands.
When thinking about what dairy could do to attract more young people, he sees it as important to “showcase the vast array of different roles” available.
Engagement is key, too. “Innovation is changing the way people consume products and strong campaigns are changing the way people interact with brands. It is not just selling a product any more, it is selling the experience.”
Megan Lines, 25
NPD technologist, Oppo
Megan Lines has worked at Oppo for less than a year, but she’s already made a big impression.
“Developing fantastic low-calorie ice cream is not easy, but she rises to the challenge every time and shows real tenacity with recipe development,” says the brand. Since joining Oppo in November 2021, she “has been key to driving really exciting innovation” – including Snacking Balls added in May (see p75).
Lines credits her success in part to the creative freedom her role offers. “I get to be involved in the initial stages of development, come up with ideas for NPD, and take that forward to launch.”
She’s also been given “the freedom to learn and grow” she adds. “That’s what I love about working at Oppo.” (She’s less keen on the “challenging” task of proofreading packaging for overseas markets.)
From a young age, Lines knew she wanted to be part of the food industry – which led to her studying food science and nutrition at the University of Leeds.
After graduating with a first, she spent a year at Twinings on maternity cover as an NPD technologist. And then Oppo came knocking. “I was already a massive fan,” she admits.
She one day hopes to run her own food business. For now, her immediate ambition is to manage her own team at the brand, while “continuing to make a positive impact on the food industry”.
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