- Chairman of organisation says all vegetables sold in local branches of Waitrose could be locally sourced
- Speech by Sir Charlie Mayfield, chairman of the John Lewis Partnership, was read yesterday
- Who is Sir Charlie Mayfield? See our profile below
- Do you think only locally sourced vegetables should be sold in the Island? Take part in our poll
- Try out some of Waitrose’s video recipes using Jersey Royals. Videos below
ALL vegetables sold in local branches of Waitrose could be sourced from the Channel Islands by the autumn, according to the UK chairman of the organisation.
Sir Charlie Mayfield, chairman of the John Lewis Partnership, which includes Waitrose, had been due to deliver a speech at a Chamber of Commerce event yesterday, but had to pull out after his flight was delayed.
However, his speech was delivered by Duncan Langston, director of Waitrose in the Channel Islands.
Sir Charlie, who is also chairman of the British Retail Consortium, said that the company was aiming for 100 per cent of its vegetable supply to be locally sourced.
The announcement comes after Charlie Gallichan of Woodside Farms, alongside a group of smaller producers, recently asked the States for a £485,000 loan to support keeping local produce on supermarket shelves following the collapse of suppliers Amal Grow.
Sir Charlie also invited Jersey businesses to look into introducing an employee-owned business model similar to Waitrose and John Lewis where employees have shares in the company and are known as partners.
The audience were told that online shopping had dramatically changed the retail industry and shops have to ensure that they remain an attractive option for customers and that ‘local trading was more important than ever’.
He said: ‘In a world where you can buy online and have items delivered to your home, there has to be something more to keep the proposition of a physical shop attractive to customers.
‘It might sound counterintuitive, but the desire for relationships and engagement means that the model whereby retailers are based in the heart of communities is still hugely relevant.
‘When I look at the supply chain I see these same ideas feed through into the types of products that retailers stock and consumers choose to buy.
‘The knowledge that a product is sourced or produced locally is becoming increasingly important.’
He added: ‘By this autumn, we are aiming for 100 per cent of the core line of Waitrose’s vegetables and herbs to be sourced from the Channel Islands, and we have had fantastic support from Amal Grow and now Woodside to increase the local produce stocked in our Waitrose branches.’
Discussing the business model of the company, Sir Charlie said that having an employee-owned system means that members of staff are more able to hold management to account.
He said: ‘Employee ownership won’t be right for everyone, of course. But for many businesses it’s a great option, and it makes an important contribution to the economy.
‘Because of the tendency for employee-owned businesses to make a contribution to the areas where they trade, they tend to be most successful in areas with a clear identity.
‘I’m told the partnership is the only employee-owned business in the Channel Islands so I’d like to encourage any business owners to explore the option.’
- Sir Charlie Mayfield became the John Lewis Partnership’s fifth Chairman in March 2007.
- He joined the Partnership in 2000 as head of business development, responsible for business strategy and development for both John Lewis and Waitrose.
- Sir Charlie joined the board as development director in 2001 and was responsible for developing the Partnership’s online strategy.
- He became managing director of John Lewis in January 2005 prior to taking up his appointment as chairman of the partnership in March 2007.
- Sir Charlie began his career as an officer in the army.
- He joined SmithKline Beecham in 1992 and became marketing manager for the Lucozade brand, before moving to McKinsey & Co in 1996.
- He is the Government appointed chair of the UK Commission for Employment and Skills, president of the Employee Ownership Association, a director of Central Surrey Health Trustee Limited and chairman of the British Retail Consortium (BRC).
- Sir Charlie was knighted in June 2013 for services to business.
