UNE Business School with Centre for Agribusiness/AARES New England Branch Seminar, Monday 12th September

Retail developments are dominating the global food industry, with short and long term challenges confronting the food and farm sectors.

Emeritus Professor David Hughes (left) with Director of the Centre for Agribusiness, Professor Derek Baker

David Hughes presented a dynamic seminar on the state of food retail, expanding on the current state of the industry and moving into some possible futures to be faced. He spoke from significant experience on a wide sample of case studies relevant for large food retail firms in Australia and around the world. Dr Hughes spoke also to a number of the short and long term challenges confronting the food and farm sectors, coming to recommendations about the best responses to these challenges, and the path ahead for the food industry.

The seminar offered very timely insights and important strategic thinking not only for staff and students at UNE, but also on a broader scale in the audience’s role as global citizens and responsible consumers.

UNE Business School with Centre for Agribusiness were pleased to host staff, students and community members as well as friends of the Centre for Agribusiness for this seminar on Monday the 12th to hear from Emeritus Professor Hughes.

Material from the seminar can be downloaded via the UNE Business School Seminar Series resource page.

David Hughes is Emeritus Professor of Food Marketing at Imperial College London, and Visiting Professor at the Royal Agricultural University, U.K. He is a much sought-after speaker at international conferences and seminars on global food industry issues, particularly consumer and retail trends. David has lived and worked in Europe, North America, the Caribbean, Africa and South East Asia and has extensive experience as an international advisory board member with food companies and financial service organizations on three continents. For 20 years, he was a Non-Executive Director of Berry Gardens Ltd – a U.K. farmer-owned berry fruit business (£230 million turnover in 2015). With his American business partner, David established, grew and sold a branded fresh produce business which served supermarkets in the USA. Around the globe, he works with food and beverage supply chain companies – including farm input, growers, manufacturers and ingredient companies, retailers and food service firms – to assist them in management training, strategy and Board level decision-making. More information about David’s work is available at: http://www.profdavidhughes.com/.