I recently caught up with Jess after following her career over the last 9 years, from placing her into G’s Fresh back in 2011. It was lovely to hear about her experiences and the achievements she has had since then and I am proud to have been part of that journey;
After University I moved back in with my parents and got a job at a now well-known company who make crisps using Potatoes grown on the farm. It was here that I released I had a passion for the industry and in particular the connection between food and farming. I had no idea where this would take me, or even the opportunities that might be available in this area.
After a Farm Shop venture I tried didn’t go so well, I went to work for a local farmer helping with the Spring Onion harvest while I figured out what to do with my life. The Farm belonged to the G’s Group and with Sydoni’s help I was plucked from the field and put on the management training scheme where I spent time in harvest, packhouse, HR and Commercial Sales. The skills that I picked up and the connections I made helped me to travel to Senegal and Spain, set up an Organic salad brand and get involved in all areas of the business.
I stayed in Commercial for a couple of years before moving to London as I wanted a taste of the city and to add brand experience to my mostly own-label background. Going to work at Charlie Bigham’s was the next step, I was put in charge of small National Accounts progressing to major Grocery Retail, cycled from London to Paris, raised money for great causes, donated to foodbanks and had a great time along the way working for a thriving business.
A few years later I wanted to broaden my horizons further still and felt the pull of a buzzy, risky, start-up environment and that’s where you’ll find me today, as Commercial Manager at Rubies in the Rubble. We’re a small but perfectly formed team and I oversee all of our Retail accounts from Grocery Retail to E-Comm, Wholesale and Export. Pretty much every day I use the skills built up along my journey so far. My time at G’s in particular has given me a true understanding of the food supply chain and all of the steps involved in getting food on shelves, in baskets and to peoples doorsteps.