Strengthening Links Through Communication

In an increasingly affluent Western society the requirements for food production are continually changing, and the pace of change is greater now than at any stage in recent history.

As food consumers today, we are blessed with unlimited availability and the widest possible choice from a truly global marketplace. There is almost nothing we cannot buy at a price, and we have the luxury of applying an array of conditions to our choices, with issues such as animal welfare and the environment coming to the fore.

For those involved throughout the food chain, from primary producers through to retailers, this developing consumer-driven era presents a constantly evolving set of challenges. There is no doubt that success is increasingly dependent upon effective communication between all the players, from the field to the plate.

Farmers and food processors are key links in the chain, and as such are at the hub of a burgeoning communication web. Most importantly, there needs to be effective communication between farmers and their food processing customers – and we are seeing improvements throughout the sectors as focused producer groups become more commonplace and the relationships between these groups and their processing partners grow stronger.

The producer to processor relationship is vital, ensuring the traceability and specification standards that we as consumers demand, but it can no longer afford to work in isolation. We now operate in a more market-responsive world, so as these partnerships develop they must increasingly listen to the signals coming from consumers and retailers, and take action. Similarly, there is a growing need to work more closely with suppliers, in order to ensure delivery of the right food products as cost effectively as possible. So once again, effective communication provides the key, up and down the food chain, to ensure all businesses flourish by exploiting the growing opportunities that this dynamic global marketplace is offering.

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