March 2018
In April 2005 I celebrated my tenth year as a consultant with an excellent bash upstairs at the White Horse in Parsons Green. The date was carefully chosen to coincide with the Natural Products Show at Olympia, so many of my non-UK friends were in town. I had been doing some consultancy work for Mark Dorber of the White Horse – instead of a fee he gave me party. From what I can remember it all went very well – see below for my speech, a Press Release Mark sent out and lots of photos from the night.
Hmmm
Maybe time for another bash…
SIMON’S SPEECH
Hello everyone and thank you to Mark for those words, and for hosting tonight’s do. If you’ve not been to the White Horse recently I can recommend the restaurant downstairs which does excellent lunches and dinners, with an increasingly organic content. I can also recommend Mark’s other pub, the Anchor in Walberswick where an organic allotment is under development next to the pub so diners can see their organic veg growing from the comfort of the dining room.
Over the last 10 years I have chaired a lot of meetings of one sort or another – indeed I am chairing the Organic Seminars at tomorrow’s Natural & Organic Products Show, 1st session starts 1100 in the London Room of the Grand Hall at Olympia and I am expecting a good turn out from all of you here tonight …(end of plug). So used have I become to starting off seminars that I feel I should be telling you what to do in the event of a fire, telling you where the break-out rooms are and asking you to turn off your mobile phones. But tonight it’s my party, so I don’t have to do any of that bollocks.
What I do have to do is thank you all very much for coming tonight. I am thrilled to see so many colleagues, clients and friends gathered together. And I am touched that some of you have come so far – tonight we have people here from the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark and Finland as well as from all over the UK.
My move into the natural foods industry came a mere 19 years ago when I persuaded Whole Earth Foods that I was the technical supremo who could sort out all their problems. I spent nine mostly happy years helping to develop the Whole Earth and Green & Black’s brands. It was actually Craig Sams, then MD at Whole Earth, who suggested I become a consultant. I thought it sounded like a good way to spend a few months before I got a proper job…and that was 10 years ago!
What took me by surprise was the enormous growth in first organics and then latterly Fairtrade, In 1988 total sales of organic food were £21m: today they are £1.2 billon. Fairtrade sales are currently doubling every two years. I am delighted that I have been able to play my own modest part in helping to develop these two vital sectors.
I have worked with many companies and organisations – both big and small – over the last 10 years, and I am delighted to see so many represented here tonight. One thing that the organic and Fairtrade sectors of the food industry have in common is that they are largely populated by very nice people, which makes the work a lot more fun.
Alaa Zaki at Lyme Regis Foods was my first client 10 years ago and I have been working with him ever since. I have also enjoyed long-term – and I hope Meaningful – relationships with Sainsbury’s, Free Natural, the Organic Spirit Company and Planet Organic. More recently I have been working with defra, Cambrian Hills, the Day Chocolate Company and the Product Chain. This has allowed me to donate some of my time to not-for-profit organisations such as the Soil Association, Twin Trading and FareShare. I would like to thank all my clients and colleagues, past and present – without exception I have enjoyed working with you.
Four more Thank You’s before I close:
- There are some goodie bags over there for you to take home, please remember to take one when you go. I would like to thank the following companies for providing the goodies in the bags: Day Chocolate Company, Free Natural, Lyme Regis Foods, Organic Spirit Company and Planet Organic.
- I would like to thank my friend Simon Murray – speech consultant, head roadie and official photographer tonight
- I would like to thank my wife Wendy. We’ve only been married for 11 months so calling her my wife is still a lovely novelty. However we actually met 30 years ago, and throughout my career her continued support has been invaluable and much appreciated. She has also been a selfless product taster, particularly when chocolate has been involved.
- Finally I would like to thank Mark and his staff for all the lovely organic food and drink we have enjoyed tonight. They baked this delicious looking organic 10th Birthday cake which I will now cut.
PRESS RELEASE
The White Horse, 1 – 3 Parsons Green, London SW6 4UL
For immediate release
WHITE HORSE INCREASES ORGANIC SELECTION
The White Horse pub in Parson’s Green is a well-known and well-loved part of London, but not many people realise that it is nurturing a range of 15 organic wines, thanks to the enthusiasm of landlord Mark Dorber. Now Mark is adding an extensive range of fresh organic juices and cordials and will shortly be launching a range of organic food specially targeted at children.
Said Mark “Like any reasonably sane retailer I have been looking carefully at our range of suppliers of food and drink to achieve the goals of traceability, quality and purity of flavour. The principles of the organic movement fit perfectly with our aims here at The White Horse where we will do all that we can to improve the interest, variety and quality of the delicious food and drink that we offer.”
The increased organic presence at The White Horse is officially launched on Saturday 16th April at a private party held to celebrate the tenth anniversary of Simon Wright’s Organic and Fairtrade consultancy, O&F Consulting. Simon has worked closely with the White Horse to help them to extend their organic offer.
For more information please contact:
ENDS
PARTY PHOTOS
NB Present but not photographed: Alison Austin. Adrian Whitefoord had a sick note from his Mum.
Needs a haircut
