SAM TREVEY AT RED TRACTOR TALKS CAREERS

Red Tractor champions high standards across the food chain and their logo is the most recognised and most trusted farm assurance mark among UK consumers.  After starting out and shaping his career at Bakkavor, Sam moved to Red Tractor in 2022.  

UKFV: As a locally educated boy at Spalding Grammar School, was it always your intention to build your career and life in this area? 

ST: When I was at school, I had a passion for both art and the sciences but hadn’t really thought about a career or where I’d end up. However, I am born and bred in Spalding and have family connections to the area and agriculture going back generations; my grandad was a sugar beet grower near Crowland, and my mum worked in local vegetable packhouses and food manufacturers.  

UKFV: The first major role you took on at Bakkavor was Produce Technical Co-ordinator. How did you get into this sector and what did the role entail?  

ST: As a teenager, I began working in the food industry as a weekend and summer job on a production line at Geest (now Bakkavor) while still studying – it was a natural fit, as the industry is a dominant employer in South Holland. 

After I’d finished school, I did an art foundation course at Leicester but realised I’d struggle to realistically build a career as a painter. I decided to come back home and continue working at Bakkavor as a stopgap, which turned into a 20+ year career! My agri food journey therefore began by accident rather than design. 

After a few years working in operational roles on the factory floor, I moved into a production planning role in the office. An internal role as Fresh Produce Technical Co-ordinator became available, which was a great opportunity to progress and appealed to my interest in botany and horticulture as a keen gardener and allotment-holder. 

I was able to build my career in the industry because great managers allowed me to grow and develop through the experience and training I received. Food safety and audit training allowed me to move from an admin-focussed “co-ordinator” role to a more technical role. I spent over 10 years progressing through the fresh produce technical department, and the qualifications and experience gained helped me to move to my current role at Red Tractor. This shows that having a university degree isn’t always critical; practical experience is valued and respected in the industry as a means of demonstrating competence.  

UKFV: During the two decades you spent at Bakkavor, what developments did you see in the sector and what was the key learning you took forward with you?  

ST: Many of the jobs I did at 16 on the factory floor such as putting pots in boxes, then boxes on pallets, are increasingly becoming automated, and ongoing advances in technology point towards a growing trend in the use of automation and robotics across the sector. This presents exciting prospects for more technology and data-focussed career paths in the future, as well at the potential to address challenges in the industry around sourcing labour.  

UKFV: During your time at Bakkavor, you progressed through various roles to become Responsible Sourcing Systems Manager. Were these natural steps in your career journey and did you continue to train both on the job and through more formal education channels?   

ST: This role was more of a sidestep, focussing on sustainability and human rights within the supply chain. With more of a data and systems focus, it allowed me to develop my data skills which is now one of my core skills. This was quite a broad role and reinforced in me that fresh produce was where my passion lay. 

UKFV: In 2022, you joined Red Tractor as their Fresh Produce Technical Manager. What attracted you to this role?  

ST: This role offered the opportunity to refocus on the UK fresh produce sector, which is where my skills, experience, and passion lay. Red Tractor is an internationally respected scheme, and the role represents a huge opportunity and responsibility to develop standards that work for the whole sector. As Red Tractor farm assurance is required by all major UK retailers, our standards have a wide reach. 

We are a small team of approximately 35 permanent staff and as the only member of staff focussed on fresh produce, I have full ownership of our management of the sector. I work with our sector Board and Technical Advisory Committee to help inform the development of Red Tractor standards. In Fresh Produce, this has a strong focus on food safety and encompasses traceability and elements of environmental protection and worker welfare.  

Our values are concentrated on doing what’s right for the whole supply chain, from our British farmers through to the consumer. My role involves finding the balance when developing standards that are realistic and achievable, proportionate to the inherent risks of the crop, and recognising the broad variety of farm types and production systems within the sector. We ensure that assurance works for the whole supply chain and incorporate consumer-facing marketing to promote high British standards.  

 UKFV: What recommendations would you give to the food industry to attract new talent and the skills for tomorrow into the sector? 

ST: Before I was involved in the industry, I was surprised by its breadth and the variety of roles available. This is something the industry should shout about - even at Red Tractor, which is a relatively small business, we have teams who cover data, marketing and finance etc. When you think about working in agriculture, you think of driving tractors. There’s so much diversity beyond the fields and factory floor - there’s a cast of thousands behind the scenes.  

Because the industry is so huge, there’s lots of chances for career progression and my own career journey is an excellent example of this. The fresh produce industry is a tight knit community; everyone knows each other and works together to drive the industry forward, and high standards and strong food safety standards benefit the whole supply chain. With such a broad and varied sector, an important aspect of my role is building and developing relationships with a wide range of contacts, as I’ll never be an expert on everything! 

International collaboration is also important. Whilst Red Tractor is a UK standard, we have contact with other European assurance schemes and there is some international travel related to that. We also assist with visits and study tours from further afield and have met with delegates from as far afield as Japan and Australia. 

UKFV: So, flip that on its head, what would be your top tips to our young people regarding the benefits and local opportunities of working in agri food?  

ST: Again, I’d be highlighting the breadth of the industry. There’s great opportunity to try a variety of things and find your niche. There’s also opportunity to travel globally. I’ve been lucky enough to source fresh produce from overseas, and as part of that I’ve travelled to Central and South America to visiting growers of exotic fruits such as pineapples, melons and mangos and to Europe for salads and vegetables. This has been valuable for understanding the fresh produce industry as a whole and for recognising the high standards and professionalism of British farmers.  

I would also highlight the variety in my job.  No two days are the same, and there are constant opportunities to learn and develop within the role. My job is to develop the fresh produce standards but there’s so many aspects to that. A key part is building connections with people and making the most of the opportunities on offer. 

This industry also allows me to remain well-rounded as an individual and gives me a great work/life balance. I’m still interested in art as a hobby and use it to switch off – it's almost like meditation and allows me to clear my brain. I’ve had artworks exhibited locally in Lincoln, Sleaford and Wisbech, and even won a prize in a portrait competition!  

My downtime is also aligned with my love of fresh produce; I’m a proud allotment holder, and I once came second in Bell’s pumpkin growing competition near Boston. While mine weighted in at around 80kg, the winner was closer to 500kg – an absolute monster!