McCain Foods (GB) recently announced the appointment of James Young, who will be joining the UK senior leadership team as Agriculture Director. In his new role, he will take overall responsibility for McCain’s crucial raw material – potatoes.
The company says Young will work across commercial, strategic, and operational elements, from ensuring the reliable supply of high-quality seed to managing the entire potato purchasing process, ensuring best practice in crop husbandry and new variety development.
Young will also continue to develop McCain’s strong relationship with its 250 strong grower community and enhance the integration from field to factory, as well as leading the brand’s sustainable farming efforts as regenerative agriculture increases in importance across the industry.
The appointment comes as McCain takes an increasingly strong leadership position on protecting the resilience of UK potato growers against climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic. This includes the recent McCain Potato Farmer Pledge, a GBP 25 million (about USD 34 million) investment to help safeguard the future of British agriculture.
Commenting on his appointment, Young said he is delighted to join McCain, “a business I have admired for a long time as a champion of UK farming. My focus will be to continue deepening the work to help protect the future of potato growing and embed sustainable agriculture practices. I look forward to working with the business to innovate, collaborate with growers, and ultimately deliver excellent products to customers.”
Howard Snape, Regional Director of McCain Foods (GB) said: “We need to continue enhancing our efforts and ensuring that we choose sustainable farming practices with a strong leadership team to drive this forward. This is why we are excited to welcome James into McCain – his role will be a critical addition to the GB team as we continue to take a leadership position in ensuring the long-term sustainability of British agriculture, from regenerative farming practices to innovations in climate resilience.”
Source: McCain Foods (GB)
Photo: James Young
