Daniel Tate Email & Phone Number

Brantford, Ontario, Canada

Mississauga, Ontario, Canada

Mississauga, Ontario, Canada

Highpoint Drive, Milton

Highpoint Drive, Milton

Technical Manager Produce – Working within the produce department as part of the technical team I have full technical responsibilities for all root vegetables, brassica, herb, leek, onion, garlic, Legumes, Exotic, Ethnic and Eggplant lines for the full 335 stores throughout the UK and Ireland. Asda Wal-Mart is the UK’s 2nd largest retailer with c. £22 billion sales and 17% market share. Wal-Mart acquired Asda in 2000.Responsibilities: Managing the supply base within the UK and overseas ensuring compliance to all legal / social / environmental / Ethical and Asda supplier standards. Liaising with all commercial / store / senior management and supply chain colleagues to ensure continued availability of quality produce.Liaising with internal and external agencies to ensure colleagues and suppliers are up to date with all current legal legislationDriving the category forward by developing the best suppliers with sustainable supply chains and sourcing structures. Developing new and existing product development opportunities to give Asda a distinct point of difference for its customers. Auditing and grading the supply base both in the UK and overseas to ensure operations are conforming to all legal and social legislation.Maintaining and developing supplier specifications.Achievements:Driven down customer complaints by 31% by management of the supply base quality and sourcing strategies.Increased category quality perception through supplier and specification management.Delivered New Items to the business in all categories by liaising with seed companies and using suppliers with a dedication to finding new and exciting products and varieties.Reduced waste by 5% by maximizing case counts and shelf life.Developed an effective quality management group using depot colleagues.Developed an effective ethical programme.Reduced packaging within the category by 12%.

Technical Manager – Working for the world’s largest banana exporter and grower within the UK market, supplying all the major retailers – Asda, Tesco, Morrison’s and Sainsbury’s with ripened bananas across c. 500 stores.Responsibilities:Managing the Technical and Quality team and functions on the UK sites in Dewsbury, Glasgow and Sheerness. (15 employees)Ensuring we meet our customers social / ethical and environmental expectations. Ensuring all UK quality systems and supporting certifications are achieved and aligned across the country, these include certifications to British Retail Consortium (Grade A), ETI Basecode compliance, Soil Association and Fair-Trade compliance. Ensuring that our suppliers are working to best practice using assured produce schemes, GlobalGap, SA8000 and Rainforest Alliance. Ensuring that our suppliers incorporate our values and work ethic into there daily business routines and operations.Liaising directly with Tropical and European Quality Technical teams to help drive quality improvements through New Items and category innovation.Co-ordinating internal and external training programmes for key associates.Achievements:Implemented Tesco Natures Choice at farm level in sourcing countries.Achieved BRC (British Retail Consortium) grade A on all UK sites.Maintained and developed GlobalGap certification on farms in sourcing countries. Successfully trialed ‘Chiquita to go’ single bananas for the UK market.Reduced customer complaints and customer rejections by 11% by developing quality systems and HACCP plans.Successfully trialed and developed modified atmosphere packaging for the UK banana market.