Mark Edwards Email & Phone Number

After finishing my vocational degree in Applied Biology, including placements with Monsanto at their European Centre in Belgium, and the National Vegetable Research station I took up my first post as a Cereal Breeder (predominantly Wheat) at New Farm Crops. With my interest in Quality being triggered I then moved to Weston Research researching how to create the best flour types for the bread and biscuit markets in the UK. Desiring a more direct effect on the commercial food markets I decided to move into Fresh Produce Quality Assurance using my Leadership skills to manage a team of Quality controllers at Superior International. Controlling Fruit, Salads and Cut flowers for most of the UK retailers. I then moved to Fyffes Multifresh, initially in Dartford, but soon went north to Livingston in Scotland staying within Fresh produce but more specifically with Fruit and Avocados. With an increasing interest in the Technical side I then moved back to England to Primafruit in Worcestershire initially as the Senior Quality Manager but moving into a Technical Managers role whilst still being responsible for the QA Team. With limited opportunities to progress my career at the time I decided to change products and joined V Besana Spa as Group Technical Manager for Tree Nuts and Dried Fruit products, based in Upper Rissington, Gloucestershire with monthly visits to their Head Quarters in San Gennaro Vesuviano, just South of Naples. An exciting fast moving niche market supplying almost all of the major retailers in the UK.After leaving Besana, due to the company no longer requiring a UK based Technologist, I moved back to Primafruit initially as a Senior Technologist for Grapes. I then moved on to Kiwi and Citrus before becoming heavily involved in the new Banana project based in Bishops Stortford. Over the next 13 years I was also looking after Melons and Pineapples, as Primafruit increased turnover from approx. £55m to over £170m in 2021, with a new purpose built Banana ripening centre being built on the Evesham site 2018/19. During this time I was also responsible for the Organic and Faitrade accreditations at both sites. Extensive foreign travel was required as part of the role to visit and audit overseas suppliers.In 2015 I decided to take on a P.G. Diploma with Lancaster University (Food Challenges in the 21st Century) achieving a distinction and receiving the best overall performance for my year.I am now looking for a new challenge within the Food industry with significant interest in Sustainability, Recycling, Fair Trade and Environmental aspects.

Listed skills include Food Industry, Food, Food Safety, Management, and 15 others.