Ian Wright CBE, Co-Chair
Food and Drink Export Council

Gama spoke to Ian Wright CBE, Co-Chair of the Food and Drink Export Council.

Read the full interview in the next issue of Gama News.

From your perspective, what makes the UK such a strategically important market for food and drink businesses – both domestic and international?

The UK market remains one of the most accessible and innovation-friendly environments in Europe. For businesses looking to test products, gain quick feed-back and engage a sophisticated consumer base, the UK offers a highly efficient platform. However, while entry is relatively straightforward, scaling is significantly more difficult. The retail landscape is dominated by a small number of large super-market chains. Going from a handful of listings to national distribution is a major leap and often the point at which businesses struggle. That’s when many founders (understandably) choose to exit. But for those who can sustain the momentum, the UK can serve as a springboard to much larger international opportunities.

You’ve spent most of your career in large companies. What has chairing a startup taught you about the challenges early-stage businesses face?

It’s been a valuable, and frankly humbling, experience. I currently chair a startup developing block-chain tools to help businesses meet the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive. It’s a very specific and demanding area, focused on traceability, data integrity and regulatory compliance. What’s striking is the sheer intensity of decision-making and the constant need to adapt. In a startup, you don’t have departments: you have people wearing multiple hats, often all at once. It’s easily the most demanding role I’ve taken on. Compared to the corporate world, where you have scale and structure, working in a startup is like operating in a fog: every step forward requires clarity, conviction and a willingness to take calculated risks.