LEAF (Linking Environment And Farming), has announced the appointment of Clare Mike as its new director of business development.
Clare’s role will be to plan and lead a business collaboration strategy to work with LEAF’s members and corporate companies to place sustainable food and farming high on their agenda.
Clare has worked in the food industry for almost 20 years, predominantly in fresh produce and manufacturing. She started off her career at Minor, Weir and Willis, one of the country’s leading handlers of fruit and vegetables, before moving on to Vitacress, one of Europe’s principal growers and manufacturers of leafy salad products. For the last ten years, Clare has worked at Kanes Foods, one of the UK’s foremost processors of value-added, prepared fresh produce, where she specialised in Account Management, building mutually rewarding relationships with clients and developing new business opportunities.
Speaking on her new position at LEAF, Clare commented: “I am particularly interested in sustainable development within the food supply chain – at both a home grown and global level. It is such an exciting time to join LEAF, when mindfulness for the environmental and social impact of our daily choices is growing and consumer demand for products and services which reflect these values is at an all-time high. With LEAF Marque as the leading global assurance system recognising more sustainably farmed products, timing could not be better for an ambitious push into new territories, whilst building closer relationships with existing members and the wider community.”
Chief executive of LEAF, Caroline Drummond added: “We are delighted that Clare has joined our growing team. Her wide ranging commercial experience and knowledge of the sustainability sector will be invaluable as we continue our strategy to meet the growing need for our services at a time of such change in the food and farming sector across the globe. Our ambition is to turn up the volume on the great work that has already been done and to shine a light on what LEAF Marque means for all the key parts of the food supply chain – from farmers, through brands and retailers and UK consumers. Clare will be instrumental in this and we look forward to her being a key part of the LEAF team.”
