Jason Stamp

Jason Stamp – Purchasing Manager

Before joining Bakkavor’s Hitchen Foods business in March 2000, I worked at Unigate’s Malton Bacon Company for six years, starting as the process planning manager before moving into the trading team buying chicken and turkey for the Group and then on to being the Purchasing Manager for the site whilst having a group role supporting the Group Purchasing Manager.

I was attracted to Hitchen Foods as, although it was a relatively small company at the time, it had huge potential and had been listed in the Times top 100 fast-track companies for three years running. The company had and still has a family feel and a lot of the managers have been with the company for a long time, showing great loyalty and passion for work. Hitchen Foods has always been a diverse company, constantly changing the product mix and portfolio. When I started we were fairly basic in the type of product we manufactured but always listened to the customers’ needs and tried to be flexible and cost effective in our process techniques.

Being in a business that is part of the Bakkavör Group, has provided me with the opportunity to be able to contribute as a key member to Group purchasing decisions in packaging, protected crops and vegetables. I also manage the inter-company sales from Hitchen Foods of prepared vegetables.

The three key things that I enjoy about my role are:-

• Working with suppliers and interacting with different purchasing managers at each site. Farmers especially have a great passion and care for their produce and where it ends up. Having a transparent relationship with the grower really helps them believe in the long term and brings them closer to quality and service.
• The diversity that I am faced with daily is always a good challenge. To keep a cool head and focused when work becomes tricky always brings out the best and worst in people but I like being kept busy.
• The achievement of saving money or making profit is a real drive for purchasing managers. Everyone likes to shout about their goals achieved especially when it means pound signs.

The most rewarding part of my role is ensuring that we meet or exceed our targets and ensure the long term profitability. I know this may sound slightly strange, but like many people at Hitchen foods we are very passionate about the business and how successful it is.