From advertising to marketing to dairy
Keith Collins had worked for three decades in the food industry before setting up his own dairy supply and distribution business in 1992.
The managing director and joint founder of Highgrove Food Distribution began his career in advertising in the 1960s. By the 70s he had moved into the manufacturing side of the industry, working with companies such as Pickering and Heinz.
Ten years on, Collins had found his way into dairy and was instrumental in launching aerosol cream to the market with St Ivel, and brought Danone into the UK in the mid-1980s.
He had built up many European contacts during this time and when he set up Highgrove Food Distribution, all his products were originally sourced from the continent. However, all products in the Highgrove portfolio are now sourced from UK farms.
Collins says dairy farmers are facing real challenges with the reformation of the Common Agricultural Policy looming.
He explains: “We all need to look at new strategies to encourage more customers to drink milk, because the reviews will almost certainly lead to lower returns on milk.”
This week has been a busy, but exciting one for Collins as the company launched two campaigns. He says: “The most enjoyable aspect to my job is innovation and new product ideas and bringing them onto the market.”
The two campaigns are offering consumers choice at opposite ends of the fat scale. A period of taste trials began yesterday to encourage more customers to buy the full fat luxury Gold Top milk products.
And today, Highgrove Foods launches its new fat-free milk and whey fruit juices, SupaSkim and So.Lo. The company has been working on the project with health and fitness guru Rosemary Conley for the past two years to capitalise on the increasingly health-conscious consumers.
Keith Collins had worked for three decades in the food industry before setting up his own dairy supply and distribution business in 1992.
The managing director and joint founder of Highgrove Food Distribution began his career in advertising in the 1960s. By the 70s he had moved into the manufacturing side of the industry, working with companies such as Pickering and Heinz.
Ten years on, Collins had found his way into dairy and was instrumental in launching aerosol cream to the market with St Ivel, and brought Danone into the UK in the mid-1980s.
He had built up many European contacts during this time and when he set up Highgrove Food Distribution, all his products were originally sourced from the continent. However, all products in the Highgrove portfolio are now sourced from UK farms.
Collins says dairy farmers are facing real challenges with the reformation of the Common Agricultural Policy looming.
He explains: “We all need to look at new strategies to encourage more customers to drink milk, because the reviews will almost certainly lead to lower returns on milk.”
This week has been a busy, but exciting one for Collins as the company launched two campaigns. He says: “The most enjoyable aspect to my job is innovation and new product ideas and bringing them onto the market.”
The two campaigns are offering consumers choice at opposite ends of the fat scale. A period of taste trials began yesterday to encourage more customers to buy the full fat luxury Gold Top milk products.
And today, Highgrove Foods launches its new fat-free milk and whey fruit juices, SupaSkim and So.Lo. The company has been working on the project with health and fitness guru Rosemary Conley for the past two years to capitalise on the increasingly health-conscious consumers.
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