In preparation for Expana’s upcoming Agri-Food Europe event taking place at the Okura Hotel, Amsterdam from 25th-27th February, we sat down with Amanda Wright, Group Procurement Director for Oscar Mayer Group UK who is one of the featured speakers on the agenda.
Can you start by sharing a few words about what your day to day role involves?
At Oscar Mayer Group we are responsible for making and developing retailer label prepared foods for the top UK grocery retailers. As a Procurement Director, my day-to-day role involves overseeing the procurement strategy to ensure we secure the best value for the business. This includes managing supplier relationships, negotiating contracts, analysing spend data, and ensuring compliance with procurement policies. I also work closely with internal teams to align procurement activities with business goals, drive efficiencies, and address any operational challenges.
At Agri-Food Europe you are taking part in our Buyers Panel, of which one area of focus is supplier relationships. What do you believe food buyers need from suppliers?
Food buyers need suppliers who prioritise dependability, ensuring consistent quality and timely deliveries to meet customer expectations. Innovation is equally important, as buyers look for suppliers who can adapt to market trends and offer new solutions to stay competitive. A strong partnership mindset is key, fostering open communication and collaboration to achieve mutual goals. Lastly, transparency is essential, particularly in pricing, sourcing, and operations, to build trust and support sustainable, long-term relationships.
What do you feel are some of the bigger challenges you’re seeing within agri-food procurement?
Buyers today face several significant challenges. First would be quality issues. Ensuring consistent product quality is a growing concern, especially with supply chain disruptions and variability in sourcing standards. Another challenge we face is changes in supplier behavior. Suppliers are becoming more cautious, altering terms, reducing flexibility, or prioritising larger clients, which can strain buyer relationships and disrupt supply continuity. Lastly would be inflation and rising costs, as ongoing inflation has driven up costs across raw materials, production, and logistics, making it increasingly difficult to balance budgets and maintain competitive pricing.
Navigating these challenges requires strategic planning, stronger supplier partnerships, and a proactive approach to risk management.
How are you tackling some of these issues you outline?
To navigate these challenges, we try to focus on building stronger partnerships with reliable suppliers, ensuring open communication and mutual trust. Investing in robust quality assurance processes and diversifying the supplier base can help us mitigate risks related to quality and supplier behaviour. Additionally, we are adopting a proactive approach to cost management, such as leveraging data analytics for better forecasting and exploring long-term contracts to lock in pricing, whilst working on new commercial opportunities with our customers to develop new and exciting products.
Hear more insight from Amanda Wright and other esteemed speakers at Expana’s Agri-Food Europe Event from 25th – 27th February at the Okura Hotel, Amsterdam. Check out our agenda here.
Written by Nick Wood
