Role No: 1081 TO APPLY FOR ROLE PLEASE CLICK 'HERE'
A Non-Executive Director (Non Exec), specialising in the food sector is required for our client who is based in London.
Our client launched in 2017 as the first premium UK food brand specialising in African food.
We are seeking candidates with strong sales and marketing experience in the food industry with excellent contacts (food distributors, retailers, manufacturers and/or hospitality) and proven experience in scaling a food business.
We are looking for the incoming Non Exec to also invest in the business, becoming a shareholder (circa £25k) to align interests with the existing Directors.
The appointed Non-Exec will be paid an equity remuneration (sweat equity) based on performance and contribution. The time commitment will be around 2 days per month formal and informal time.
The Company and the Market Opportunity:
- Our client’s business launched in 2017 with the concept beginning in the founder’s family kitchen after spotting a gap in the retail market for premium African food products having grown up eating her mother’s delicious chilli sauces and wondering why there couldn’t be a good chilli sauce made with just natural ingredients for sale in supermarkets.
- There is a noticeable lack of representation (and with it a tremendous opportunity) of African food products compared to Chinese and Indian and our client has sought to change this by launching the first premium food brand specialising in African food.
- The world food market has grown over the last 2 years by 4% to £1.64 billion and by 8% since 2015. Emerging world cuisine has significantly boosted this growth. Over the next 5 years, sales of world cuisine are forecast to increase in value by 13% to £1.86 billion.
- Trend for African cuisine and flavours is rising. In their latest trend prediction reports, Waitrose and The Grocer predicted West African cuisine to be one of the top 5 food trends of 2019. This is reflected across the food industry with African street food pop ups all over London as well as new fine restaurant like Ikoyi in 2017, the only African restaurant in the UK to win a Michelin star.
- According to Mintel, 69% of consumers are interested in trying new ethnic dishes they have not tried before and 44% are interested in trying African cuisine. These figures demonstrate the massive opportunities existing with millennials who shape the future of the market. Millennials who have been exposed to more different cultures and cuisines than Generation X will continue eating a wide range of world cuisine as they get older. Combined with African consumers who are looking for authentic products easily accessible in supermarkets,
- Our client provides a solution catering to 2 consumer groups with significant spending power.
- This trend is not just in the UK but global with consumers in US and Europe looking for new flavours to integrate in their daily food. The National restaurant association, Washington placed North African flavours on top of its global flavours ranking in the “What’s hot in 2019 culinary forecast, west African cuisine/flavours second and Ethiopian/Eritrean cuisine fourth. With restaurant looking for new flavours to attract customers seeking new food experiences, there is a massive opportunity to create.
Non-Exec Director Role/Requirements:
We are looking for a Non-Exec Director who meet the following requirements:
- Strong experience in scaling a food business preferably in retail and/or hospitality;
- Strong sales and marketing experience;
- Strong expertise in fundraising (equity crowdfunding, angel & VC);
- Excellent contacts in food industry (distributors, retailers, manufacturers and/or hospitality);
- Experience in scaling a business internationally (Export);
- Mentoring experience.
We are looking for the incoming Non Exec to invest in the business, becoming a shareholder (circa £25k) to align interests with the existing Directors).
The remuneration package for this role will be sweat equity based on performance and contribution.
The Non-Executive Director will be expected to work on average 2 days per month formal and informal time.
The role will close on: Friday, 7th June 2019
