Our economic strategy is forgetting industries that built and feed Britain says CEO of snacking giant

Growth won’t come if we just focus on emerging technologies like AI and green energy.

That’s the view of the boss of the London headquartered international snacking company behind McVitie’s biscuits and GODIVA chocolates.  

Salman Amin, CEO of pladis, has warned an outsized focus on new industries risks marginalising those that have served as the foundation of the British economy for decades - and risks the country’s ability to grow in turn.

Salman, said: “I think we can all sign up to the government’s mission to grow the UK economy, renew the country’s competitiveness and unlock investment.  After all, what business leader wouldn’t?  The big question is how – and this is where I have a concern.

“What strikes me is that in the race to grow, we seem to be turning our backs on the industries which have built Britain for decades.  You only have to look at the list of sectors featured in the government’s industrial strategy to see this.  There’s plenty of mention of aerospace, tech and green energy but you’d be hard pressed to find a substantive reference to food and drink.  In my view, that’s a glaring omission.  

“For sustained growth to happen and for it to reach all the nations and regions of the UK, it doesn’t make sense to rely on a small number of sectors.  Indeed, there’s a material risk from placing bets only on emerging industries – they may well grow but others will decline, meaning the whole economy could effectively stand still.

“Economic momentum will come when we build a genuinely inclusive industrial strategy.  A strategy which embraces emerging sectors and, crucially, celebrates those in which Britain is already a leader – such as food and drink.”

Manufacturing remains the backbone of our economy, generating 23% of the UK’s GDP, generates five million direct and indirect jobs and delivers wages 11% above the UK average.  

Within manufacturing, food and drink is the largest sector.  It generates £38 billion[1], for the UK economy, from large companies like pladis and the several thousand small and medium sized firms up and down the country.

Food and drink employs 475,000 people across Britain, with the pladis business supporting 7,000 direct and indirect jobs across its 10 UK sites – the vast majority of which are outside London and the South East.

Salman concluded: “Backing food and drink is not about betting on future growth and employment, it’s about recognising jobs and wages provided today.  

“But for my sector and others to play their full role in creating the economy we want somethings need to happen.  We need government to lead and create a stable and certain regulatory environment in which business can flourish. And, businesses must play their part too.  

“But – ultimately – growth will only come when business and government fly in formation and genuinely understand one another.  It is only by trusting and truly understanding each other’s perspectives that we will deliver a genuinely inclusive industrial strategy.”

Founded in 2016, privately owned pladis is the home to household brands like McVitie’s, Jacob’s, Carr’s and GODIVA.  It sells its food in more than 100 countries globally.

Further information from the pladis press office: media.centre@pladisglobal.com