• About FDFS
  • Who we are
    • Our Structure
    • FDFS Staff
  • Job Vacancies
  • FDF Scotland consultation responses
  • Cross Party Group on Food
• Membership
• Facts and Stats
• Careers in food and drink
• Events
• News
• Sustainability
• Diet and health in Scotland

Our Structure

Led by CEO David Thomson, Food and Drink Federation (FDF) Scotland is part of the UK trade association – the FDF. FDF Scotland focuses on Scottish specific issues that are of interest to our members.

Executive Committee

There are elected officers who work together to advise and support FDF Scotland on a broad range of issues and activities, at both a strategic and tactical level.

The committee consists of the Chair, Vice-Chair and representatives from a diverse range of member companies.

• Chair: Dr Gary Stephenson, Devro plc

  
  

  Gary is the Chair of FDF Scotland and Director for Global External & Regulatory Affairs at Devro (Scotland), a Scottish based global food casing company exporting to over 100 countries. His background is in parasitology, food safety, health and nutrition providing a scientific and technical approach to regulation.

• Vice-Chair: Rachel Wicklow, Scobie & Junor

  
  

  Scobie & Junor specialise in supplying the food industry with ingredients, packaging and machinery. Rachell has a marketing background, where she has held various roles for Gillette and Beam Global Spirits & Wines.

• Archie Gibson, Agrico UK Ltd

  
  

  Archie is the Managing Director of Agrico UK Ltd, a subsidiary of a Dutch farmers' cooperative with 800 members. The company is a leading breeder and merchant of seed potatoes supplying more than 80 countries worldwide. Archie gained experience in a variety of land agent roles before joining the food industry in 1999.

• Gordon McKelvie, Baxters Food Group Limited

  
  

  Gordon joined Baxters Food Group in May 2016 as Group Legal Counsel. He sits on the Group Board and also the Management Boards of Baxters European, North American and Australian business units and chairs the Baxters Group Risk Committee. Prior to joining Baxters, Gordon worked as in-house legal counsel for businesses in the Scotch Whisky and Automotive sectors, and was also a partner in a private legal practice.

• Mark Bruce, Border Biscuits

  
  

  Mark is Commercial Director at Border Biscuits, a family owned sweet biscuit manufacturer that has operated in Lanark since 1984. Mark has worked in the food and drink sector in Scotland since 1992 where his first role was at Walker's Crisps. Since then he has worked with a range of brands and businesses, all with a Scottish presence. His previous experience has included roles at Masterfoods, Carlsberg, Lightbody Cakes and Brakes.

• Jim Fox, Coca-Cola European Partners

  
  

  Jim has worked in the Coca-Cola system in Great Britain for over 25 years. He started his career at CCE managing and planning within the Supply Chain then moved to Sales and Marketing and was responsible for several of Coca-Cola's most important large national accounts. In his current role since 2005, he represents Coca-Cola European Partners in Government and Public Affairs working closely with elected representatives in Westminster, Edinburgh and Cardiff.

• Tony Dumbreck, Innovate Foods

  
  

  Tony is Managing Director of Innovate Foods, one of the leading players in the UK, supplying coated starters into the major Foodservice operators in UK, Germany and other European countries. Tony grew up in a three-generation family mushroom growing business. He was a founding partner in Golden Crumb Produce Ltd in Feb 1989, and took over the company in 1991, which subsequently became Innovate Foods.

• James Macsween, Macsween of Edinburgh

  
  

  James is Managing Director of award-winning family business Macsween of Edinburgh. Macsween has expanded the market for haggis and black pudding through on-going product and management innovation. James has worked in every department from van driver to pie marker and shop assistant to haggis maker; starting fulltime in production in 1992.

• Colin Herron, McCain Foods (GB) Ltd

  
  

  Colin has worked in various positions at McCain Foods' potato seed business in Montrose for over 20 years. Previously he worked as a Higher Agricultural Officer at the Scottish Government.

• Sonja Bader, Sco-Fro Group Ltd

  
  

  Sonja is Group Commercial Director at Sco-Fro Group Ltd, a private ltd company, founded in Glasgow over 40 years ago. Sco-Fro imports a wide range of ambient grocery and frozen seafood products from around the world including - China, Thailand, India, Italy and Germany and supplies major multiple retail and foodservice companies across the UK, mainly under private label. Sonja has been with the business for over 30 years and has held a number of positions across the business in that time in sales, marketing and sourcing. Prior to joining Sco-Fro Sonja spent a few years in the Scotch whisky industry.

Members' Forum

As FDF Scotland is a division of FDF, it enables industry members in Scotland to have direct input into the development, formulation and promotion of industry policy both in Scotland and the UK. FDF positions are developed and agreed following industry-wide consultation.

We have set up a Scottish Policy Forum open to all FDF members. The forum provides the opportunity to meet both online or in person with Scottish policy makers and regulators, hear about forthcoming Scottish legislation, and meet with a range of experts from FDF affiliated members. If members wish to sign up, get in touch via webmaster@fdf.org.uk.