This blog is about sea buckthorn, but it is not possible in the UK at the moment to ignore the forthcoming election. Last night the BBC screened their head to head debate between the opposition parties. Both on this program and the following Question time politicians ignored pleas for direct answers to direct questions. Ben then trawled through the election manifestos of the principle parties. Conservatives offer a lengthy document but this is a wordy document that does not answer the direct questions as to how the government intends to reduce the £1.4 trillion debt the UK finds itself in. The labour party manifesto is short and lacking. By comparison UKIP seem to have done a lot of homework. But for me staying in Europe and being part of it on the inside is still an essential. Sea buckthorn is a European crop with a European community of growers. Not part of the EU would not change this, but at a time when the world is becoming politically unstable maintaining a solid EU block is important. Leaving the EU provides a scenario of change at a time when economic stability is essential. Politics needs to change in the UK, but having survived the potential breakup of the UK last year change needs to be a controlled development not a forced one. As an SME that looks to expansion in the next three years; with a need to work with Europeans; with a need to grow my income and capacity to invest in research; with an eye to both develop new product and export it I will vote for stability – economic, political, environmental and social.
Europe is not always a friend. EU regulation in the field of nutrition especially in the area of innovation is not constructive. This week figures emerge to indicate that research is moving out of Europe in the area of developing food products which offer digestive health claims. Cost and risk is just too high with an indication that the US is an easier market to work in.
The inference of this pushes companies to rely on consumers to look at the label and ingredients and then go away and research what benefits there might be from specialist product. This is all very well but we are all aware that internet searches can provide results of varied accuracy. Have regulators gone too far? What we need is quality research remaining in Europe, providing consumers with quality innovation that improves diets. Going back to politics – this blog must come across as repetitive, but politicians do not seem to understand the message that health and nutrition are linked. UK politicians are obsessed with the concept of the NHS, but fail to take on the issue that poor diet delivers a huge amount of custom to the NHS that could be reduced if nutrition was taken seriously.
In developing my sea buckthorn business I recognise that I must deliver consistent quality to my customers. I am told that customers do not care about detail. I believe that they will provide loyalty – or repeat purchase only if the product they buy gives them what they are looking for. Value for money is the key.
So consistency and value are my key targets. As a grower of the crop that will provide some of my product i understand how difficult it is to channel a natural product to be consistent in quality. Controlling this consistency will only come from on-going research to transfer nutrient quality from the plant to the consumer. This research will come at a cost but it adds value to product.
Value in product comes in a number of ways. Sea buckthorn has a capacity to deliver benefits. As a consumer since 2009 of sea buckthorn oil capsules I believe in this. As a family we use it and appreciate it. Those that we talk to about it – try it, take it and commit to it. Sea buckthorn also has a new taste sensation. Scottish sea buckthorn is carving out a market based on taste in juice, pastries, chocolate. These products are not being sold on the basis of benefit. This is the market of now, but ignoring the benefits that can be derived from sea buckthorn is ignoring hundreds of years of experience.
As functional food and drink companies withdraw their new product focus on europe regulation should not and must not become a barrier to innovation and new product development. Small companies need to be resourceful to deliver product with benefit to consumers. For me, that can mean developing product with exceptional taste, it can also mean recognising the potential offered by the nutritional quality.
Nutritional quality is not a matter of a single analysis of a product. Quality varies in natural products dependent upon environmental factors; how it is processed, manufactured and stored. Understanding these issues requires on-going analysis to recognise how variable individual nutrient concentration might be; the factors playing upon them and whether or whether not one can control them.
Does this matter? Do consumers care? Will it make a difference to the final product?
I would say it does matter. It does matter because consumers want to know that the product they buy is what they expect. Maybe they do not care about every detail, but they do want to know that the supply chain is committed to delivering the best product at the best value for their customer. The issue is about developing and bringing to market a product in which customers trust – delivered by a service which customers appreciate, understand and value.
Going back to where I started – trust; appreciation; understanding and valuing people – that is what I look for in politicians.
