Ocado’s CEO to address the ‘online challenge’ in the City Food Lecture 2021
Mel Smith in an Ocado van
Mel Smith, CEO of Ocado Retail, the world’s largest dedicated online supermarket, will discuss the challenges facing traditional retailers in serving customers online, when she gives The City Food Lecture 2021.
Held on the evening of 10 February, the lecture titled: ‘The role of new technology in the future of UK food retailing’ is being held virtually for an audience of UK and international food and drink industry leaders.
Formed in August 2019, Ocado Retail is a 50-50 joint venture between M&S and Ocado Group. It is responsible for ocado.com, online pet store Fetch and Ocado Zoom, a one-hour grocery service. Ocado Retail serves 350,000 households a week and has a 15% share of the UK online grocery market.
UK online sales grew by more than a third (36.2%) in 2020 as shoppers shifted to e-commerce to stay safe during the Covid-19 pandemic according to figures released from BRC – KPMG Retail Sales Monitor. A record-breaking 5.9 million people now shop for groceries online. Kantar figures show a rise in online grocery sales of 77% year-on-year in the four weeks to 6 September 2020. Online now accounts for 12.5% of total sales in the UK.
Following the lecture, there will be a panel discussion chaired by Charlotte Smith, presenter of BBC’s Farming Today. As well as Mel Smith, the panel consists of food entrepreneur Charlie Bigham, James Walton, chief economist of IGD and Laura Winningham, chief executive of London based food poverty charity, City Harvest.
John Giles, the chairman of the City Food Lecture organising committee, said: “With the pandemic creating so many changes in the way we buy and consume food, Mel’s lecture couldn’t be more timely. I’m sure her insights into online grocery retail will ensure the 2021 lecture will be fascinating for all who attend.”
Due to ongoing coronavirus restrictions, the 2021 lecture will be a virtual event held from 4.45 until 7.15pm GMT. The City Food Lecture is one of the most prestigious events in the industry’s calendar and is supported by premium sponsor, Rathbone Investment Management. It is organised by the seven City of London livery companies involved in agriculture and food: the Worshipful Companies of Bakers, Butchers, Cooks, Farmers, Fishmongers, Fruiterers and Poulters. It brings together 700 industry leaders, academics and liverymen and students from leading universities.
Mel Smith is the latest in a line of prestigious speakers that in recent years have included Dutch scientist, academic and broadcaster, professor Louise Fresco, Dominic Blakemore, group chief executive of Compass Group, Tesco CEO Dave Lewis and former Cadbury Schweppes chairman, John Sunderland.
For more information on the lecture, visit: cityfoodlecture2021.com.