The Future of Food: Highlights from the 2025 MDS Annual Conference
Last week, we brought together Trainees, Members and industry partners for the MDS Annual Conference, where we explored the Future of Food. The morning session was hosted by long-time MDS supporter and advocate Max McGillivray from Beanstalk Global, who brought great energy to the day and introduced a brilliant line-up of speakers.
Vitacress Herbs: Putting Fresh Flavour First
Laura Appleton from Vitacress Herbs kicked things off by talking about how they are shaking up the fresh herb market. Vitacress supplies over 84 million packs of fresh herbs every year to major retailers like Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Marks & Spencer, with their goal of bringing healthy, fresh flavours into people’s meals and inspiring confidence in the kitchen. Laura explained how they use detailed consumer data and research to really understand what shoppers want and how they connect with herbs. This has helped them come up with exciting new ways to encourage people to use fresh herbs more often, all year round.
Elsoms Seeds: Innovation from Field to Fork
David Coop, Managing Director at Elsoms Seeds, then shared his fascinating career journey – from plant science degree to leading a company with a history of over 180 years. His advice was simple but powerful: say yes to new opportunities and don’t be afraid to step outside your comfort zone. David talked about how Elsoms develops new crop varieties that are tougher, more productive and more sustainable, working with the entire food supply chain. A standout story was about their purple sprouting broccoli, ‘Burgundy‘, which grows faster, needs less labour, and delivers great quality for growers, retailers and shoppers. He wrapped up with a clear message – the future of food depends on new ideas and fresh thinking, and that’s exactly where this generation comes in.
BASF: Smart Farming for a Sustainable World
Next up was Alice Johnston, joined by MDS alum Calum Lister, as they shared how BASF is helping farming adapt to a changing world. They gave us an inside look at BASF’s work – from early fertiliser developments to today’s advances in crop protection, digital farming and sustainability. They explained how technologies like smart spraying, digital tools and gene editing are helping improve efficiency while looking after the planet. Calum spoke about his carbon farming project during his MDS secondment – the first in Europe to generate verified carbon reduction units through small but meaningful changes in farming practice. Alice wrapped up by stressing the importance of partnerships, long-term thinking and shared responsibility. Whether it’s farmers trying new techniques or BASF speaking up for agriculture in policy, working together is key. Their final message? BASF is committed to supporting growers through innovation – “for the love of farming, the biggest job on Earth”.
Soil Association Certification: The Organic Opportunity
Finally, Clare Hadway-Ball from the Soil Association Certification, who gave us plenty to think about with her talk on the organic sector’s present and future. Clare explained how the Soil Association helps grow the organic market through certification and support for sustainable farming. She highlighted the benefits of organic farming – like boosting biodiversity, improving animal welfare and creating healthier soils – and how younger shoppers are driving demand for organic products because of health and environmental concerns. Clare also didn’t shy away from the challenges, mentioning the issues around price and accessibility, and the need for clearer messaging in shops. But she finished on a positive note, saying organic food is here to stay and will play a bigger part in a food future that’s all about health and sustainability.
Inspiring Conversations and a Bright Future Ahead
After the talks, we had a lively Q&A session. Our Trainees asked thoughtful questions that sparked some really interesting conversations and gave us the chance to dig deeper into what the speakers had shared. It was brilliant to see so much enthusiasm and curiosity from the next generation of agricultural professionals.
A huge thank you to Max McGillivray from Beanstalk Global for expertly guiding us through the morning, to all our speakers for sharing their time and insight, and to Eastwood Hall for providing the perfect setting for a day full of ideas, inspiration and connection. The future of food is in good hands, and after this year’s conference, we’re more excited than ever to see where it leads.