Nestlé UK&I’s Managing Director, Jane Aldridge, has been elected the British Coffee Association (BCA)’s new Chair.
She will take over Dr Krisztina Szalai, who moved on from the role to become Secretary General of the Swiss Coffee Trade Association. In addition, Elizabeth Langdon, of Equatorial Traders, has joined the BCA as Vice-Chair.
“I am truly delighted to be elected Chair of the British Coffee Association and I’m keen to support the Association’s mission – to represent, promote and support all aspects of the UK coffee trade and industry. I have had the privilege to work in this industry for over 25 years, and so this appointment is a proud moment for me. Directly and indirectly, I have been involved with the BCA since the 1990s, when of course our UK coffee industry looked very different and it is truly satisfying to see us in good shape today,” says Aldridge.
Aldridge has spent more than 25 years at Nestlé, where she now leads the in-home coffee business for the United Kingdom and Ireland.
Some of her notable achievements include the launch of Nescafé Azera, and the co-development of the Nescafé Plan, which was one of the first initiatives to deliver responsibly sourced coffee.
As BCA’s Chair, Aldridge will use her experience to support the UK coffee industry at a critical juncture as it deals with new regulatory requirements, including on deforestation, packaging and labelling, and work for improvements to the sustainability and environmental footprint of the industry. The UK Government continues to develop its approach to international trade, tariffs, and labour movement post-Brexit, and BCA will represent the sector as these areas evolve.
“We are the key platform through which businesses from every corner of the country can come together to collaborate and tackle those issues which are greater than any individual organisation. Businesses are rightly asking how we can be both commercially successful, as well as sustainable, something which the BCA has been exploring in-depth,” Aldridge says.
“It is the sense of community I feel that has kept me committed to the coffee industry over the past decade, and I’m passionate about bringing more diverse, independent and dynamic businesses into the BCA.”
