After being on this project for a little more than a month, studying the business potential for Unibake in the Middle East, I can definitely say I have found a job that caters to my taste. And on top of that I am given the chance to live in England for three months. I have been very lucky indeed.
If anyone wonders what we are doing here, I will give you a heads-up on Lantmännen’s UK operations. We have three sites: Bagshot, Minton Keynes and Bedford. I am located in Bagshot, a village south of London. We have no production in Bagshot. Instead, it is where the marketing department and the product development team are situated, as well as the international development team that I am now a part of.
It’s a good thing being at the same site as the product development people. Thanks to them, there are always some baked goods in the ovens, waiting to be tested and ranked. I gladly provide my service in that area! Yesterday, I was in a focus group trying out a new recipe for the cheese twists (twisted cheese bread). Let me tell you, they are soooo good!
I have been able to see more sides of England than Bagshot. Most weekends are spent in London, which is just about 1 hour and 15 minutes away from here by train. Last week I also made a study visit to the newly built Bedford plant. My guide for the day, product development manager Greg Woodhead, showed me around in the plant and pointed out the new production line for me (though I couldn’t tell any difference between that and the old one from Denmark, sorry!) Now I better get back to work. I have a lot of Googeling to do, trying to get a better understanding of the food service market in Saudi Arabia. Wish me good luck!