This Case Study describes a project undertaken in 2019 in conjunction with Adapt Consulting Company, working on behalf of Solitaire Consulting.
“The autumn 2019 consultation on the Jersey Royal Industry has been a breath of fresh air with broad consultation, good cooperation and significant consensus. We need to keep-up this good work in 2020 and look forward to seeing ideas turn into actions in 2020.”
Mike Renouard, Business Unit Director, The Jersey Royal Company Ltd
The Client
Farm Jersey is a non-profit making organisation that acts as a forum for the exchange of information, both between exporters and from exporters to government, which is funded by the Government of Jersey through Jersey Product Promotion Limited (JPPL). Farm Jersey’s objective is to help increase profitability and productivity and assist businesses to market a range of rural goods and services, both at home and overseas. This will allow businesses, in partnership with Government, to realise their potential and achieve economic and environmental sustainability vital to engaging future generations as the custodians of our key rural industries.
The Business Problem
The Jersey Royal Potato industry is facing a range of business, economic, environmental and sustainability challenges. This includes the cost of labour and mechanisation, pesticides and plastic, market pressure and Brexit. However, there are also opportunities to be gained from changing working practices, use of technology and collaboration between industry and Government.
Without change, the industry is in danger of not being able to survive. causing irreparable changes to the Island landscape and the loss of Jersey’s most valuable agricultural export.
The Solution
Working with a broad range of stakeholders, Tim Rogers, an Associate of Solitaire Consulting, worked with Farm Jersey and the Rural Economic Advisor to run a series of interviews and workshops. These brought together a diverse group with a common passion to secure a future for the Industry. The outputs included interview notes, a review, report and recommendations combining no-cost “quick-wins” and longer-term initiatives and programmes.
The work was well received by the industry who both embraced the opportunity and provided positive feedback about the process.
“The Farm Jersey consultation with the Jersey Royal Industry has really highlighted a number of challenging issues, but it has also identified a significant number of possibilities and opportunities, many of which cost nothing. We greatly welcome this initiative and look forward to contributing to more like this in 2020.”
Tim Ward, Sales & Distribution Director, Albert Bartlett
The Benefits
Farm Jersey and the Rural Economic Advisor said “We enjoyed working with Solitaire Consulting, we found them flexible, efficient and really helpful. It was a huge advantage having an impartial facilitator manage the process which really helped consensus around the content. We actually completed the work faster and cheaper than expected with really positive feedback from the participants”. Farm Jersey and the Rural Economic Advisor added “What is especially pleasing is the practical tasks that we have been able to progress immediately.”
“The consultation on the Jersey Royal Industry and the Rural Economy Strategy (2017-2021) is greatly valued and we are delighted with the process, engagement and outputs that have come from this initiative. We strongly support the good work of John Vautier (Rural Business Advisor, Economy & Partnerships) and look forward to seeing how these initiative (some of them at no-cost) will help the Industry as a whole.”
Peter Le Maistre, President, The Jersey Farmers Union
“This consultation on the Jersey Royal Industry has identified opportunities for better collaboration on specific projects which can only help the industry as we address the challenges ahead of us and the opportunities that clearly exist.”
William Church, Director of Sales and Marketing, The Jersey Royal Company Ltd
Solitaire Consulting Limited
At Solitaire Consulting we are business people like you. We have all held senior, often executive, positions in the corporate and public sectors. We have all the appropriate academic credentials you would expect from any business consultancy, where we differ is our approach.
We pride ourselves on providing a pragmatic service and prefer the label Business Practitioners. We can advise across many functional disciplines and are always focused on measurable business outcomes. We believe that there is no real alternative to sound business experience.
Sometimes our services are delivered as discreet projects – researching and testing new markets, turning round problem projects, and delivering change programmes for example; and sometimes our services are delivered through your people – as mentors, guides and coaches.
