Seven tips for manufacturing success: 2 Sisters boss

Other ingredients in his recipe for food manufacturing success were: the passion to fulfil a dream, adapting to changing conditions, setting demanding goals, treating work as a hobby and challenging the status quo.

“If it wasn’t for the success of my 23,000 colleagues, I wouldn’t be here today,”​ Singh told an audience of 500 graduates and post-graduates yesterday (July 21).

“For me, work isn’t work. It’s fulfilling a dream. It is a journey and one where you have to adapt to change, and never stop listening and learning, and set yourself stretching goals.”​

‘For me, work isn’t work …”​

The 2 Sisters ceo also spoke frankly about his personal approach to work and the contribution of luck to achieving business success. “Treat work as a hobby. Yes, work hard, but you also need timing and luck. And most importantly, always challenge the status quo.”​

Singh received the honour “in recognition of his significant contribution to the food manufacturing industry, to education and the development of his workforce, and for his philanthropic interests”.​

The degree citation noted: “through his work, and in communications with farmers and other partners in food manufacturing, he has become a champion for quality and reliability, and for the power of the “British brand”.​

‘Into the vanguard of food safety’​

“In particular, Ranjit has steered his business into the vanguard of food safety​.”​

Singh was made an honorary doctor at Nottingham Trent University at a ceremony at the City’s Royal Concert Hall. The degree was awarded by pro vice chancellor Ann Priest.

Speaking before the ceremony Singh said: “For someone who left school at a relatively early age to pursue a business career, I am delighted and humbled to receive this honour from the university. I never imagined, 22 years after starting in business, that I would be recognised in this way.​

“I lead a large and diverse food business and I am truly grateful that Nottingham Trent University has recognised the contribution 2 Sisters plays in the wider community.”​

2 Sisters’ link with the city’s university stems from the business’s micro biological testing laboratories based at Nottingham’s BioCity. The facility tests nearly 1M food samples a year and takes on many graduates from the university’s higher apprenticeship food science course.

Meanwhile, 2 Sisters Food Group has annual sales of £3.4bn and employees more than 23,000 colleagues across the UK, Ireland, Holland and Poland.

The group holds market positions across branded and retailer own-label products in bakery, biscuits, chilled, frozen, poultry and red meat. In addition to retail the group serves the wholesale and foodservice markets and brands including Fox’s Biscuits and Goodfella’s Pizzas.