Fuelled By Ambition...Fran Holmes

We caught up with one of our incredible members Fran Holmes, Category Buyer at Sleaford Quality Foods, to get to know more about her career journey and ambitions for the food industry. As part of our campaign 'Fuelled by Ambition' we're sharing the stories of our community and asking them to define ambition in their own terms, as well as give us as insights into their career journeys so far.

Tell us about your current role and how you got there. 

I am a Category Buyer at Sleaford Quality Foods (SQF), a supplier of ambient ingredients and blends to the food manufacturing and foodservice industries. I currently manage a broad spectrum of raw materials sourced from around the world, ranging from dehydrated vegetables to food-grade chemicals. My day-to-day role includes negotiating supplier contracts, identifying new supply chains, and maintaining existing ones.

My journey into the food industry so far has been fairly straightforward. In 2022, I completed my master’s degree in international relations at the University of Leeds. Whilst finishing my dissertation and looking for some additional work experience, I started working part-time at SQF. I spent time in different departments to see what interested me most and where my skills were best suited and found myself drawn to Procurement. I took on a full-time role as a buyer after graduating. I am now CIPS Level 4 qualified and working towards my CIPS Level 5 qualification.

Although I stumbled into the food industry, I’m incredibly glad I did. I love the fast-paced and complex nature of it. The markets I source from are so unpredictable; a sudden change in weather, geopolitics, or consumer trends can completely shift the landscape overnight. It’s all these moving parts that make it so interesting to me.

What would you say your top strength or superpower is and how has it helped you in your role?

Albert Einstein once said, “I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious.” While that may be an understatement, I would say curiosity is my superpower. It’s what drives me to keep learning, challenge assumptions, and make more informed decisions. Whether I am on a field visit in Turkey or touring a factory in Grimsby, I always ask questions rather than assume I know the answers. This has not only helped me build my category expertise but also helped me develop stronger cross-cultural relationships with my suppliers. Showing genuine interest in their work builds trust and makes tough conversations a lot easier.

My curiosity has also led to innovation. Questioning why things are done in a certain way or how things could be made better is important for continuous improvement. Without curiosity, progress stalls.

Tell us about one of the biggest challenges to date in you career and one key learning you took from it?

I would say one of the biggest challenges is adapting to the ever-changing international political landscape. In particular, the current US-Iran conflict has negatively impacted freight and packaging costs, transit times, and currency rates in recent months. This uncertainty has taught me to expect the unexpected rather than rely on the best-case scenario. The political landscape is constantly evolving, so I’ve learnt to depersonalise the challenges and focus on what I can influence rather than worry about what I cannot control.

An underlying challenge also comes with being a young woman in a traditionally male-dominated industry. As a result, I often find myself having to work that extra bit harder to establish credibility and show my value to the people I work with. This has taught me to be decisive and stand my ground when needed.

Who has influenced or inspired you along the way and what impact have they had on you?

My Procurement colleagues at SQF have strongly influenced me in my role. As a small team of three sharing an office, I get exposure to a wide range of supply chain challenges and the best ways of resolving them. I have learned so much from working alongside them and they have been essential to my understanding of the business. Most importantly, they have taught me to have confidence in my own ability and take every opportunity that presents itself.

Through the MBW mentorship programme, I am currently being mentored by Andrea Jex, Procurement Director at Hilton Food Services. She has really helped me build confidence as a buyer and introduced me to new ways of working. Since becoming a mentee, my professional confidence and self-belief have grown massively.

Our ongoing campaign is called Fuelled by Ambition where we celebrate ambitions both big & small. When you think about ambition, what does it look like for you at this stage of your life and career?

To me, ambition is my aim to progress beyond where I am now, whether that be in my professional or personal life. In terms of my career, this means continuing to find my footing in the industry and build my category expertise in order to advance through the ranks and pursue a leadership role managing a team of my own.

On a personal level, my ambition is to complete a marathon one day. I’m really enjoying running at the moment, although 42km is a lot further than I’m used to!

Looking ahead, what would you love to see change, improve or grow in the meat/food industry?

I would love to see more women in executive and management positions. Although this is slowly improving in the meat/food industry, the progression of younger women into senior roles remains limited. Maternity leave can play a significant part in this as it is typically taken when women reach the transition from entry-level roles into middle management. Taking 6-12 months off during this promotion window can make it harder to keep up with peers whose career progression remains uninterrupted. As a result, women can face a difficult double standard: they are seen as ‘too young’ for senior authority, yet ‘too old’ for promotion. This poses an important question to the wider industry about gendered ageism and how it manifests itself in the workplace.

Quickfire questions:

What’s your favourite food or cuisine?

Japanese cuisine, particularly sushi. I was lucky enough to visit Japan a few years ago and the sushi was incredible. 

Favourite pastime or hobby that helps you switch off?

I’ve hopped on the trend and recently started running. Living in the Lincolnshire countryside, I’m surrounded by scenic running routes.

If you had to pick your soundtrack song to get you through the working day, what would it be?

Anything by Sienna Spiro. She released a new album recently and I’m really enjoying that right now.

Favourite holiday destination?

My sister is currently living in South Korea for work, so last year I visited her for Christmas in Seoul. It’s such an interesting country with a rich history and amazing food!