LDC Top 50 2024
James Post
Founder
Ashbury Global
“Why do we come to work? To help brands protect consumers.” James Post’s London-based food compliance business provides labelling, allergen and nutrition regulatory advice to the nation’s biggest retailers and brands.
He launched the business in 2011 after pivoting his IT training company to focus on food regulations. “We won our first contract with M&S and we’re still working with them 13 years later.” Today the £13m-turnover business analyses and approves over 30,000 product labels a year for companies like Tesco, Innocent and Amazon. “I always want to do more and find a way to continuously improve compliance processes.”
Why do we come to work? To help brands protect consumers.”
Q&A
What are your ambitions for the future?
We are currently working with major brands and retailers across the UK and Europe, and already have teams in Australia and the US. We have spent 12 years refining our approach and are looking to expand still further internationally. I look back at what we have achieved and I’m astonished, but I feel like we’ve only just built the foundation.
What are you most proud of?
Due to the accuracy of our work, we have proven to be a critical part of the due diligence process. After Natasha Ednan-Laperouse tragically died from a severe allergic reaction in 2016, Pret came to us, looking for our help to move forward. We have been on a journey with our clients ever since, helping them to meet the requirements of [allergen legislation] Natasha’s Law. We are proud of our role ensuring the safety of consumers – we’ve approved almost half a million product labels since we started.
Tell me about your biggest mistake?
Not understanding how quickly the business would grow. After three years we had employed almost 70 expert regulatory advisors, but we lagged behind in creating the back-office infrastructure to support them. We now have the right people in place to take us beyond £20m in the next three years.
