Adam Leyland
Adam has led The Grocer since 2006. In that time he and his team have picked up a string of awards, as the publication, now celebrating its 160th anniversary, has been transformed into a multi-channel operation, comprising a weekly magazine, a vibrant website, multiple daily and weekly newsletters and a strong social media presence, as well as awards, conferences and webinars.
A well-known figure in the food and drink industry, Adam makes frequent appearances on TV and radio and regularly hosts conferences, webinars and awards. And his knowledge is as broad as the sector itself: from health & obesity, to online and rapid delivery; from sustainability to entrepreneurship; from farm shops and challenger brands, to the giant supermarkets and multinational suppliers.
Above all, Adam is a lifelong 'foodie' and 'winophile'. His love of food and drink – and of seeing and sampling exciting new products, merchandised and prepared in clever and compelling ways – continues to this day. But he is also passionate about the social aspect of food, and has successfully lobbied the government for funding to subsidise food waste redistribution through The Grocer’s award-winning Waste Not Want Not campaign. He has also championed the merits of a balanced diet and common sense in the ongoing debate about obesity.
Adam was voted Editor of the Year at the British Society of Magazine Editors Awards in 2015 and 2009 and his support for great journalism has seen The Grocer pick up a further seven awards under his tenure: BSME writer of the year (three times); BSME web editor of the year; BSME specialist team of the year; and PPA features writer of the year (twice).
In a 35+-year career as a journalist and editor Adam has also interviewed a wide variety of politicians, celebrities and senior business leaders, including Buzz Aldrin, Richie Benaud, Stelios, Sir Paul McCartney, Sir Terry Leahy, Sir James Dyson, Lord Sainsbury, Sir Philip Green, David Cameron and the press secretary to US President Bill Clinton.
Other publications he has edited include Real Business, PRWeek (launching the US edition in seven weeks), Press Gazette and PrintWeek. He has also written for the FT, The Times, Sunday Times, The Sunday Telegraph, Mail on Sunday, Daily Mail, The Observer, The Independent, The Guardian, The Evening Standard and several business publications including Management Today, Campaign and Marketing.
Adam is married with a son and lives in London.
Contact info
- Tel:
- 01293 610263
- Email:
- adam.leyland@thegrocer.co.uk
- Comment & Opinion
What is the Adjudicator doing about all those supplier complaints?
As retailer relations sour with suppliers what is the GCA doing about all their complaints?
- Comment & Opinion
Lobbying for less sustainability legislation is dangerous game
Having convened three meetings in three weeks, you would think the government knew better
- Analysis & Features
Asda’s EG Group acquisition: everything you need to know
Asda has acquired EG Group’s UK & Ireland operations, and sees a ‘huge runway’ for growth to become the UK’s second-largest grocer again
- Comment & Opinion
A clampdown on alt-meat and dairy words would be silly and wrong-headed
Faux names are important in flagging usage, while some meat and dairy brands are playing in plant-based anyway
- Analysis & Features
Asda the obvious suspect in road fuel competition enquiry – but not so fast
It’s still consistently cheaper than supermarket rivals on unleaded and diesel
- Comment & Opinion
In a difficult week for supermarket chairs Sharon White is safe for now
The JLP chairman comfortably survived a vote of confidence but she cannot afford to relax
- Comment & Opinion
Will Rishi Sunak’s ‘cakeist’ summit manage to keep all parties satisfied?
On the one hand, Sunak wants to know how to support endangered British farmers. On the other, he wants to get food price inflation down
- Comment & Opinion
Food security: the only topic on the agenda for Sunak’s summit
Issues across farming, climate change and food poverty are all relevant to Rishi Sunak’s meeting
- Comment & Opinion
The coronation of King Charles III will bring much-needed cash to grocery tills
Supermarkets haven’t exactly pulled out all the stops, but street parties and other festivities are still likely to boost sales
- Comment & Opinion
Ultra-Processed People: Dr Chris van Tulleken’s ‘incendiary’ new book hurts
TV doctor’s dissection exposes food industry’s underbelly in painstaking, gory, unanesthetised detail
- Comment & Opinion
Challenger brands are proving there is still room for premiumisation in soft drinks
Is there a more fertile category right now than soft drinks?
- Comment & Opinion
There’s a worrying new trend for brands: deinfluencers
As many as 79% of shoppers believe brands are involved in ‘greedflation’
- Comment & Opinion
Plight of British apples shows ‘rampant profiteering’ is only half the story
The clamour to denounce supermarkets and suppliers for their “rampant profiteering” and “global greedflation” keeps growing
- Comment & Opinion
Like the Red Bull F1 car, Tesco Clubcard now has an even faster model
Tesco has opened up an unassailable lead in the loyalty card stakes
- Comment & Opinion
The blame game has started over the meat fraud scandal
With the industry desperately hoping it’s a case of one bad apple rather than a systemic failure, who’s at fault?
- Comment & Opinion
Is DTC dead? No, like much of online grocery, it’s just regrouping
DTC is past its pandemic heyday, but some brands are still making it work
- Comment & Opinion
Just how desperate is the situation at the John Lewis Partnership?
The leak about sales discussions has blindsided many partners, not to mention rivals and City sources
- Comment & Opinion
There’s still room for growth despite grocery’s plant-based purge
As competition has intensified, share has diluted, shoppers have been sated, and many products have under-delivered
- News
Warburtons hires new managing director from Samworth Brothers
Samworth senior commercial director Mary-Ann Kilby will join Britain’s biggest bakery in September
- Comment & Opinion
Seven ways Tesco’s fulfilment fee plans are wrong
The plans feel ill thought through in terms of strategy and execution