Tristan Carter and the produce team at Jempson’s have been crowned Fresh Produce Retailer of the Year 2025 at the Retail Industry Awards at a ceremony in London on Monday October 6.
A spokesperson for Jempson’s said the award “celebrates the passion, consistency, and love for fresh, high-quality produce that fuels everything that the team does.”
Rye News spoke to Tristan about his work.
Tristan, tell me a little bit about your background.
I spent five years in the public house trade, working up to management level with Whitbread, before embarking on twenty years in retail management.
When did you get into the area of fresh produce, and why?
I joined the produce department at Jempson’s eighteen months ago when an internal promotion opportunity arose.
Do you get to deal directly with your suppliers?
Yes, I deal directly with all the Jempson’s local produce suppliers and have built up good relationships with all of them. They are like part of the family at Jempson’s.
Are they local? Do you go to the farms (and places where things are grown) to see the way things are produced?
All our local produce suppliers are sourced no more than 25 miles from our head office at Peasmarsh. There are no air miles here, and very few road miles! I grew up on an apple farm with many orchards, so it is like a homecoming to me. As a company we are proud of our links with local farmers, producers and manufacturers: many have had links with the Jempson family over two and three generations.
What aspects of your daily work give you the most pleasure?
I love making displays of the fresh produce every day. It is so unlike other departments as the displays change with the seasons and with the weather, and there is always something different to feature
How long have you worked for Jempson’s?
I have worked for Jempson’s for four and a half years.
Managing director Stephen Jempson says the award is testament to Tristan’s dedication and perseverance. “He has driven up standards across the department and built a successful team of colleagues who ably assist him. There are around 25,000 independent food stores in the UK, so this is no small achievement. As a company we are so pleased for him. Well done, Tristan!”
Customer Barbie Vane wrote on Facebook: “He is absolutely amazing, wonderful person and I’m sure an asset to Jempson’s at Peasmarsh. We all love you Tristan.”
Image Credits: Jempson's , Jempsons John Weightman .