The NFU Watercress Association is saddened by the news that Malcolm Issac MBE passed away last week. A leading figure within the British Watercress Industry and pioneer of supermarket pre-packed salads, Malcolm died peacefully at home.
Malcolm’s involvement with watercress began in 1951 when he took on responsibility for an acre of watercress beds just outside New Alresford in Hampshire. Despite it being testing times for watercress farmers, plagued by a fungal root disease, Malcolm successfully adopted newly developed cultivation methods that saw his crops thrive so that by 1960, Malcolm’s business Hampshire Watercress Ltd, was one of the country’s leading producers.
Through the acquisition of Vitacress, Malcolm became a part owner, and soon MD, of Vitacress Sales Ltd, their wholesale trading concern. He successfully expanded and drove the business to greater profitability. However, the emergence of the supermarket chains at this time posed a threat to his wholesaling empire. Shrewdly Malcolm chose to embrace the challenge and invested heavily to serve these new markets and in 1967 launched the UK’s first pre-packed salad (watercress of course!).
By the late 1970s Hampshire Watercress Ltd supplied all the UK multiple retailers. Demand for watercress began to exceed supply, especially in winter so Malcolm decided on the Algarve as an overseas supply base, establishing Vitacress Agricultura Intensive LDA in 1980. With a strengthened supply base Malcolm was able to confidently drive watercress sales, even persuading M&S to run their first ever TV advert for food in 1984 – for watercress – and quickly yearly sales of watercress topped 2,000 tonnes.
In 1988, Malcolm decided to broaden the scope of the business and pioneered baby leaf salads, alongside roquette and ready to eat baby spinach. Through investment and the purchase of Jeffs and Foot LDA (renamed Iberian Salads LDA in 1989), Malcolm added high value prepared vegetables to the range, including fresh garden peas, another UK first. Soon after, Vitacress Kenya Ltd was created, initially to supply these year-round.
By the 1990s Malcolm had transformed a one-acre watercress farm into a multi-national business with some 14 farms and factories in the UK, Portugal and Kenya together with Spanish and USA strategic alliances. His achievements were recognised in 1999 with the Royal Agricultural Society’s National Agricultural Award and an MBE in 2004.
In 2008, aged almost 80, Malcolm sold Vitacress to the Portuguese Groupo RAR but rather than enjoy a quiet retirement he took on a brand-new challenge. Recognising the beneficial effects global warming was having on the chalk hills of the South Downs but to the detriment of the Champagne region, Malcolm acquired Exton Park Vineyard. Under his leadership, drive and enthusiasm, today this is one of the leading producers of fine sparkling wines.
Dr Steve Rothwell, now an advisor to Vitacress, recalls: “I had the privilege of knowing Malcolm for over 40 years, when as a fervent supporter of technical innovation, he part-funded my PhD back in 1980. Since then, I have enjoyed his unerring support in the development and implementation of many firsts for the industry. He was a man of great vision, utter integrity and iron-willed determination. His mantra was ‘High value. Low volume. High perishability’ and he followed that ethos in the transformation of watercress from a humble staple to a premium superfood and the creation of what is now the baby leaf salads sector.
“But despite his passion for the business Malcolm always maintained a healthy enthusiasm for his shooting and fishing. I recall many a May board meeting coming to an abrupt halt as Malcolm stuffed his papers into his battered brief case with the words ‘well the flies are rising..’ and he was off to the tranquillity of the river!”
Malcolm’s contribution to the development and success of the UK watercress industry cannot be underestimated and his enthusiasm and drive will be sorely missed.
