Tom Forbes
UK Sales Manager (Food & Beverage)
About Tom
Tom has spent around ten years in food ingredients and specialty chemicals, mostly in commercial and account management roles. He works with customers on formulation and commercial challenges across a broad portfolio, and he plays a big part in developing MegaChem UK’s Food & Beverage range in the UK.
How long have you worked in the chemicals industry?
I’ve worked in food ingredients and specialty chemicals for around ten years. Most of that time has been in commercial and account management roles. Working alongside customers day to day is the best way I know to learn this sector, because every business has its own products, its own process and its own set of problems to solve.
What did you do before joining MegaChem UK?
Before MegaChem, I was an Account Manager at Tereos, covering the UK and European markets. Before that I spent around five years at Brenntag, working in their Food & Nutrition division in the UK. Both roles taught me a lot about how ingredients move through the supply chain, and I still draw on that when a customer comes to me with a supply question.
What does your day-to-day role involve?
It’s very varied, which suits me. On any given day I might be meeting customers, developing new business, working on a new product or formulation project, or negotiating contracts and pricing. I also work closely with our manufacturing partners to find the right ingredient solution for each customer’s brief. A big part of my role is spotting new opportunities and developing MegaChem’s Food & Beverage portfolio in the UK, so I spend time thinking about what our customers will need next as well as what they need now.
What skills do you bring to your role?
Relationship building, commercial awareness and problem solving. I like to understand your business before I suggest anything, so I’ll ask about your products, your process and what you’re trying to achieve. Once I know that, it’s much easier to see where we can add value, and those conversations tend to grow into longer-term partnerships.
What do you specialise in?
Food and beverage ingredients, with a focus on functional ingredients and finding solutions to specific formulation or commercial challenges. I work across a broad portfolio that includes proteins, fibres, starches, hydrocolloids, yeast extracts, sweeteners, acids and speciality functional ingredients, so if you’re reworking a recipe or looking at a new option for a product you already make, there’s a good chance we can talk it through.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
The variety. No two days or customers are quite the same. I most enjoy taking an initial customer requirement or problem and developing it into a successful project. It’s rewarding when something that started as a conversation and a sample ends up as a commercial product.
What is your biggest pet hate about the industry?
Conversations that focus completely on price. Price matters and I’m not going to pretend otherwise, but it only tells you part of the story. Reliability, quality, technical support and security of supply all affect what an ingredient costs you once it’s in your production. So does how well your supplier understands what you’re trying to achieve. I’d much rather spend the first half hour finding out about your product than haggling over the last few pence.
If you could change one thing about the industry, what would it be?
I’d like to see greater collaboration and transparency across the supply chain. Suppliers, distributors and manufacturers all get further when information is shared openly and each side treats the relationship as a partnership. Treating every order as a one-off transaction limits what any of us can achieve.
Finally, what do you enjoy doing outside of work?
I enjoy spending time with friends and family, travelling, eating out and discovering new places.
