Professor Andrew Fearne is Director of the Centre for Supply Chain Research at Kent Business School, University of Kent. He is an expert on food marketing, consumer behaviour and supply chain management. An economist by training, Andrew moved into the area of supply chain management because of an interest in an area of growing importance not usually covered by economists.

During the past twenty years he has been researching consumer requirements and expectations in a wide range of food supply chains in the United Kingdom, shedding light for farmers, processors and retailers on the changes needed to lift agribusiness performance in supply chains and the consumer food experiences in supermarkets into better value chains for stakeholders and better and safer eating experiences for consumers. He has also worked in France, Ireland, Slovenia, Germany, North America, the Middle East and South-East Asia.

Professor Fearne’s integrated chain analysis research system and style of communication has been particularly effective during a period in the UK food and beverage sector when assaults to public confidence in food products from livestock disease outbreaks demanded system change. Growing up on a family farm and his early career role as an economist with the national farmers organisation in the UK were formative and influential stepping stones to an academic and consulting career which has been consistently transforming underperforming supply chains into value chains by focusing on consumer preferences.

His research and facilitation activities have involved the strategic analysis of consumer behaviour and the co-ordination of agri-food supply chains with clients and research partners from around the world. These have included:

- major supermarket chains (Marks & Spencers, JS Sainsbury, Tescos, ASDA)
- a host of livestock, dairy, poultry, grains, fruit and vegetable companies and industry associations in the food production and processing sectors
- a diverse range of non-government organisations (incl UK Soil Association, Countryside Agency, Kent Farmers Market, East of England Development Agency).

Professor Fearne is the founding editor of the International Journal of Supply Chain Management, author of over 100 articles, and editor or contributor to over a dozen books on industry values chains and related matters.