The phrase “talent shortage” gets used a lot in food manufacturing and retail. But is there really a shortage of talent, or are we simply overlooking people who do not fit traditional expectations?
In this conversation, I’m joined by Rich Howell, founder of Marvel FMCG, to explore some of the biggest challenges facing recruitment in the food industry today.
We discuss the biases that continue to influence hiring decisions. Age, career gaps, industry background, and assumptions about what a successful career should look like can all prevent businesses from accessing exceptional people.
A major theme throughout the episode is the idea of the squiggly career. Many of the most capable people have taken sideways moves, stepped back for personal reasons, changed industries, or followed paths that do not fit a neat progression.
Rather than seeing these experiences as weaknesses, we discuss why they often build resilience, adaptability, and broader perspectives that businesses desperately need.
The conversation also looks at flexibility and how expectations around work have changed. Candidates are increasingly looking for roles that fit around their lives, while businesses continue to wrestle with how to attract and retain talent in a competitive market.
We explore Marvel FMCG’s approach to recruitment, including anonymised CVs and focusing on skills and potential rather than assumptions or labels.
There is also a strong message for hiring managers. The candidate experience matters. Small acts of communication, respect, and transparency can make a significant difference to how people experience your business and whether they choose to join it.
Ultimately, this episode is a challenge to rethink what talent really looks like and to recognise that some of the best people may not have the most obvious CVs.
Timestamps
00:00 – Is there really a talent shortage in the food industry?
02:43 – Building Marvel FMCG and becoming a force for good in recruitment
05:39 – Giving back through purpose-led recruitment
07:19 – Why the talent pool may be bigger than we think
09:48 – Looking beyond category experience and taking chances on people
13:31 – The reality of bias in recruitment, including ageism
16:31 – Career gaps, overqualified candidates, and flexible roles
19:50 – Is workplace flexibility moving forwards or backwards?
22:14 – Managing a five-generation workforce
27:11 – The candidate experience and where businesses get it wrong
29:00 – Why treating candidates like humans matters
34:27 – The strength of squiggly careers
35:46 – Building a more human approach to recruitment
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Useful Links & Support
If this episode resonated, especially around recruitment, career development, and attracting great people into the food industry, here are a few places to continue the conversation.
Connect with Rich Howell
Follow Rich for insights on recruitment, talent attraction, leadership, and building people-first cultures in the food and FMCG sectors.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/rich-howell-fmcg-recruiter/
Marvel FMCG
Learn more about Marvel FMCG and their people-first approach to recruitment in the food and FMCG sectors.
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