SOPA appoints new Executive Manager

SOPA have today announced that Amanda Brown will join SOPA as Executive Manager at the beginning of 2027 taking over the role from Debs Roberts who has led the organisation for the last 20 years.

With a career spanning more than 30 years working in the food and drink industry in Scotland, Amanda’s experience includes marketing and selling beer at Scottish & Newcastle, marketing whisky at Glenmorangie, economic development at Scottish Enterprise and in market research as Strategic Insight Director for Kantar Worldpanel in Scotland. Amanda also worked at SAOS and helped develop some of Scotland’s key food supply chains including venison, dairy, premium cheese, apples and flowers.

Amanda also had 2 spells at Scotland Food & Drink and was part of the team that launched the organisation in 2007 and then re-joined in July 2023 as Programme Director, with responsibility for the delivery of Scotland Food & Drink’s wide-ranging programme of projects emanating from Sustaining Scotland, Supplying the World, the updated industry strategy launched in June 2023.

Prior to this role Amanda led the creation and implementation of The Knowledge Bank, a new service launched by the Scotland Food & Drink Partnership in September 2021 to identify and develop new market opportunities using, research, insight, market data and knowledge to deliver sustainable growth for the businesses involved in the Scottish food and drink industry.

Amanda has previously worked with the Scottish Organic Sector including during her time at SAOS working with the Scottish Organic Stakeholder Group to develop the organic strategy.  She was also instrumental in creating and managing the Organic Development Manager role at Scotland Food & Drink and facilitating the development of the current Scottish Organic Action Plan working with partners and Scottish Government officials.

Existing Executive Manager Debs Roberts has worked with Amanda previously and says “After working for SOPA for nearly twenty years it’s time for me to move on to new adventures and SOPA will be taking exciting steps forward with Amanda at the helm. I wish her the best.”

Amanda commented ‘‘I’m really looking forward to joining the SOPA team and working with them and our members and stakeholders to ensure that we capitalise on the growing importance of organic farming in Scotland and that we work with their supply chains to put more organic food and drink on the plates of consumers across Scotland and the wider UK market in shops but also on menus in schools, hospitals and restaurants. Whilst markets remain challenging I believe there is a big opportunity to use our organic credentials alongside our Scottish provenance to drive growth and I look forward to working with the team to drive this’’.

Jean McLean adds “As the SOPA Chair I welcome the appointment of Amanda. SOPA is poised for growth and with Amanda’s experience in the food and drink sector, the future is very exciting for Scotland’s leading organic body. Please join me in wishing Amanda a warm welcome to the SOPA team. We look forward to introducing her in person at the SOPA farm visits in the coming weeks”.

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Jean McLean

SOPA Chair

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