Dicksons Cooks Up a Five Star Rating

Dicksons, South Tyneside’s much loved traditional family pork butcher has proved once again it’s a class act, scoring top marks in the council’s newly launched Food Hygiene Rating Scheme.
Dicksons shops and mobile ‘Hot Stop’ have been awarded a top score of five for their food hygiene standards in some of the first tests to be carried out across the borough.
The new Food Hygiene Rating Scheme has been introduced by South Tyneside Council to let customers know about the hygiene standards in restaurants, pubs, cafés, takeaways, hotels, supermarkets and any other food shops across South Tyneside.
The initiative, which is also being rolled out across other parts of the region and the rest of the UK, provides consumers with a visible, honest assessment of the food hygiene levels at individual businesses. Companies are encouraged to display their star rating stickers and certificates in their windows or on their doors so that customers can see at a glance how well they have scored.
Sue Hendy, technical manager at Dicksons said: “For a business handling cooked and uncooked products we have always had to have stringent hygiene systems in place. We have invested heavily in technology within our butchers and bakers at our HQ and in updating our shops to ensure that all our processes meet the high standards demanded by our customers. All our team, whether based in store or within our factory receive regular training to ensure that they can handle food safely and confidently.
“We pride ourselves on the quality of the food we produce, making many of our products to age old Dickson family recipes, which is why we won’t allow for any slip ups and place so much importance on food hygiene. We will certainly be displaying our stars in our windows with pride.”

Importance of Succession Planning - Article taken from Bdaily 27th of October 2011

Better succession plans needed in family businesses
Published in Business Management on 27 Oct 2011

Despite contributing an estimated 70-90% to the UK GDP, family businesses are failing to make proper succession plans.

Two in three businesses are owned or run by families, and employ roughly 9.5 million people.

However, as many as 70% fail to make it to the second generation, and only 10% make it to the third.

The recent STEP Business Families Special Interest Group event in London, highlighted some of the key issues that affect succession plans.

Assessing the skills and willingness to become involved of the next generation, as well as allowing them to experience other work before entering the family business, were suggested as measures to ensure succession.

There was also emphasis on the establishment of a development programme, where family members can gain experience across different aspects of the business.

In the North East, a fifth of business owners are planning to build their company as an inheritance for family members, according to research from Santander Corporate Banking.

Mark Squires is chief executive of Benfield Motor Group, and also chairman of The Institute of Family Business for the North East.

He said: “At Benfield we have learnt how important proper planning is in ensuring the succession of the family business.

“We have worked on a constitution for the family, which takes into consideration all the skills and aspirations of the family.

“It’s really important to start thinking about this sooner, rather than later, to establish what is the right thing for the company, and for individuals.

“To be able to make a success in management, or any other area of the business, the family member must possess the right competencies, and without these, it is a mistake both for the business and the individual.”

Michael Dickson, managing director of North East pork butchers Dicksons, a family business, echoed these views.

He said: “To ensure that we maintain family control over the business in the longer term, we operate a family council, made up of Christine, myself, our sister Dorothy and my four children - all bloodline Dicksons.

“The council follows a written constitution and when Christine and I withdraw from day to day operations, the family council’s role will be to appoint and instruct the executive board on the strategic vision for the business.”

Running a Family Business

bdaily looks at the expertise of Dicksons, the UK’s Family Business of the Year with MD Michael Dickson
Published in Food & Drink on 06 Oct 2011

According to a recent article in the Telegraph, almost 21 percent of UK workers are employed by family businesses and family ownership is increasingly providing an alternative recipe for sustained corporate success as access to cheap finance dries up.

Michael Dickson, managing director at MI Dickson Ltd, the company behind the north east’s much loved Dicksons brand, which was last year named The Coutts UK Family Business of the Year, has worked at the helm of his family’s business for the past 40 years. He shares with Bdaily the highs and lows of running a successful family business.

How did the business begin?

The business began in 1953 when my father and German born mother invested their life savings in a pork butchers shop in South Shields, selling their own made sausages, bacon, pies and pastries- many of which we still sell today although our product range has evolved with changing consumer demands.

How did you get involved in the family business?

I had no interest in joining the business and had my sights set on going to university. However, in 1966 when I was a young teenager my father died suddenly which left my mum and sister Christine, 16 at the time, to continue to run the business.

I helped out every Saturday, school holidays and out of school hours setting the ovens, checking the fridges but then never did get to university as my mum took ill and was unable to work so I joined the business full time at the age of 18.

Was it difficult to establish yourself within the business?

It was sink or swim: You could stand or fall by your own decisions which weren’t always the best, but nonetheless provided a great learning curve! Unlike many family businesses I didn’t have the previous generation on hand to share their wisdom or indeed to interfere with decisions. Some of the suppliers that my father had worked with for years took us under their wings, whereas others tried to exploit what they saw to be our naivity.

The business broke even for a number of years but Christine and I had given up everything to make the business work and had real ambitions to grow a strong family retail business. By 1981 I became managing director and we invested in our first factory in order to supply the 5 shops we then had.

By 1992 we had 12 shops and, borrowing heavily, we built a new factory at Middlefields Industrial Estate, our present production centre. We have grown organically and through acquisitions and now have a 21 strong retail chain across the region.

We also recognised the growth potential within wholesale and instead of fearing the supermarkets and the impact they would have on our retail business we began to forge relationships with them. Today have strong relationships with the major multiples where we have secured listings through their local buying initiatives.

So the business in many ways is quite unrecognisable to the business we inherited in our teens but we do continue to stay true to our brand heritage and our values- not only in the quality of the product that we produce but the way in which we value our staff members and our customers.

Family businesses are often criticized for their lack of succession planning- what plans do you have in place?

We now have a third generation Dickson involved in the day to day business- my daughter Elena, a food scientist, joined the business as product development and marketing manager a few years ago and plays an integral role in the on-going success of the business.

However, if we are to realise our ambitious plans the business needs the expertise of individuals from outside of the family which is why we made our first non-family board appointment in 2009 and appointed Kevin Lee as our chief operating officer

To ensure that we maintain family control over the business in the longer term , we operate a Family Council , made up of Christine, myself, our sister Dorothy and my 4 children …all “bloodline Dicksons” .

The Council follows a written Constitution and when Christine and I withdraw from day to day operations, the Family Council’s role will be to appoint and instruct the executive board on the strategic vision for the business.

What makes a family business different to any other business?

Whilst I recognise that lots of non-family business respect their staff and their customers and contribute to their local community I strongly believe that family values are reflected across our entire company, particularly in our approach to staff engagement which ultimately impacts on the way our employees approach their work and so the quality of our products and service.

Ours is a family brand with tangible presence in the communities we serve and this leads to loyal customers, many of whom are third generation too.

We have set up the Dickson Family Charitable Trust which sees some of the profit we make go back in to the local community. It is run by a Staff Council made up of volunteers and we work with the Community Foundation to manage the funds.

When is the best time to join a family business?

You have two choices: start in your family’s business immediately or get outside experience before joining the firm. Do you prove yourself at the family business, or do you prove yourself elsewhere and then come back to the family business, bringing specific skills and different ideas and talents back into the firm?

For me the choice was taken away, but for Elena who is third generation Dickson, she gained valuable experience at United Biscuits before joining the team.

Either way, joining a family business is by no means an easy option and requires huge drive and commitment if you are to firmly establish your position and be recognised as a valuable contributor by your other team members.

Meat the Dicksons!

More room for pies!

Bakery Extension to Bring in the Dough

Dicksons, the much loved traditional family pork butcher has completed a £1million factory extension as it looks to double production at its South Shield’s base.
The family owned business, which has been producing fresh meat and bakery products since the early 1950s, has added 575 sq m to its existing factory and bakery in a bid to grow its rapidly expanding wholesale division.
South Shields MP David Miliband, a vocal fan of Dicksons joined the Chief Executive of South Tyneside Council Martin Swales to officially open the facility and was given the ceremonial honour of packing the first pies to come out of the new, energy efficient ovens.
The company, which began as a standalone pork butchers shop, now sells its products across its growing retail chain of 20 shops and its range is now widely available in Tesco , Sainsbury and ASDA stores across the north east.
The factory extension will allow the company, which produces a range of premium pies, pastries, sausages, bacon and cold meats, to continue to develop its product range to meet changing consumer buying habits and the demands of the wholesale market.
The new facilities will also increase production efficiencies and ensure that the local supply chain into the business can be sustained and developed.
The company received £200,000 from One North East towards the cost of the extension which has safeguarded the jobs of the 240 strong workforce and will create new positions over the next 12 months.
Michael Dickson, son of the company founder and managing director at Dicksons, said: “The extension will allow significant reductions in double handling, alleviate congestion, improve work flow and the general working environment for our staff.
“We hope that the improved facilities will fuel the on-going expansion of our retail & wholesale businesses allowing us to significantly increase production capabilities and operate more efficiently, yet remain true to our core values and heritage of producing quality food for the local market .”
David Miliband, MP for South Shields said: “The extension to the factory puts Dicksons in an enviable position for future growth. The new facility is certainly state of the art in terms of efficiencies and output yet the very core of the business quite clearly remains committed to delivering quality produce by a skilled team of individuals. That seems to me a very strong proposition.”
Martin Swales, Chief Executive of South Tyneside Council added: “Dicksons are a hugely important business to South Tyneside, not only as a major employer but in the support that they continue to give to the local community. It is exciting to see a business continue to invest within the borough, creating new jobs and a firm foundation for on-going growth.”
In 2010 Dicksons was awarded the accolade of the UK’s Best Family Business by Coutts Bank in recognition of its success as a family owned business.

Dicksons go mobile

Dicksons, the region’s much loved traditional family pork butcher is on the move with the official launch of it first mobile food van.
Hot Stop – Dicksons state of the art food trailer – will help to build the company’s growing reputation as take out experts and will bring its locally produced food products to places not currently serviced by its own shop network.
Bosses at the company have identified a growing market for quality ‘street food’ and have developed their Hot Stop to fill a void in the current market, serving up a range of hot and cold dishes made with its own sausages, bacons, hams and pastries.
Whilst Hot Stop is fully mobile and will attend some of the region’s popular outdoor events, it will have a permanent home outside of the company’s South Shields base, serving the many businesses based in area with quality food produced right on their doorstep.
Michael Dickson, managing director of Dicksons said: “The original idea for Hot Stop came from a conversation with Henry Roberts at Northumbrian Larder. He encouraged us to recognise that there was a huge market for locally produced quality street food. With the demand for such food increasing and the money in people’s wallets decreasing, the idea of our own food van seemed a logical option.
“From a business perspective, Hot Stop allows us to expand our reach in a cost effective manner and will support our on-going plans to grow our shop network across the region.”
Henry Roberts, chairman of Northumbrian Larder added: “This is an excellent example of local business with strong family values ,responding to the ever changing demands and trends of the modern day market place combined with the strength and consumer confidence of the Dicksons’ brand”
Dicksons’ Hot Stop will be located outside of the company’s factory on Middlefields Industrial Estate from Monday to Friday from 7a.m. until 2.30p.m.

Jarrow gets a make over!

Shop Opening Goes off with a Bang
A local shop reopened with a bang as a link of pork sausages replaced the traditional red ribbon at the opening of Dicksons’ newly refurbished Jarrow shop at the Viking Shopping Centre.
Centre manager Richy Kimber was handed the honours of cutting the hand-linked bangers as a way of saying thank you for all his support during the refit project.
The much loved traditional family pork butcher closed its popular Jarrow shop in April this year to allow for a major store refit, but thanks to the generosity of the centre manager , who allowed the company to trade from a state of the art food trailer outside of its shop, it was more or less business as usual throughout the weeks of building work.
This was not only great news for Dicksons’ loyal regular customers, but the continued trade was hugely beneficial to the business, which employs more than 230 people across the region and makes a significant contribution to South Tyneside in particular.
Despite only offering hot take away food and not being able to offer its usual products from the deli counter, sales from the food van – branded Hot Stop - were more or less on par with usual shop takings.
So to celebrate the reopening of its new look shop, bosses at the family business asked Richy to officially open it with a ceremonial sausage cutting.
Michael Dickson, managing director of the company commented: “We reluctantly made plans to close one of our busiest and most successful shops in order to complete a major overhaul of its interior to allow us to bring new and exciting product ranges to our customers in Jarrow. Whilst there is never a good time to close a shop, we recognise the need for on-going investment in the business if we are to continue to grow.
“We discussed our plans with Richy, who had got wind of the fact we were planning to launch our first ever mobile food trailer- Hot Stop - and he urged us to bring it to Jarrow so that his centre customers could continue to get their fill of Dicksons’ products. This turned out to be a very wise move and one for which we are really grateful.”
Richy Kimber, centre manager at the Viking Centre added: “Dicksons is one of our best tenants for drawing footfall into the centre. They offer good quality, hot food, pastries and meat at very reasonable prices. When Dicksons announced that they were going to close the shop for a re-fit, we urged them to bring the trailer on site as there would been panic amongst some of our younger customers if they could not get their beloved Dicksons products,
“I’m delighted that bringing the trailer on site has proved to be advantageous to both Dicksons and the Centre as a whole as it kept footfall at its normal levels. The new shop is very clean, bright and cheerful and will no doubt be a real asset for both Dicksons and The Viking Centre.
Dicksons’ Hot Stop has been designed to bring quality, locally produced food to places not currently served by Dicksons’ 20 shops but bosses are remaining tight lipped about where it is to be located next.