27 September 2022 - The airline and animal nutrition industries would at first seem like two totally different industries, but there are similarities than meet the eye in terms of challenges.
Speaking this morning at Day 2 of the Feedinfo Summit, Tony Anderson, former marketing director, EasyJet and current advisor for Easy Group, explained that we have more in common than one might think.
“Airlines and animal production are intrinsic to our lives. They are fundamental building blocks for our society,” Anderson said.
He argued that both sectors are highly regulated and such regulatory environments remain complex to navigate. Both sectors also have a very busy environmental agenda and have the calling to become more sustainable and responsible businesses. Finally, both industries are faced with significant factors beyond their control. They are exposed to commodity volatility and currency fluctuations. Both are exposed to higher energy input costs.
With regard to the Covid pandemic, which severely impacted the airline sector, even leading to what Anderson describes as an “existential crisis” for EasyJet and other airlines despite the risk management frameworks in place, there is much to learn from crises and significant opportunity to team up within industries to better prepare for whatever the next global crisis will be.
“Today, there is more of a cooperative mindset,” he said. “Industries can work together and this is born from a kind of pragmatism when faced with such significant threats.”
Anderson also offered the Feedinfo Summit audience some advice on communication and pushing forward its role as a crucial industry.
He said that the airline sector has been very communicative about is achievements (e.g. reducing carbon footprint) and having strong messaging is important while also committing to environmental and other targets.
Reflecting on the rise of EasyJet in the 1990s and how the company grew its brand; sometimes via guerrilla marketing, he also recommended the animal nutrition sector to be bold and willing to take risks.
In his view, and although the world has changed and that the animal nutrition sector is a mature market, there is still potential to cause disruption.
