Management Board
Brian Buchan
Chairman
Formerly a Director of Richmond Ice Cream, Brian has been Chairman since the inception of R&R Foods in July 2006. He attributes the company’s success to the passion everyone has for improving the cost and quality of the products, and to the genuine desire to use those products to help customers build their businesses.
Brian also works on the Board of Chesapeake Corporation and Trixter plc. In his spare time, he’s a keen skier and a mediocre golfer. His favourite R&R product is After Eight.
James Lambert
Chief Executive
One of the founders and directors since 1987, James’ priority is helping to lead and build a worthwhile organisation that gives job fulfilment and career progression to colleagues. He’s also passionate about creating so many new and innovative ice cream products.
James believes the success behind the company lies in its strategic focus and optimum use of resources to deliver outstanding growth. In addition, the teamwork that takes place throughout the business is vital in delivering performance and change.
His hobbies include playing and watching practically any sport that needs a ball, as well as country pursuits with his two dogs and listening to loud music. His favourite R&R products are Skinny Cow Smoothies and the new Fruit Crunch Bars.
Andy Finneran
Finance Director
Initially a director of Treats which joined Richmond in 1998, Andy is renowned for being a perfectionist where numbers are concerned. The impressive growth of the company he’s been part of since joining Treats in 1991 makes him passionate about the business’ continued success.
Andy believes the secret of the company’s success lies in a clear strategy, trying to keep things simple and the teamwork of all colleagues driving it towards a profitable, working reality.
Andy is a bit of a gym-aholic and his hobbies include rugby, horse racing, golf, football (especially Manchester United) and taxiing his three boys around. His favourite R&R product is Toffee Crumble.
Ibrahim Najafi
CEO Europe
A director for the past six years, Ibrahim loves the diverse and exciting challenges that his role brings every day.
Outside work, Ibrahim enjoys basketball, DIY and travel. His favourite R&R product is Toffee Crisp.
Mike Fraine
UK Sales Director
Having joined Richmond back in 1990, Mike is well-placed to identify the key ingredients in the company’s success story. And his verdict? Vision, ambition, urgency, ‘never-say-die’ culture and an ongoing appetite for growth.
In his spare time, Mike likes to play cricket, keep fit, watch his son play sport and support his favourite football team, Manchester City. His favourite R&R product is FAB Jelly and Ice Cream.
Peter Pickthall
HR Director
A director since 2001, Peter is passionate about ensuring the company treats everyone fairly, keeps them safe at work and raises their skills and abilities through training. He believes that creating the opportunity for growth and development provides staff with fulfilling careers in the company.
When he finds the time, Peter loves sailing his yacht off the shores of Scotland’s beautiful west coast. His favourite R&R products are Mivvi, Toffee Crumble and Cornish dairy products.
Gerrit Schuurman
CFO Europe
Gerrit joined R&R in June 2007 and brings with him a broad international experience from various consumer products businesses. Gerrit speaks several languages, however, he likes the facts to do the talking. He believes in initiave, openness and committed teams to make things happen. Gerrit is passionate about building the european platform to support the unique growth opportunity of R&R's ice cream business.
Gerrit plays tennis and also likes mountain-biking and skiing (typical dutch sports) as well as the mandatory football with his four sons. Gerrit's favourite ice-creams are frozen joghurt and pistachio.
Our Story
1932
An enterprising young Italian, Regina Roncadin, opens her first ice cream parlour in Osnabrück, Germany.
1970
Regina’s nephew Edoardo sets up our first chain of ice cream parlours in Germany.
1982
Roncadin’s first industrial production of ice cream marks a move into new territory.
1985
Over in Yorkshire, England, farmer Jonathan Ropner acquires Cardosi, a local ice cream manufacturer, and Richmond Ice Cream is born.
1995
Windsor Creameries becomes the first of Richmond’s many strategic acquisitions, aimed at consolidating the UK ice cream supplier base and positioning us as the UK’s leading investor in ice cream manufacturing.
Riding high on the waves of success, at Roncadin we transfer the art of traditional Italian ice cream and cake-making for catering businesses to our subsidiary, L’italiano Ice Cream GmbH.
1997
And the boom continues as strategic acquisitions enable our take-over of Girki, and the subsequent set-up of Roncadin SA in Vayres, France.
1998
In the UK, our merger with Treats Group plc provides another benchmark in our success story, enabling us to enter the ice lolly market. Retaining the plc listing on the Stock Exchange, we are now known as Richmond Foods plc.
1999
With the company producing retail brands on sale right across the continent, Roncadin S.p.A. is quoted on the Milan Stock Exchange.
2000
Richmond acquires Allied Frozen Foods, a major soft-scoop competitor. With four sites right across the UK producing specialty, bulk and individual ice creams, we are now the UK’s biggest producers in terms of both volume and range of products.
Dr Oetker Ice Creams becomes our latest Roncadin acquisition, signalling the beginning of our brand activities in Germany.
2001
With the acquisition of Nestlé UK Ice Creams, instantly-recognisable brands such as FAB, Smarties and Rowntree’s Fruit Pastil-Lolly are added to our Richmond portfolio.
2002
At Richmond we enter another sector in the impulse market with the acquisition of the Ice Creamery brand.
2003
Sheffield-based ice cream manufacturer, Oldfields, become Richmond’s latest acquisition.
2004
This proves a particularly busy year for Roncadin with our acquisition of Zielona Budka in Poland, our exclusive retail co-operation deal with Glacio in Belgium, and our purchase of licencee and production rights for Valensina fruit ices and Fit For Fun wellness ice creams.
Richmond purchases De Roma, whose modern Wigan factory adds to our capacity to produce handheld ice creams, lollies and arctic rolls.
2005
Roncadin is acquired by US-based investment fund, Oaktree Capital Management plc.
Skinny Cow, the UK’s first indulgent low-fat ice cream brand, becomes part of the Richmond family. Tapping into major consumer food trends, this brand delivered significant incremental sales for both us and the retailers.
Another year of success with the German Agricultural Society (DLG) awarding an incredible 19 gold medals to Roncadin’s brand products, while 26 others get a silver medal and two are awarded bronze.
2006
At Roncadin we take over the ice-cream division of NORDMILCH eG, including the MILRAM Sahne-Flirt and Botterbloom brands and licences for Masterfoods and Ahoj-Brause. In addition, we acquire Schröer Eis GmbH whose North-Rhine production plant is amongst Europe’s most modern.
Oaktree Capital Management purchase Richmond Foods to merge with Roncadin. The result? A melding of Richmond’s management and capability with Roncadin’s potential, forming a business with the potential to be not only the largest private label in Europe, but also the most profitable.
2007
Welcome onto the stage R&R Ice Cream, Europe’s largest ice cream manufacturer. With seven production plants right across Europe creating a vast range of quality products, it’s not surprising both consumers and retail partners find us an irresistibly tasty prospect.
