About Us - Company Profile

Michael Tate formed Canners & Packers International when he resigned as managing director of Henry Jones IXL. The business has grown steadily over the last 20 years, recruiting Michaels' three sons Mark, Simon and Paul as well as support staff.

During this time, CPI has kept up with the rapidity changing grocery business by constantly adapting to new demands. CPI started as an agent -- and even now nearly half the company's turnover comes from agency work.

But there is a steadily growing demand for a full service, which can include landing, storing and distributing on behalf of producers overseas.

This shift in focus has brought it many changes in the way CPI works with dedicated warehouses in both the north and south of England. These warehouses have electronic links to the St Albans office. With the introduction of the EDI system, the flow of orders from buyers to the sales office has revolutionised an operation which started out as a small family agency-based business.

One of the biggest milestones of the last 20 years has been the move from rented offices into Harvest House, a freehold property, which has given the business more than just a solid base from which to work.

The company's biggest asset is the people who work within it: Michael happily concedes that the arrival of his three sons has made it possible for the firm to grow. He insisted that none of them joined CPI until they had gained experience elsewhere.

As a result, they worked in unrelated industries and each contributed a fresh approach to the family business when they joined. Canners and Packers International has benefited from this input. Michael doubts that he would ever have moved beyond a pocket calculator, but with a terminal on every desk, the company runs a tailored software solution from Defacto software, ensuring end to end management of the supply chain.