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Tazaki Foods is the leading importer, developer, and distributor of Japanese food and drinks in the UK and Europe
Following Tazaki's 200% growth in the UK over the last decade, the business had identified the potential for efficiency gains in its logistics operations and a need for greater capacity to support future growth.
Through Davies & Robson Logistics, Ian was engaged as a professional interim logistics leader to take a clear, end-to-end view of the operation and lead the transition from a growth-stretched model to one capable of scaling with confidence. The focus was on consolidating operations and ensuring the logistics platform had the efficiency, resilience and capacity required to support the next phase of development.
His initial focus was on understanding how the operation functioned in practice — from goods-in through to dispatch, performance management, organisational design and peak readiness — and aligning improvement priorities with senior stakeholders.
This early diagnostic work enabled Ian to quickly pinpoint opportunities to strengthen leadership, improve productivity and remove structural constraints. He led the recruitment and development of key logistics leadership roles, introduced clearer accountability and pay structures, and addressed system limitations in partnership with the 3PL IT provider. Operationally, Ian implemented practical, high-impact changes including paperless picking, rationalised warehouse layouts and a tailored labour planning tool, driving measurable efficiency gains and reducing shift headcount without compromising service levels.
Alongside operational improvements, Ian ensured the logistics platform was future-ready. He ran a competitive tender for third-party storage, oversaw a smooth transition to a new provider, and supported planning for a consolidated warehouse that will bring all stock under one roof. The result is a more professional, scalable and resilient logistics operation — one that supports Tazaki’s growth ambitions today and provides a clear foundation for expansion in the years ahead.
Ian brought clarity and structure to a logistics operation that had reached capacity with rapid growth. His practical leadership and ability to align people, systems and process has left us with a more resilient and scalable platform for the future