Barry Evans

Barry’s early career involved a variety of roles in Logistics/Distribution with Watney Mann, Rank Hovis McDougall and the Royal Mail. This was followed by roles in Tesco plc, including Lean Process Manager in Tesco Supply Chain Development. Tesco strategy is underpinned by ideas contained in 3 academic works, namely Lean Thinking, Loyalty and Simplicity. His role was to understand Lean Thinking and develop ways in which it could be applied in Tesco. Tesco’s “Better, Simpler, Cheaper” approach is evidence of how it has been successfully and sustainably applied. His work in Tesco included representing retail aspirations on LERC collaborative projects like ITeLS and LEARN 2.

• Currently a Senior Research Associate in LERC where he has worked on projects for a range of clients related to Lean Thinking, Value Stream and Value Chain Analysis, including:

• DEFRA – worked with Manchester Business School to produce the “Environmental Impacts of Food Production and Consumption” report. The report has had wide circulation and comment and has become known as the “shopping trolley” report. My role was to input value chain thinking, composition of the shopping basket and researching some of the foods included in the study

• Food Chain Centre – Value Chain Analysis projects. DEFRA funded work (arising from the Curry report – Crisis in British Agri-Food) in a variety of sectors including Red Meat, Dairy, Produce and Cereals.

• Public companies including Retailers, Manufacturers etc

Research interests centre on understanding and developing models that address creating value within / around FMCG products which are increasingly becoming "commoditised".