Andy Morling
Andy Morling, head of the Food Standards Agency’s (FSA’s) National Food Crime Unit (FCU), is a man on a mission: to rid the sector of crime.
To achieve that, he has set out to win the trust of food and drink manufacturers in a bid to persuade them to share vital information, in strict confidence, about crime.
Leading the new FCU – set up after the horsemeat crisis of 2013 – appeared to be a role made for Morling. His CV includes senior investigative roles with: Her Majesty’s Revenue & Customs, the Serious Fraud Office and the National Crime Agency.
A key objective is preventing the growth of organised food crime. “Where there’s money, there’s crime. And where there’s big money, there’s big crime,” Morling told delegates at Food Manufacture Group’s Food safety conference in September 2015.
Just over a year into the role, Morling can look back on some key successes. Recently, an individual was arrested for selling a food supplement, which was suspected of causing numerous deaths.
While much remains to be accomplished, Morling – who will address this year’s Food safety conference in London on Thursday October 13 – can look back on an eventful first year in the role.