Infinity People
Scott Muir- Commodities buyer
How long have you been with Infinity Foods, and what drew you to work here?
I knew Infinity as I used to play football against them.
I went traveling for a year and when I came back, I bumped into someone from the warehouse and was asked to do a trial shift.
What does a typical working day look like for you?
Because of health reasons, most of my work as one of the commodity buyers is done from home.I have Parkinson’s, so this gives me the flexibility to exercise around my work commitments.
I can communicate with colleagues and suppliers via phone and email, and I find it more productive to be to working without distraction.
I buy organic nuts, seeds and fruits mainly.
What most surprised you when you came to work at Infinity?
I was member number 13 so we were still quite a small band.The time I started coincided with an amazing ten year growth period in the organic food market.
At times we struggled to keep up, but it was an exciting challenge to really grow a business in a boom.
You know when the supermarkets get on board that it's big business.
It struck me that there was a great sense of team work. I came from a big record retail (HMV) background, which was very traditionally hierarchical.
The Co-operative model taught me that anything was possible and you could be creative with ideas and input.
I have seen a lot of companies in our sector come and go. We are still here and growing so we must have done something right!
Do you have a favourite product or brand on the shelves at Infinity?
As a buyer who has visited the farms and processors of our commodities, I take great pride in the products that we pack down into our own Infinity brand.We have always striven to bring the best quality and offer it to our customers at the most competitive prices that we can.
When people say that they can buy products cheaper elsewhere I say make sure you are comparing like for like, because in many instances there is a difference.
What did you do last weekend?
I had a sauna by a freshwater lake which felt really relaxing and exhilarating at the same time!I also went on a walk up Mount Caburn with friends and ended up with a pub lunch.
What makes you most happy?
Being in the Sussex countryside, with it’s amazing variety of hills, woodland, commons and wetlands, and the accompanying wildlife that you can see.
If you had to eat one meal for the rest of your life and not get bored of it, what would you choose?
Probably Dhal. I spent two months trekking in Nepal and ate this everyday and never tired of it.
