10/11/2025
We’re delighted to announce Richard Bain is joining us as Managing Director, alongside founder and driving force Ruth Huxley. Ruth established the store in 2016, showcasing entirely local food and drink sourced from over 200 suppliers.
The business also created and delivers a development programme for the wider agrifood industry of Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.
Alongside Ruth, Richard will lead our team of around 40, managing the store and championing Cornwall’s top-quality food and drink. Ruth plans to retire some time next year and move to a non-executive role.
Richard brings a wealth of experience to his new role here. He has held key positions in food manufacturing with well-known brands. He came to Cornwall initially to take up the role of production director at Ginsters. Richard joins us from Bodmin-based Buttermilk Confections, where he has been operations director for the past three and a half years.
Richard first met Ruth while he was part of the Cornish Pasty Association board, it was there that he started to develop his understanding of the wider Cornish food industry, particularly smaller enterprises, and the positive impact that a collective approach can generate.
Richard and Ruth have very different backgrounds but together they share a common goal of wanting our food, drink, farming and fishing businesses to thrive. To that end they will be working together to help the Great Cornish Food Store and those in and around the sector realise their full potential.
He is excited to join the team here and take on the unique opportunity to work with the whole community of food and drink producers across Cornwall and Scilly.
Everyone here is looking forward to working with Richard and we’re delighted to think Ruth will be able to hand over the reins next year with full confidence that under his leadership the business will continue to go from strength to strength.
