What makes a brand stand out? Exceptional products? Of course. Outstanding service? Sure. But a stellar reputation is really the work of a fearless, ambitious and honest leader. At Quattro Foods, the captain of our ship Sam Brower will be horrified at the thought of a blog written all about her, but she deserves our reverence, so for once, we’re going to do something without her explicit permission.
What’s in a name?
Quattro means four in Italian – first clue in the discovery of the real Sam – she brought a little bit of herself to the brand name. She loves food (from anywhere – of course she does), but she is particularly smitten with the land of pizza and prosecco, and spends as much time as she can in Italy, savouring the sun, culture, language and of course, the delicious cuisine.
Follow the leader
Always modest, Sam doesn’t like to take centre stage. She’s been at the helm of Quattro since its inception in 2010. She’s seen hundreds of customers, suppliers and personnel come and go, and faced numerous challenges head-on. With an endearing candour she’s navigated some rocky waters and has risen above them with our precious brand intact and thriving. How does she keep up these boundless levels of energy, passion and success?
The Covid challenge
When restaurants closed their doors in March 2020, Quattro was left with heaps of stock that was no longer needed. Orders had been placed but couldn’t be fulfilled as restaurants were closed. The situation was bleak for businesses and individuals. Sam appealed to local charities such as Pompey in the Community and Portsmouth Hive and together they shipped out as much fresh produce as possible to those who needed it. They froze whatever they could, from soups to pasta sauces and curries, which they distributed to homeless people throughout the pandemic. During the world’s darkest days Quattro was feeding the homeless, those on Universal Credit, elderly people who couldn’t get to supermarkets, those with special dietary requirements, military families, the NHS, care workers and even bicycle shop staff.
Sam said: ‘When restaurants had to close, we were stuck with ingredients that people weren’t going to pay for, so we sent it to people in the local community. This is what we do, we cook great food and we can continue to do it and put a smile on people’s faces.’
During Covid the hospitality industry was helped financially by the government, but their suppliers were not. One of our local suppliers was at risk of going bust and Sam helped keep them afloat with grant funding.
And she’s not just amazing in a crisis. Sam has developed a flexibility and agility within the business to support our customers with food products of variable sizes, always producing more items for the retail and education sectors, and winning new tenders – all whilst staying sustainable!
That’s Sam the MD. Caring, responsible and proactive. Sam the mum of three, friend and human is equally committed. She loves cooking, travel and supporting her kids as they grow up and navigate life. And as for her colleagues? We value her quietly inspirational leadership and look forward to many more years of success for Quattro with Sam steering our ship!