Pro-Force background

Established in 2005 Matt and Andy formed Pro-Force Ltd with the vision in mind to become one of the UK’s leading Agricultural and Horticultural recruitment specialists.

Since 2006 Pro-Force has been actively involved in the Training and Development of pre-selected workers with the benefit of assisted funding from DEFRA and SEEDA under the Vocational Training Scheme (VTS) and the Rural Development Programme in the provision of Core Workers to the Farms and Nurseries signed to the scheme.

Part of the Pro-Force philosophy is that we believe that by having Core Workers trained with transferable skills coupled with the ability to multi-task will achieve the flexibility necessary in today’s changeable market place and will afford our Clients the peace of mind with the higher level of productivity that they will benefit from by employing a more skilled workforce.

Timeline of events

2007 saw the opening of direct recruitment in Eastern Europe.

2008 saw the launch of the Picking School, a dedicated Training Programme for fruit pickers.

2008 also saw the launch of Pro-Force Kent and the introduction of Chris Rose as the co-ordinator of the Kent based group.

2009 sees the introduction of Category Managed Seasonal Labour, a bespoke solution to the challenges of the use of temporary workers and how to maximise profitability through efficiencies.

In 1984 Chris joined Edward Vinson Ltd as a team leader in orchard husbandry and harvesting, progressing to Farms Manager and Director. During this period he honed his labour management skills and enjoyed a 'favoured farm' working relationship with the SAWS labour provider, Concordia.

Following 12 years of senior management in the largest and one of the most successful and innovative fruit businesses in the UK, Chris moved on to focus on the area that he has come to specialise in: labour productivity.

He has lead several successful HDC projects that have demonstrated the potential to significantly increase productivity in harvesting and other gang work through fully understanding what makes the champion workers so good. Recent projects have focussed on champion supervisors and the pre-selection of labour.

Over the last decade Chris has trained many hundreds of harvest supervisors and has provided on-farm coaching to supervisors employed in leading UK grower businesses. He has worked as a BASIS qualified crop advisor, a farm business advisor through Business Links, held public office on the Apple & Pear Research Council and has provided management consultancy to board level.

In 2008 Chris agreed to take on the SCION franchise in Kent, working closely with Pro-Force Recruitment.

"It has been a joy to find a labour provider that fully embraces my own ethos of maximising output by careful selection, effective training and a balance of excellent motivational support and consistent firm discipline."