Rob Green
Managing director and major shareholder of Robinson's Bakery Group
“I was born and bred in the Black Country and I’m passionate about where I live and work.”
At one time, every Black Country town had its own branch of Robinson’s, selling freshly baked bread and cakes. Through his company Valencia Fine Foods, Rob Green has helped to bring back this icon of our local high streets, stabilising the Robinson’s brand with the opening of a Robinson’s Bakery in West Bromwich in May 2015, and an Oldbury branch the following August.
Business is booming, with the production of cakes, confectionery and savouries that Robinson’s sells from its shops to the public, and supplies to buffet companies, farm shops and retailers throughout the Midlands. From its site in West Bromwich, the company manufactures and sells enough sausage rolls and vegan rolls each week to reach the top of the Blackpool Tower – twice over!
Rob is passionate about giving back to the Black Country where he was born and raised. He has been chair of MaSTa – the Mobile and Street Traders’ Association – in Wolverhampton for over ten years, representing small businesses to the local authority. He was until recently a member of the West Midlands Food & Drink Forum, working with the former Greater Birmingham & Solihull LEP.
Over the last five years Rob has also been a school governor, and chair of governors for a federation of schools in Walsall. All this – and his day job clearly keeps him busy and happy too.
“I love my work because no two days are the same. One day I can be on a stall at an artisan market, selling directly to the public, the next I’m in a board meeting working strategically on the business, or back helping in the bakery. My staff are happy, and local customers are happy that the Robinson’s brand has returned. Our shops are community-led: we’re all about the people we serve.
“I wanted to become a Sandwell Business Ambassador to help overcome this disservice we do ourselves in Sandwell. Here we are, in the centre of the Midlands, at the heart of the country, but we’re not very good at selling ourselves to the rest of the world. People don’t know about Sandwell and, as a passionate marketeer and advocate for our local business community, I want to help put that right.”