John Lee: 25 Years at Lionel Hitchen
This year marks an important milestone for John Lee, Senior Business Development Manager & Category Lead, who celebrates 25 years with Lionel Hitchen. Over the course of two and a half decades, John has become a respected and familiar figure within both the company and the wider flavour industry, building long-standing customer relationships while helping support projects across a wide range of food and beverage applications.
John joined Lionel Hitchen in November 2000 following recommendations from several senior contacts within the flavour industry. Taking over the role from the late Richard White, John entered the business with a strong technical background and previous experience in product development.
Reflecting on his decision to move into technical sales, John explains that he was attracted by the opportunity to combine technical expertise with direct customer collaboration. Rather than following a purely technical or commercial route, the role allowed him to work closely with customers while still applying his understanding of flavour development and applications.
The reputation of the company itself also played a major part in his decision to join the business. The opportunity to work alongside Alastair Hitchen and become part of a respected family-run company was something John saw as both exciting and rewarding.
Looking back on his early days at Lionel Hitchen, John recalls one of his first customer visits being an afternoon meeting somewhere in Wales, sitting down with a customer over tea and biscuits while discussing projects. While a simple memory, it reflects something that has remained central to technical sales throughout his career, building strong relationships and taking the time to properly understand customers and their needs.
When asked what good technical sales looks like within the flavour industry, John believes it comes down to understanding customers properly, often anticipating their requirements, and using technical expertise to help deliver practical solutions. He sees technical sales as a collaborative role, where strong communication and long-term support are just as important as technical knowledge itself.
Building trust with R&D teams and buyers is another key part of the role. According to John, consistency is essential, maintaining regular communication, providing reliable support, and demonstrating value over time. In an industry where projects can take months or even years to develop, trust and reliability are critical to building successful long-term partnerships.
Over the past 25 years, John has worked across many significant customer accounts and development projects. While much of that work remains confidential, those experiences have helped shape both his career and his understanding of the industry. He has seen changing consumer trends, evolving flavour profiles, and advances in technology, but believes the core principles of technical sales have remained largely unchanged.
“Despite how much the industry has evolved over the years, John feels the fundamentals of customer partnership, technical understanding, and relationship building remain much the same today as when he first joined in 2000. Customers continue to value technical expertise, honesty, responsiveness, and dependable working relationships.
Where John believes the biggest changes have taken place is through personal development and accumulated experience. Over many years in the role, experience naturally shapes communication, decision-making, and perspective. Continuous learning and adapting to new challenges have all played an important role throughout his career.
One of the reasons John has remained with Lionel Hitchen for 25 years is the strong connection he feels to the business and the relationships built over time with both colleagues and customers. In an industry built heavily on collaboration and trust, those long-term relationships become increasingly valuable.
When reflecting on his proudest moments, John does not focus on a single achievement or project. Instead, he points to the occasions when customers express genuine appreciation for the support provided and when working relationships develop into long-standing partnerships. For him, these moments represent the real value of technical sales helping customers succeed while becoming a trusted extension of their development process.
Like any long career, there have also been challenges along the way. John acknowledges that difficult periods are part of both professional and personal growth, reinforcing the importance of resilience, adaptability, and continuous learning.
Looking ahead, John believes these qualities remain just as important for anyone entering technical sales today. His advice to those starting out in the industry is simple: do not be afraid to make mistakes. Some of the most valuable learning comes through experience, and long-term success depends on continuously developing both technical expertise and strong customer relationships.
As John celebrates 25 years with Lionel Hitchen, his knowledge, consistency, and commitment continue to make a valuable contribution to both the business and the customers he supports every day.
