How the Iran War is Affecting Our Market w/ Mike Revell

In the very first episode of Dish It Dirty, David Revell sits down with industry heavyweight Mike Revell—former Managing Director across multiple major businesses within the cleaning, catering and food packaging industrys and founder of the UK’s largest catering and hygiene buying group, the Socius Network. With nearly 40 years at the top of the sector, Mike breaks down what’s really happening behind the headlines. From geopolitical conflict to collapsing supply chains, rising costs, and broken legislation, this episode explores the forces quietly reshaping the cleaning, hygiene, food packaging, and hospitality industries. You’ll learn: Why the current global conflict could trigger major product shortagesHow supply chains unravel (and why recovery takes months—not weeks)The real impact of inflation, energy costs, and EPR legislationWhy hospitality is under more pressure than everWhat separates businesses that survive vs. those that collapseLeadership lessons from decades in high-pressure markets Whether you're a distributor, manufacturer, or operator—this is a raw, unfiltered look at what’s coming next. Chapters: 00:00 – Introduction to the podcast & industry focus Overview of the sector and why it matters globally 00:34 – Meet Mike Revell Career background and industry credibility 03:20 – 40 years of change: what’s shifted most? Technology, data, and decision-making evolution 05:30 – The pros & cons of modern tech in business Speed vs. pressure and information overload 07:26 – The global conflict explained (and why it matters) Oil, supply chains, and economic ripple effects 09:00 – Shipping chaos & supply chain breakdowns Why disruptions take 6–12 months to fix 11:00 – Product shortages (gloves, materials, manufacturing) What happens when supply simply disappears 14:00 – How businesses should respond right now Cost control, stock management, and tough decisions 17:00 – Inflation, hospitality struggles & market pressure Why pubs and restaurants are under serious threat 22:00 – Is there any opportunity in this chaos? Timing vs. risk in uncertain markets 26:00 – Price increases: how to handle customers Communication, strategy, and reality checks 29:00 – The hidden killer: EPR legislation explained Why it’s broken and damaging compliant businesses 40:00 – The future of hospitality & changing behaviour Why younger generations are reshaping demand 44:00 – Growth areas: home delivery & hygiene sector Where the opportunities actually are 50:30 – The talent problem in the industry Why young people aren’t entering the sector 59:40 – Leadership lessons from decades at the top Teams, strategy, and decision-making under pressure 1:06:20 – The one thing businesses forget: VALUE Why it matters more than price 1:09:30 – Closing thoughts & final takeaways