Michael Dickson, the 74-year-old leader of Dicksons, one of the North East's oldest family food firms, has announced his retirement after a career spanning more than six decades. He will step down from daily operations but remain as chairman of quarterly board meetings and attend monthly management meetings, ensuring a smooth transition for the next generation.
From Tragedy to Triumph
Dicksons was founded 73 years ago by Michael's parents, Michael Irwin and Helen Dickson, who opened the first shop on Prince Edward Road in South Shields. However, tragedy struck when Michael Sr. died in his 40s, leaving his wife and two teenagers—Michael, then 14, and his sister Christine, 16—to run the business. Despite their youth, they steered the company toward profitability and expansion, growing from two shops and 30 employees to 33 stores and a modern factory in South Shields.
Reflecting on the early years, Michael said: "Looking back at everything that happened, it is amazing how we've ended up where we are today. Christine had a two-year head start on me... She was always amazing with numbers and nobody's fool, you couldn't get anything past her."
Building a Household Name
Michael discovered his talent for reorganizing production, developing controls, recipes, and new products while establishing quality and consistency. He was relentless in acquiring new sites to expand. "I was obsessive, Christine was telling me to stop buying businesses and more sites, we needed to start making profits," he recalled. The construction of a purpose-built factory was a turning point, enabling Dicksons to access the growing large retailer and food service market, though it initially plunged the company into debt.
"We couldn't stop even if we wanted, we had to keep going, it was such a massive learning curve for us. But we kept at it and this is why I always say stamina is so important, we didn't give up, we changed and adapted whenever we needed to," Michael added.
Family Constitution and Recognition
In 2008, Michael consulted with Christine and his four adult children, leading to an agreement that the company should remain family-owned but not necessarily family-run. This resulted in the creation of a constitution and a Family Council, an approach that earned Dicksons the Coutts Prize for UK Family Business of the Year in London in 2010. After Christine's death in 2013, Michael's daughter Elena, who joined from United Biscuits in 2004, became product and marketing director. Chris Hayman was recruited from McDonald's as head of retail and became the first non-family managing director in 2016. Michael's son Mike left a 12-year pharmacy career to become director of retail development in 2019.
An MBE and a Legacy
Michael was awarded an MBE in the King's Birthday Honours two years ago. He said: "I was shocked and humbled but all I could hear in my head that day, was my favourite old uncle's voice muttering 'it's not right this, these businessmen getting these awards' and wondering what he'd have thought." He credited his wife Marisa for her support, noting her family's own ice cream business in Sunderland. "Rather exasperatedly she told me in no uncertain terms to snap out of it and just be grateful, or she'd have it, because she deserved it for putting up with me and bringing up our four children single handed," he said.
Passing the Torch
Michael reassured that he won't be a stranger: "I'm not completely vanishing, I'll still be there to offer up advice and suggestions when needed. I'm simply taking a step back from having daily input, this will give me more free time, but I will still chair quarterly board meetings and attend monthly management meetings." He added: "I'm not sure I have wise words other than never, never give up. No project worth delivering comes easily, be adaptable, think creatively and never judge people by how they appear or what they have, rather what they hold in their heart."
