Then again, says Cane, there are no wine bars in Grimsby, where he lives and works, so it is doubly fortunate that he is not inclined to pass his time in such a way. At this point, his PR woman, who is listening in to the interview, points out that such establishments are now referred to simply as 'bars'. The observation is lost on Cane - a natural entertainer with the gift of comic timing - and he ploughs on with his wine bar line.
Although his manner is delightfully 'old school', Cane is by no means yesterday's man. In January, he was tasked with heading the branded business arm of Young's following a restructure that split its branded operations from its own-label division.
'There is a slightly harsher culture; a culture that is more commercial,' he says. 'It is a business that is always feeling it has to prove itself. It's not London, it's not glamorous and therefore we try a little harder.'
Cane, 55, is an accomplished raconteur, and talks about his formative years with affection. His time at Rowntree Mackintosh in the late 70s and early 80s provided a traditional marketing education, but the slow pace that characterised the organisation leads him to compare the experience to that of working for the civil service. When he left for Ross Foods - just as freezers were becoming more commonplace in households - the growth of the frozen-food market meant the pace of his working life became frenetic.
'In those days, we used to launch about 200 products a year; that's an average of four a week. There was always a joke that if it got to Thursday and we had only done two, we would be in danger of getting behind,' he recalls.
Now in his 'third decade of frozen food', Cane asserts that, while the 80s were marked out by explosive growth and development, and the 90s by the emergence of specialist brands such as San Marco pizza and Linda McCartney, both of which he worked on, this decade is a seafood marketer's 'dream'.
Consumers, he says, want to eat fish because it is healthy and natural, but there is huge untapped potential as most currently eat it only once a week. In his view, seafood brands need to make fish more like chicken in consumers' eyes - accessible and convenient. He even has a word for this - 'chickenability'.
Born and bred a Yorkshireman, Cane has lived in Lincolnshire for the past 25 years, and describes himself as a Grimbarian, the correct, if unlikely, term to describe someone from Grimsby. Its similarities with 'barbarian' are somewhat apt; Cane is ultra-competitive and admits to being a 'hard driver'.
These qualities could prove to be significant assets, as the frozen-food scene has become tougher following Unilever's sale of its Birds Eye brand to a private equity buyer in 2006.
Birds Eye had been foundering under Unilever, but since the buyout, competition with Young's has intensified. This has pitted Cane against Martin Glenn, a former PepsiCo president, now chief executive of Birds Eye Iglo. Glenn, who first met Cane when Birds Eye was put up for sale, says his rival is 'very witty and always raises a smile', but adds that 'he is deeply experienced in the frozen-food market, and a doughty competitor'.
Cane claims to be pleased by the change in ownership at Birds Eye. 'We are both going to be bringing better products to the market and promoting them aggressively,' he says. The best thing that could happen for consumers over the next 10 years is that we and Birds Eye have a real dogfight.'
It will certainly be an interesting scrap to watch. Though there is little doubt that Birds Eye has more marketing muscle, Cane's determination and experience may just turn out to be Youngs' trump card.
Career history: Jim Cane
- 1977-1982 Various marketing roles, rising to marketing manager, Rowntree Mackintosh
- 1982-1987 Marketing manager, Ross Young's
- 1987-1992 Marketing director, Ross Young's
- 1992-2000 Various roles, rising to managing director of UB Frozen & Chilled Foods
- 2000-Jan 2008 Group commercial director, Young's Bluecrest
- Jan 2008-present Managing director, Young's Seafood