The biggest names in retail and food service came together to stage a patriotic foodie extravaganza during the Olympics.  The stage was set for a huge showcase of British food as the eyes of the world were on us.  Running in parallel to the Games, Love British Food 2012 bought a patriotic outburst to shop shelves and menus and Family Feasts were organised in communities across the country as part of the London 2012 Festival. Highlights included:

• Love British Food 2012 gave retailers a ticket to the Games: Tesco and SPAR (UK) Ltd are Official Partners of the event and geared up to paint shop-shelves red, white and blue.  2,200 SPAR shops took part and Tesco ran patriotic promotions throughout its stores.  Love British Food 2012 promotions in Tesco cafes doubled sales and sold out most days.  And lots of independent stores, farm shops and delis flew the Union Jack on the high street as they used British food as their entry point into the Games.  Customers were treated to the Love British Food 2012 logo, tastings, meet-the-producer events and patriotic promotional material bearing the slogans ‘Be Patriotic!’ and ‘Support the home team!’


• Pubs put the pride into Britain: Menus in Fullers, Enterprise Inns and Whiting and Hammond shouted ‘British is Best!’ as people crowded into their pubs to support Team GB.  Humpty Dumpty Eggs Benedict, 4 & 20 Black Birds Pigeon Pie, Little Red Riding Hood Velvet Sponge and a Three Blind Mice cheese board was one of the imaginative menus customers were treated to.


• Food and sport go hand in hand in restaurants and food outlets across the land: The biggest organisations in food service united behind Love British Food 2012 in the strongest line-up in the national food promotion's 11 year history.  Led by ARAMARK, the event's flagship sponsor, 3663, Brakes, Compass, E-Foods, Harrison Catering and Sodexo all took part as Official Partners and bought patriotic celebrations into staff restaurants and food outlets across the land.  The Garden Centre Group also entered into the spirit with special menus and fun competitions in all its instore cafes and restaurants. 


• Hospitals gave patients a patriotic boost: The Hospital Caterers Association rallied hospitals to bring all the excitement of the Olympics into wards with patriotic menus for patients.  Great Ormond Street, Royal Brompton and Salisbury District were some of the hospitals that took part.


• Family Feasts - bringing the excitement of the Olympics to families and communities: LoveBritish Food 2012 Family Feasts were organised as part of the London 2012 Festival with a special focus on people who may have felt left out of the sporting celebrations.  The Feasts were organised in Sure Start Children's Centres and in Hallmark Care Homes for the elderly.  Many of the Sure Start Children's Centres that took part were in deprived areas and were given hands-on support from a local chef who worked with families to organise a magnificent Feast for everyone using the centre and the wider community.


• WHY IS LOVE BRITISH FOOD 2012 SO EXCITING?  Alexia Robinson, organiser of the event, says: “What better way to have expressed your patriotism than with wonderful British food.  Food was a central part of all sporting celebrations and with the Olympics we had an opportunity of a lifetime to show-off the best of British food to the world.  The Olympic organisers made it nigh impossible for shops, restaurants or even community groups to capitalise on the Games.  For small businesses, in particular, this was stultifying and the majority were not going to benefit from the Olympics one iota.  Love British Food 2012 did something to address this.  It was, quite simply, the best opportunity for businesses and community organisations to ride the wave of Olympic patriotism without incurring the wrath of the Olympic brand police.”
  
  She continues: “Even in tough economic times the public rallied behind British food and flew the Union Jack on plates as well as on bunting!”


• WHO IS BEHIND LOVE BRITISH FOOD 2012?  Love British Food 2012 is sponsored by ARAMARK and is supported by a large family of over 70 organisations led by 3663, Brakes, Compass Group, E-Foods, Enterprise Inns, Food and Drink Federation, Fullers, The Garden Centre Group, Hallmark Care Homes, Harrison Catering, Quality British Turkey, Sodexo, Speciality Breads, SPAR (UK), Tesco and Whiting and Hammond.

For further information and details of what specific events took part across the country see www.lovebritishfood.co.uk

ENDS

For further press information and photography, please contact Alexia or Danielle in the Event Office on T: 020 7840 9292. E: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
www.lovebritishfood.co.uk.