HRH The Duchess of Cornwall and the Hairy Bikers fire the starting gun for British Food Fortnights Olympic plans and unveil the Face of British Food Fortnight 2010

Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cornwall and the BBC's Hairy Biker chefs, Dave Myers & Simon King, fired the starting gun for this year's British Food Fortnight activities at a major launch attended by over 250 retailers and caterers at Westminster Cathedral in central London today. 

They were joined by the Head of Catering at the London Olympics, Jan Matthews, to announce the plans for 2012 when the dates of British Food Fortnight are changing, for one year only, to run concurrently with the London Olympics. Speaking at the event, Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cornwall said: “I'm a passionate believer in great British food…and I am so pleased to have had the chance to see for myself the excellent initiatives being organized in schools and community centres across the country through British Food Fortnight. Our children and grandchildren are the future of good British food. And that's why British Food Fortnight is so important.”

British Food Fortnight is the biggest national celebration of British food, aimed at encouraging the consumer to buy British. The campaign is geared to delivering real change in the sectors in which it operates, selling more British food in the shops, putting more British food on menus and teaching the next generation to love the food produced on their doorstep.

Her Royal Highness went on to unveil the “Face of British Food Fortnight 2010” who was chosen by PR guru, Max Clifford. The winner, James Potter, a poultry farmer from North Yorkshire, has been selected from over 100 entries from farmers across the country. James will feature on the event's Love British Food poster that is displayed nationwide during the event.

The event was attended by many of the leading participants in British Food Fortnight including representatives from Aramark, Budgens, Asda, Morrisons, Kent County Council, Royal Brompton Hospital, University of Birmingham, Compass Children's Centre, St Paul's Cathedral, Anchor Trust Care Homes, Young's, Youth Hostel Association, National Trust, Great Inns of Britain, Tractor Ted and even Dudley Zoo who took part last year proving that animals too can enjoy British food!

Her Royal Highness then enjoyed a traditional British tea prepared by pupils from Forest Gate Community School which is situated in one of the boroughs where the Olympics will take place. Pupils were helped by David Stanley, chef for Aramark the major food service organisation that sponsors British Food Fortnight and has been responsible for catering in the athlete's village in all recent Olympics.

Commenting on the Olympic plans, organiser Alexia Robinson says: “This year's British Food Fortnight is a rallying cry for shops, pubs, restaurants and councils to start planning their Olympic promotions now so that their customers can feast on British food as they cheer our medal hopes to the winning line! The eyes of the world will be on Britain in 2012 and patriotism will be at fever-pitch. Food and sport go hand in hand and we want British food to be at the heart of everyone's Olympic celebrations.”

Commenting on the Face of British Food Fortnight 2010, Max Clifford said: “James Potter is, in my opinion, the perfect person to be the Face of British Food Fortnight 2010 as his face has all the characteristics that I believe people would expect to be embodied in a farmer. A face full of charm, integrity and which exudes the outdoor life - a wonderful combination made even better by a huge smile. He's got a face that both men and women will relate to in a positive way and, for me, is the ideal person to be the poster boy for British farming and food.”

ENDS.

Notes to Editors:

Download a copy of the poster:

low resolution

high resolution (5MB)

• WHAT IS BRITISH FOOD FORTNIGHT? Running from 18th September to 3rd October and now in its ninth year, British Food Fortnight is the biggest national celebration of the diverse and delicious range of food that Britain produces. Hundreds of shops, pubs and restaurants take part every year with special menus and promotions as do councils, markets, hospitals, tourism attractions, hotels, youth hostels and many more. Last year even a zoo took part proving that animals too can eat British! It is also an established date on the school calendar with hundreds of schools using the event as an opportunity to teach children about food. In 2012 the dates of British Food Fortnight will change, for one year only, to run at the same time as the London Olympics.


• WHO IS THE FACE OF BRITISH FOOD FORTNIGHT 2010? James Potter is the 34 year old Managing Director of Yorkshire Farmhouse Eggs, a family business based near Thirsk, North Yorkshire. He produces free range eggs and runs a local food distribution hub that enables small Yorkshire producers to supply the major multiples. When he joined the business the 300 acre family farm was dedicated to part arable and part free range egg production. Keen to make a mark, he immediately started marketing eggs directly and within two years secured accounts with two supermarkets supplying regional lines of free range eggs. Once a small niche market, free range eggs now account for over 70% of retail egg sales with a growing proportion marketed as local. In his desire to grow the business, James has been the leading force in the family’s decision to develop two further local free range egg businesses in East Sussex and Bedfordshire. He now supplies 700 superstores nationally and works directly with 60 local food suppliers. James is passionate about looking at ways to improve his business and travels to other countries to research alternate systems which he can learn from. His hobbies include rugby and mountain biking.


• WHO IS BEHIND BRITISH FOOD FORTNIGHT? British Food Fortnight is sponsored by Budgens, ARAMARK and the Department of Health’s 5 A DAY Just Eat More (fruit & veg) programme. It is supported by over 70 organisations led by Brakes, Country Markets, National Farmers’ Union, National Trust, Tenant Farmers Association, Young’s pubs and Youth Hostel Association.