love-british-food

Feeding the Future: Why School Food Reform Must Back British Farmers and Producers

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 14:49:55 GMT

Alexia Robinson, CEO and founder of Love British Food responds to the School Food Standards consultation launched on 13 April 2026. The government’s nine-week, England-only consultation runs until 12 June 2026 and sits alongside proposals for tougher compliance, online publication of menus and food policies, and a lead governor for school food.

“Love British Food welcomes the Government’s consultation on School Food Standards and the ambition to make those standards count in practice, but it must go far enough.

If ministers are striving to improve school meals, British producers should be part of the answer. Healthier menus should mean more connected supply chains. They should mean more fresh, seasonal British produce and a stronger relationship between schools and the farmers and growers who feed them.

This is a chance to do more than take unhealthy options off the menu. It is a chance to put something better on every school child’s plate and to make British the first choice wherever possible.

Love British Food is fortunate to work with so many wonderful caterers, thousands of whom will take part in the 25 ^th anniversary of the national food celebrations, British Food Fortnight, later this year. The skills and passion in the industry are immense and I’m sure this consultation will be enthusiastically received.

Over the years, we have repeatedly demonstrated that good school food not only nourishes children but also helps pupils learn valuable lessons about food provenance and sourcing whilst supporting British farmers.”

Love British Food at 25: Strengthening British Sourcing in Public Sector Catering

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 15:18:00 GMT

Love British Food has unveiled ambitious plans for its 25th anniversary to unite the food supply chain and champion seasonal diversity and sustainable home-grown produce.

A dedicated training programme and series of celebrations builds momentum towards this year’s British Food Fortnight, which runs from 26 September to 11 October 2026.

Love British Food founder, Alexia Robinson urges organisations across the sector to build on the initiative’s achievements by joining this year’s milestone campaign to source and serve British.

“Over 25 years we’ve created a wonderful community across the industry who share our love and commitment to turn support for British producers into practical action. As the longest standing representative of food and farming on PSC Alliance, Love British Food has forged deep bonds with TUCO, NACC, HCA, and School Food People transforming menus and bridging the gap between farmers and the wider food supply chain. These are robust foundations on which to build.

“British Food Fortnight has become an established date on the calendar with thousands of schools, hundreds of care homes, leading universities and many NHS Trusts rejoicing every year. Through further collaboration with our partners, Food Heros, working groups and change-maker programme, we are continuing our mission to inspire, enable, and support. Together, we can influence procurement decisions and increase the value we place on British food.”

Anita Brown, chair of the Public Sector Catering Alliance, says: “Love British Food has played an important role over the past 25 years in championing the value of British produce and strengthening the connection between the people who produce our food and those who serve it every day in schools, hospitals and other public settings.

“Love British Food is embraced by public sector caterers across all services as not only a well-established brand but also for its encouragement of educating children on the importance of our brilliant farmers and the importance of British food from farm to fork.

“Public sector caterers feed millions of people each week, so the decisions they make about sourcing food have a real impact across the supply chain. Initiatives like Love British Food help highlight the importance of supporting British farmers and producers while also celebrating the quality and provenance of the food served on public sector menus and inspiring collaboration right across the sector.”

Neel Radia, National Chair of the NACC, says: “Sustainability is high on the agenda in care homes, so there has never been a more relevant time to be in partnership with Love British Food – jointly we can support our members in accessing more resources and knowledge to achieve a more sustainable future.

“We could not be happier to support an organisation championing British food – congratulations to Love British Food as you celebrate 25 years.”

Iain Robertson, National Chair of the HCA says: “The Hospital Caterers Association proudly supports the ambitions of Love British Food in their 25th anniversary year.

“It has never been more important for the sector to support British farmers, growers and producers to help us meet our sustainability goals, provide nutritious food and support local economies.”

Alexia adds: “Over 25 years we’ve created a brilliant movement. With our partners – Morrisons, Brakes, Chartwells, OCS, Fresh Direct, Essential Cuisine and Harrisons Catering – we continue to showcase British supply chains and seasonal sourcing, as well as connect directly with communities through British Food Fortnight activity. This year is all about scaling the impact and providing practical routes to serving British food on menus across public sector catering, instilling pride in where our home-grown food comes from through a shared call to action: ‘Make British produce your first choice.’ I encourage you to join us.”

2026 campaign moments

Planned activities for the anniversary programme include:

At the Royal Three Counties show on Friday 12 June, Love British Food is inviting a select group of public sector caterers to discover the heart of British farming and food. This exclusive event includes breakfast, panel discussion featuring leading industry figures and a tour of the livestock lines. A not to be missed experience! Register your interest to attend .

Continuing to grow the cohort of 214 change-makers, this year’s on-farm training day takes place at Madresfield Estate on 9 September. Caterers will have the chance to explore the historic farming estate and discuss opportunities to source British food on menus through shared insight and learnings. Sign up here.

A special 25th anniversary edition of British Food Fortnight provides opportunities for public sector caterers across the country to take part in the celebrations, culminating in two National Harvest Services. Steadfast farmers will be thanked at Nantwich Cathedral, while a Harvest by the Sea in Devon will express gratitude to our resilient fishermen.

Alexia Robinson will be spreading the Love British Food message at events such as Future Countryside at Raby Castle, Land Alive at Bath & West Showground in the autumn.

A new procurement special series, Inside Britain’s sourcing story , highlights how sourcing decisions can strengthen domestic supply chains at scale in education, care home and hospital settings. The series showcases insights from the following public sector caterers: Caroline Morgan, Local Food Links; Frank Fiore, Milton Keynes University Hospital; and Jody Marshall, Meallmore Care Home.

Back by popular demand! The Get Seasonal podcast returns hosted by Ian Nottage, head of food development at Fresh Direct, and Graeme Collie, executive chef at King’s College London. Made by chefs for chefs, four seasonally focused episodes highlight the importance of supporting British producers within the food service and hospitality industries whilst promoting sustainable, British-sourced produce and creative ways to use it.

ENDS

Notes to editors

Media contact: Pinstone, Becky George

E: b.george@pinstone.co.uk

T: 07775 561412

About Love British Food

Love British Food is the leading organisation dedicated to promoting British food in the public and private sectors. Working at grassroots and industry level, and through initiatives like British Food Fortnight, Love British Food supports farmers, caterers and retailers to encourage sustainable supply chains that make good food available for all.

The campaign’s flagship event, British Food Fortnight takes place every autumn and is the biggest annual celebration of British food on the calendar. The campaign unites producers, retailers, chefs, growers, and food lovers nationwide to promote the quality, diversity, and provenance of British food. A vibrant programme of events, promotions, and activities is designed to inspire consumers to explore and enjoy British food and drink.

Key partners and supporters

The success of Love British Food and British Food Fortnight is dependent on a broad coalition of organisations spanning the food supply chain. These include:

Retail partner: Morrisons

Partners: Brakes, Chartwells, OCS, Fresh Direct, Essential Cuisine and Harrisons Catering

Food Heroes: Farrington Oils, Local Food Links Dorset, Deersbrook Farm, HG Walter, Honeybuns, Lower Drayton Farm, The British Hamper Company, Derbyshire Catering Service, and Northamptonshire Healthcare

National farm visits programme: training days for public sector caterers – our 11th farm visit takes place this summer. 214 changemakers inspired through our programme so far.

Working Groups: Hospital and Care Catering Working Group, and Education Working Group

Affiliations: Soil Association’s Food for Life campaign and No Farmers No Food

Ambassadors: Chefs, farmers, food writers, broadcasters, bloggers, and social media influencers who champion British food stories and help reach wider audiences.

Campaign impact

British Food Fortnight reaches millions of consumers each year through events, social media, and retail promotions.

It supports hundreds of producers and businesses by increasing visibility and driving sales.

The campaign fosters pride in British food culture and promotes sustainability and traceability in food production.

For more information, visit www.lovebritishfood.co.uk

Love British Food’s 25th Anniversary: Driving Sales and Opportunity across the Industry

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 14:45:51 GMT

Love British Food has unveiled ambitious plans for its 25th anniversary to unite the supply chain and champion seasonal diversity and sustainable home-grown produce.

A dedicated programme of activity builds momentum towards the biggest national celebration of British food on the calendar - British Food Fortnight, which runs from 26 September to 11 October 2026.

Love British Food founder, Alexia Robinson urges everyone in the industry, from chefs and hospitality operators to retailers, brands and producers to get involved this year and help build on the initiative’s previous achievements.

“Over 25 years we’ve built a dynamic community who share our commitment to forge connections across the supply chain by sourcing, serving and selling British produce. Throughout 2026 we are continuing our mission to inspire, enable, and support the industry to Love British Food.

“This year presents an exciting commercial opportunity for businesses to engage and champion British food to consumers. We have a formidable story and one with a proven track record of significantly increasing sales through British Food Fortnight promotional activity across menus and in-store.

“Through sampling, meet-the-producer events and special offers, businesses can directly benefit from tapping into consumers’ recognition of British foods quality and taste. Together we can drive real change and increase awareness of the diverse and delicious food and drink that Britain has to offer.

It’s time to think big and capitalise on Love British Food’s rich heritage during this landmark anniversary.”

David Scott, Director of Corporate Affairs at Morrisons, official retail partner of Love British Food, says: “Love British Food does a fantastic job championing the diverse and delicious food Britain produces, and we are incredibly proud to be their official retail partner.

“Their work over the last 25 years has had a deeply positive impact on both producers and consumers by putting homegrown quality front and centre. We are absolutely thrilled to celebrate this 25th-anniversary milestone with the team and look forward to an exciting, momentum-filled year ahead!”

James Armitage, Marketing Director at Fresh Direct, a leading supplier of fresh produce to the foodservice industry, says: “At Fresh Direct, championing British produce has always been at the heart of what we do, and our longstanding relationship with Love British Food reflects that shared commitment. As Love British Food celebrates its 25th anniversary, it’s inspiring to see just how far the movement has come in bringing the food supply chain together – from farmers and growers, through to chefs, caterers and consumers.

“While our commitment to British runs year-round, British Food Fortnight gives us a moment in time to shine the spotlight on the quality, diversity and sustainability of food produced right here in the UK. It gives us an opportunity to celebrate the people behind British food and to reinforce why supporting local sourcing matters – not just for provenance and freshness, but for resilience, livelihoods and the future of our industry. We’re proud to continue working alongside Love British Food as part of that journey.”

Alexia adds: “We’ve created a robust movement, unique in being embraced by both industry and communities. We are the leading established promotion of British food in retail and hospitality. And we connect directly with people across the country through British Food Fortnight, the national food celebration. This 25th year is all about scaling the impact and providing practical routes to attracting new customers and enhancing sales through a shared call to action: ‘Make British produce your first choice.’ I encourage you to join us.”

Further advice for retailers looking to take part can be found on the Love British Food website: https://www.lovebritishfood.co.uk/advice-for-retailers

Campaign highlights

A key moment in the campaign will be Love British Food’s attendance at the Royal Three Counties Show in Malvern on Friday 12 June 2026, where sponsors and industry partners will be brought together to experience one of the UK’s flagship rural events, and discover the beating heart of British farming and food.

Continuing to grow the cohort of 214 Love British food change-makers, this year’s on-farm training day takes place at Madresfield Estate on 9 September. This ongoing programme enables industry professionals across the country to make changes to sustainable British sourcing.

A special silver jubilee edition of British Food Fortnight culminates in two National Harvest Services. Farmers will be thanked at Nantwich Cathedral. While a Harvest by the Sea in Devon will rejoice in our fishermen.

Alexia Robinson will also be spreading the Love British Food message at important events such as Future Countryside at Raby Castle, Land Alive at Bath & West Showground in the autumn.

Activity is supported by a new procurement special series, Inside Britain’s sourcing story , highlights how sourcing decisions can strengthen domestic supply chains at scale, and showcases insights from public sector caterers in care homes, education, and the NHS.

Back by popular demand, the Get Seasonal podcast returns for a second series. Made by chefs for chefs, four seasonally focused episodes highlight the importance of supporting British producers within the food service and hospitality industries whilst promoting sustainable, British-sourced produce and creative ways to use it.

ENDS

Notes to editors

Media contact: Pinstone, Becky George

E: b.george@pinstone.co.uk

T: 07775 561412

About Love British Food

The campaign’s flagship event, British Food Fortnight, established in 2002, takes place every autumn and is the biggest annual celebration of British food on the calendar. The campaign unites producers, retailers, chefs, growers, and food lovers nationwide to promote the quality, diversity, and provenance of British food. A vibrant programme of events, promotions, and activities is designed to inspire consumers to explore and enjoy British food and drink.

Key partners and supporters

The success of Love British Food and British Food Fortnight is dependent on a broad coalition of organisations spanning the food supply chain. These include:

Retail partner: Morrisons

Partners: Brakes, Compass Group, OCS, Fresh Direct, Essential Cuisine and Harrisons Catering

National farm visits programme: training days for public sector caterers – our 10th farm visit takes place this summer. 214 changemakers inspired through our programme so far.

Working Groups: Hospital and Care Catering Working Group, and Education Working Group

Affiliations: Soil Association’s Food for Life campaign and No Farmers No Food

Ambassadors: Chefs, farmers, food writers, broadcasters, bloggers, and social media influencers who champion British food stories and help reach wider audiences.

Campaign impact

British Food Fortnight reaches millions of consumers each year through events, social media, and retail promotions. It supports hundreds of producers and businesses by increasing visibility and driving sales.

The campaign fosters pride in British food culture and promotes sustainability and traceability in food production.

For more information, visit www.lovebritishfood.co.uk

Inside Britain’s Sourcing Story winter edition – Milton Keynes University Hospital

Mon, 16 Mar 2026 17:34:00 GMT

Inside Britain’s Sourcing Story winter edition – Milton Keynes University Hospital

From field to ward – putting British produce at the heart of winter recovery

Love British Food caught up with Frank Fiore, catering manager at Milton Keynes University

Hospital (MKUH) to learn more about his successful seasonal winter menu and the sourcing

strategy behind it.

Patient meals at MKUH are delivered plated and chilled before being cooked at ward level.

While the hospital does not operate a large-scale fresh cook patient kitchen, Frank believes

the model offers consistency, something that is vital in a hospital setting.

“We’re often meeting complex dietary requirements, so consistency is fundamental,” he

explains.

“We use two different suppliers. Steamplicity provides our fresh, chilled meals, and Maple

fine foods who supply our high-quality textured and modified meals. I’m pleased to say our

patient feedback is always very good.”

Ward-based catering teams interact daily with patients, taking orders electronically, serving

meals and drinks, and ensuring individual nutritional needs are met. Alongside this constant

dialogue, patients can provide feedback via QR codes printed on menus or through paper

questionnaires.

“It’s really important that we keep that feedback loop open,” Frank says. “Food is an integral

part of the patient journey.”

Winter warmers

One of the biggest developments this winter has been the installation of new catering

equipment, enabling the team to introduce freshly made soups using British-grown seasonal

produce from local fruit and vegetable merchant AB Fruits.

“Our approach is really flexible,” Frank explains. “The huge benefit is that I can change what

soup we’re making based on the ingredients available that day. That’s one of the great

things about sourcing locally.”

Previously, patient soups were bought in. Now, by blending supplied meals with fresh in-

house production, Frank has been able to inject a new level of quality and seasonality into

the offering.

“I’ve introduced a blend of supplied and in-house catering for patients because injecting

fresh cooking into our offer is really important.”

Over the winter months, soups have included leek and potato, country vegetable, carrot and

coriander, mixed bean and pasta, mushroom and cream of tomato – all made using

seasonal British vegetables.

Frank says this is only the beginning. Plans are underway to introduce freshly made custard

and porridge, with close involvement from the hospital’s dietetic team to ensure recipes meet

fortification and nutritional standards.

“Meeting patients’ nutritional needs is key,” he says. “Our dietitians are involved in recipe

development, particularly where fortification is required.”

Food for the body and mind

Meals served in a hospital environment carry emotional weight as well as nutritional

importance. Frank is a firm believer in offering traditional comfort dishes such as cottage pie,

food that feels familiar and reassuring.

“Food can be a positive trigger, and we want patients to look forward to mealtimes when

they’re in hospital,” he says.

“The number of times I’ve heard someone visit a patient and ask, ‘What did the doctor say?’

and then immediately follow it with, ‘What did you eat today?’ It happens all the time.”

For Frank, food is more than sustenance.

“It’s essential that patients eat healthy, nutritious food. If it looks good and tastes good,

they’re more inclined to eat it. Food is one of the best natural medicines we have –

especially when you’re in hospital.”

Fuelling NHS staff

Hard-working hospital staff enjoy freshly cooked meals prepared from scratch on site in the

staff restaurant. Frank delivers regular themed menus that showcase flavours from around

the world using locally sourced ingredients.

“We have a traditional mains counter where we would serve something like a beef casserole

in the winter. And then we have a street food counter showcasing global flavours. We

regularly feature an Indian day, an African inspired day, an Italian day, and a traditional

British day.

“The staff menu runs on a three / four-week cycle, but nothing is set in stone. We can

change it based on what our fruit and veg man and our butcher can source.

“One of the key things I have experienced working in an NHS kitchen is that you can be

flexible. You can express your creativity as a chef,” adds Frank.

Supplier relationships

Sourcing British produce is deeply embedded in Frank’s philosophy, something he attributes

to his upbringing.

“For me, it comes down to building relationships and working collaboratively. Food’s value

never just comes down to cost.”

Since joining the Trust in 2020, Frank has worked to shorten supply chains significantly.

When he arrived, the hospital’s butcher was 130 miles away. Today, MKUH works with The

Buckingham Butcher, reducing response times and strengthening accountability.

“It means if there’s an issue, it can be rectified within hours. That wasn’t possible before.”

AB Fruits, the hospital’s family-run fruit and vegetable supplier located close to the Trust,

sources directly from three local farmers. The shortened supply chain has improved both

resilience and flexibility.

“If you have strong supplier relationships, you can help each other out. AB Fruits even

sourced some high protein yoghurts to get us out of a pickle. They’re phenomenal! Having

that level of trust also makes planning much more fluid as we speak to each other on a daily

basis,” he adds.

“Consistency with suppliers is so beneficial, we work with them when it comes to pricing

challenges, to mitigate some of those issues. It comes down to loyalty. That might sound

old-fashioned, but I think its key to all good relationships.”

Seasonal highlights

Winter produce has shaped menus across both patient and staff catering. Seasonal

ingredients have included leeks, celeriac, broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage, all sourced

through local suppliers.

Frank’s philosophy is simple.

“If I was in Italy, I’d buy Italian local produce. I’m in the UK, so I should aim to buy local

produce from British farmers.”

That commitment extends to farm visits. Frank regularly visits suppliers and farms to

understand growing conditions, crop challenges and seasonal realities.

“For example, when you see frost damage on a cabbage crop, you understand what farmers

are up against. It gives you perspective. It can also inspire chefs and provide a complete

picture of the efforts that go into growing foods that we can easily take for granted.

“I believe it’s important to have that level of knowledge to help you shape how you use

British ingredients.”

Winter challenges

MKUH’s souring policy and use of local suppliers ensures that they are resilient to seasonal

challenges.

“We don’t really experience the knock-on effects because we’re able to react to whatever

problem is put in front of us,” says Frank.

“Obviously, when it's rained and places have flooded, sometimes our suppliers have come in

a bit late, but we managed those situations internally. It goes back to what we were saying

before about being flexible enough to be able to do that.

“When it comes to procurement reviews, I'm really happy to be vocal when the decision is

considered. It's about finding suppliers that are happy to work collaboratively with your

specific organisation. So I think that's really important as well.”

Healthy Horizons

This winter also saw the launch of Healthy Horizons Day, an initiative aimed at inspiring staff

and patients to think differently about food and wellbeing.

The event brought together AB Fruits, the hospital’s butcher, dairy suppliers, dietitians and

personal trainers. Live cookery demonstrations showcased the benefits of seasonal

vegetables, lean meats and blended protein cooking.

Frank shared his own health journey, having lost two and a half stone through improved diet

and exercise.

“I wanted to show that change is possible. If I could inspire just one person, that would be

enough.”

The team showcased new dishes with a focus on nutrition, combining minced beef with pea

protein in meatballs, alongside plant-forward dishes such as vegan stir fry. Venison was also

showcased for its benefits and is now being trialled more widely on menus.

“I'm hoping to continue the Healthy Horizons event throughout the year. I want to inspire

people to think about great food as it helps us lead a healthier, better life.”

Festive feast

Christmas remains a significant moment in the public sector catering calendar.

For patients, Frank has worked gradually to increase input into menu development,

responding to feedback and enhancing the festive offer wherever possible within NHS

frameworks. Improvements include adding pigs in blankets and Yorkshire pudding – classic

favourites that patients love.

For staff, the Trust delivers a full week of Christmas dinners , covering all shifts to ensure

inclusivity.

“It’s about recognising the incredible work our staff do,” he says. “They deserve it.”

Lessons learned

Reflecting on his career in NHS catering, Frank says the most important lesson has been not

to shy away from conviction.

“If you’re passionate about local suppliers, fresh cooking and inspiring people, just go for it.

Ask questions. See what’s achievable.”

He credits strong support from within the Trust for enabling innovation.

“Food is on everybody’s agenda here. Put yourself out there – you’ll be surprised what you

can achieve.”

Chef first and foremost

Frank’s passion for cooking began early.

“Cooking was one of the only things I was told I was good at doing at school,” he says.

Working within the NHS exposed him not only to diverse cuisines but also to the

complexities of dietary needs and patient care.

“You can’t take the chef whites out of me,” he adds. “That passion is still very much there

–100%.”

As winter continues, his focus remains on flexibility, resilience and strengthening local supply

chains, ensuring that British produce travels the shortest possible route from field to fork,

feeding local patients and NHS staff alike.

“I've met so many amazing people through the Hospital Caterers Association and Love

British Food. They are all really singing off the same hymn sheet. We've all got the same

purpose. The caterers that work in the NHS are focused on making people better with

nutritious, delicious food. And I think we all do a pretty amazing job at that.”

Inside Britain’s Sourcing Story winter edition – Meallmore Care Homes

Mon, 16 Mar 2026 17:07:31 GMT

Inside Britain’s sourcing story

Meallmore Care Homes – winter edition

How Meallmore is redefining winter dining across Scotland’s care home sector

Food plays a crucial role in enhancing the quality of life for all care home residents. As

Group Catering and Hospitality Manager across 27 homes in Scotland, Jody Marshall

believes high-quality, nutritious meals are central to residents’ well-being and dignity. Love

British Food, spoke to Jody about how the care provider approaches winter menu planning,

local sourcing and nutritional resilience.

Having spent much of his early career in luxury hotels, Jody admits the pressures are

different.

“Now I'm dealing with somebody's life. It's a completely different kettle of fish,” he says

candidly. “This is a much more rewarding sector as far as I'm concerned. You get to make a

real difference.”

Today, he supports chefs to deliver nutritionally balanced, culturally relevant and dignified

dining experiences – particularly through the winter months, when residents are most

vulnerable.

Why winter matters more in care

For Meallmore, winter menus are not just about hearty comfort food.

“Winter is when immune systems are under pressure. We look at protein levels, vitamin D,

skin integrity, all of it. You can’t just think about calories. You have to think about outcomes,”

says Jody.

Rather than relying solely on supplements, the team fortifies through ingredients.

“We use mushrooms deliberately for vitamin D. We bring in more kale for vitamin K. Protein

is carefully balanced across the week. Everything is analysed before it goes live.”

Menus are planned eight weeks in advance, with a detailed review six weeks prior to launch

to assess availability, cost and nutritional balance.

“We’re looking at red meat, white meat, fish, making sure we’ve got variety without

overloading the cycle. It’s structured, but it’s not rigid.”

Four-week menu cycles provide consistency for residents while allowing for seasonal

refresh.

‘Dignity doesn’t disappear in winter’

Before a new menu is rolled out, homes host a structured tasting session known internally as

‘Come Dine With Me.’

“We put the dishes in front of residents and we ask them honestly – do you like it? Would

you choose it again?”

If a dish misses the mark, chefs are empowered to change it.

“We trialled arancini balls. Some loved them. Some didn’t. So we adapted using the same

ingredients. That’s the beauty of it – we’re not forcing anything through.”

Flexibility extends right up to service.

“Dignity and autonomy don’t disappear in winter,” Jody says. “If someone changes their mind

five minutes before lunch, that’s absolutely fine.”

Texture-modified meals are developed alongside standard dishes, ensuring residents living

with dysphagia receive the same experience – just adapted safely.

“It’s not about separate food. It’s about inclusive food.”

It’s an approach that is mirrored at service, with linen napkins and residents choosing where

they sit to eat.

Procurement strategy – putting Scottish first

With all Meallmore’s homes based in Scotland, sourcing locally is both a practical decision

and a matter of principle.

“Supporting Scottish producers is really important to us. Some of our residents are farmers

and fishermen. They ask where their food comes from – and rightly so,” explains Jody

Throughout the winter months, Scottish beef, lamb and pork remain staples on the menu.

Potatoes are sourced from Aberdeenshire where possible, despite seasonal challenges

around sizing.

Eggs must carry the British Lion stamp, which Jody describes as a non-negotiable

safeguard. Root vegetables such as kale, celeriac, turnips, Brussels sprouts and cabbage

form the backbone of winter sides and soups.

Venison has become one of the most notable success stories. Sourced from the Highlands,

it now appears on menus twice weekly, sometimes three times, having previously featured

just once a week.

Jody notes that venison is currently commercially competitive with beef, while offering a

lean, iron-rich protein well suited to winter nutrition.

Procurement is managed through structured monthly, quarterly and six-monthly review

cycles. Fresh meat, fish and produce are delivered up to three times per week, while frozen

and ambient goods are monitored carefully to balance resilience with ESG commitments.

Jody emphasises that their strong procurement strategy is central to all decision making: “It’s

not just about the budget per resident per day. It’s about how smartly you procure. Service,

reliability and quality matter just as much as price.”

Winter inevitably brings volatility. Pressure on cod supply prompted a switch to coley for Fish

Friday. Temporary disruption in Scottish chicken supply due to Avian Influenza meant

sourcing an equivalent from Spain for a period, rather than compromising standards with

lower-grade imports.

“We won’t compromise on safety. We care for vulnerable adults, that comes first.”

Winter resilience in practice

Scottish winters test infrastructure as much as menus. Snowstorms have recently disrupted

both staffing and deliveries. In one instance, a kitchen flooded due to groundwater and was

temporarily unusable.

“When you’re in Scotland, winter throws things at you. But strong supplier relationships

mean problems can be fixed quickly. If your supply chain is short and your communication is

strong, you’re resilient,” says Jody.

Meallmore operates with emergency menu protocols and frozen IDDSI-compliant

contingency meals to ensure safe provision continues under any circumstance.

Sister homes support one another, with chefs seconded temporarily where required. During

the flooding incident, soup and sandwiches were prepared in a neighbouring home and

transported back to the residents affected, while an improvised Italian-themed evening

helped maintain morale.

“In adverse situations, there are no restrictions on creativity. Residents still deserve an

experience.”

Regional identity on a plate

Scotland’s culinary landscape varies significantly by region, and Meallmore recognises this.

“What mince and potatoes look like in Aberdeenshire isn’t the same as in Glasgow,” Jody

says with a smile.

Menus are centrally structured to ensure nutritional integrity, but homes retain the flexibility

to adapt dishes to reflect local tastes.

“We give homes the framework, but chefs have autonomy. They serve residents directly,

they hear the feedback. That accountability helps keep standards high.”

Hydration and seasonal comfort

Winter dehydration presents a quieter but equally serious risk in care settings. Meallmore

operates hydration stations offering up to fifteen drink choices daily, both hot and cold.

Seasonal adaptations include warm apple drinks infused with cinnamon. Jody says they are

designed to increase fluid intake: “You make it sensory. You make it comforting. And people

drink.”

More than a meal

For Jody, the emotional role of food in care homes cannot be overstated.

He recalls a gentleman who refused to leave his room after recently moving in.

“He was having a real struggle settling in. So, one morning, the chef fried bacon outside his

door. The smell drifted down the corridor. Five minutes later, he was out of his room, fully

dressed, asking for breakfast.”

He pauses.

“That’s hospitality. That’s nutrition. That’s dignity. It’s not just about feeding people – it’s

about connecting with them.”

Winter hospitality extends beyond nutrition. Burns Night is marked in every home with a

piper-led procession, an address to the haggis and locally sourced ingredients. The

organisation even bottles its own labelled whisky for celebratory occasions, reinforcing

cultural identity and inclusion.

“You might be in a care home, but you’re still part of Scottish culture. That doesn’t stop.”

Resident and staff engagement

Meallmore encourages engagement between staff and residents, what Jody calls a ‘holistic

approach’. Its ‘Meals Mean More’ competition invites staff to enter cookery competitions,

with residents cheering them on.

There is also a chef’s conference and an Academy of Kitchen Excellence.

“It's a very, very clear career pathway. Probably our biggest success is that we've had lots of

kitchen assistants who've come through the ranks, become second chefs and now head

chefs. We really nurture talent here,” enthuses Jody.

A sector often misunderstood

Having spent much of his career in award-winning hotels, Jody once assumed care catering

might be simpler.

“In a hotel, you’re serving someone’s special occasion. Here, you might be serving

someone’s last Christmas dinner. That’s a responsibility – and a privilege.”

For public sector caterers in the care sector, Meallmore’s winter approach offers four clear

lessons: strong procurement underpins quality; regional sourcing builds trust; nutritional

rigour protects health; and resilience planning must be proactive.

Above all, Jody insists, every decision is guided by one principle.

“Everything we do is for our residents.”

Inside Britain’s Sourcing Story winter edition – Local Food Links Feeding Dorset – The local sourcing story behind 5,000 school meals a day

Mon, 16 Mar 2026 13:51:34 GMT

Inside Britain’s Sourcing Story winter edition – Local Food Links

Feeding Dorset – The local sourcing story behind 5,000 school meals a day

We caught up with Local Food Links chief executive, Caroline Morgan to discuss how the

business has expanded over the past twenty years and what they’ve been serving over the

winter months .

Prior to Local Food Links being established, hot school meals had disappeared in Dorset for

over two decades, with every child bringing in a packed lunch or receiving a free school

meal.

Meals were initially supplied one day a week, then two, then three. Eventually, the service

expanded to the full school week – a shift that required significant operational changes.

Home-style cooked lunches are now prepared in three kitchen hubs based in Blandford

Forum, Bridport and Weymouth.

Depending on their requirements, schools either receive a delivered-in hot or cook-chill

service with meals delivered the day before or early in the morning to be reheated on site.

Having this flexibility has enabled Local Food Links to double the number of schools they

work with by maximising the kitchen hubs’ capacity.

Winning schools over

Following the extended absence of hot meals for pupils, Caroline says that the concept

wasn’t really seen as an integral part of the school day.

“We had to convince lunchtime teams, school secretaries, and headteachers that it was

going to be a good idea,” she reflects.

“We developed our own online ordering system, as the initial method with spreadsheets was

unmanageable. Now, we’re on our third iteration of a bespoke system that links parents with

schools and kitchens. Its development has been a collaborative process; we provide training

to onboard new schools and their lunch-time teams.”

The introduction of free meals for infants (Reception, Year 1, and Year 2) in 2014 was a

gamechanger.

“It made hot lunches seem normal again and really helped enhance people’s perception of

school meals.”

Most of the schools Local Food Links deliver to are located in small villages, with only six out

of the 59 schools serving more than 150 meals a day.

While logistics can be challenging, Caroline stresses their commitment: “We have never said

‘you’re too small, we’re not interested,’ to a school and I don’t think we ever would – after all,

every child needs to eat.”

Celebrating local suppliers

Over the years, the enterprise has built strong relationships with many small-scale, local

operators such as their free-range egg supplier based near Sherborne and a local butcher

supplying 100% British meats.

“Our smaller suppliers are always our favourites because they're so reliable in a crisis and

always deliver when needed,” Caroline explains.

Local Food Links works with several fruit and vegetable suppliers, sourcing as locally as

possible.

“There’s a fantastic orchard growing heritage apple varieties. Smaller apples are ideal for

primary-aged children, whereas supermarkets tend to prefer larger fruit, so the relationship

works perfectly.”

Baking goods come from a Devon-based cooperative, Bako, while Hunts, also in Sherborne,

supplies ambient food and drink. Prices are checked monthly and orders adjusted based on

price and availability.

“Our catering manager, Barry Dovell, does this to keep costs competitive. As the business

has grown, we do occasionally use bigger suppliers, however price and quality remain

critical.”

Trust is central to supplier relationships – something tested in the past when a former

butcher repeatedly delivered imported meat.

“British meat is non-negotiable for us, even though budgets are tight. If trust breaks down

with a supplier, that’s the final straw. We’ll always work with those who meet our standards.”

That same commitment to standards and transparency runs through menu development.

Seasonality in action

Barry leads menu development before it’s reviewed by the kitchen teams, to make sure it

works logistically in terms of ordering ingredients and factors such as storage space.

The team work to a seasonal half-termly menu, with two rotations every three weeks.

Every Wednesday is roast dinner day, and there’s a weekly Fish Friday. Some items remain

consistent throughout the year and have become firm favourites with the children.

Every day there are three options to choose from including a vegetarian meal and a third

‘safe’ option, such as a jacket potato or a baguette.

The winter menus featured hearty meals like lasagne, roast beef and Yorkshire pudding,

cottage pies, sausages, and macaroni cheese made with local cheddar.

“Everyone loves the sausages, they’re so popular that parents ask where they can buy

them!”

Winter challenges typically involve sourcing fresh produce. This year, jacket potatoes proved

problematic due to poor growing conditions.

Transport can also affect quality. Broccoli, for example, does not travel well, while peas and

sweetcorn are more resilient.

Vegetables are often incorporated into sauces, with courgette, butternut squash, onion and

garlic blended into tomato bases for pasta, pizza, casseroles and curries. Another winter

success has been roasted vegetables in puff pastry.

Caroline is passionate about introducing children to new flavours.

“The Watercress Company is based in Dorset, and we trialled a watercress soup in January.

We also tested jackfruit for the first time – that one probably won’t return based on feedback!

But you have to try these things.”

One particularly successful trial involved a blind tasting of beef versus venison Bolognese.

“We invited Year 5 and Year 8 pupils to take part. Some didn’t know what venison was, and

a few chose not to try it. But those who did overwhelmingly voted for the venison.”

The trial followed an introduction to West Dorset Wilding through Love British Food founder

Alexia Robinson. The game specialist hopes to supply public sector caterers.

“If children enjoy venison, there’s no reason not to include it,” Caroline says. “You can have

fun and try new things – just don’t mess with the dishes they really love.”

Nutrition matters

All recipes comply with government school food standards, including limits on oily

foods, requirements for fruit-based desserts and guidelines ensuring variety across

carbohydrates and proteins.

Careful menu planning ensures balanced meals while maintaining flavour and familiarity.

“I regularly send the simplified school food standards to people to better help them

understand why and how our menus are developed as they are. Variety is really important

and it’s great to be able to showcase the foods that we grow in this country,” she adds.

Ongoing dialogue

Feedback from schools is taken seriously. Each day, a portion guide is supplied, detailing the

number of meals, vegetarian requirements and allergen information. Feedback is collected

and reviewed every month to refine menus and ensure meals are being well received.

Training is given to lunchtime staff, and Caroline has termly meetings with schools to ensure

each partnership is working effectively. A dedicated team member also oversees school

liaison, gathering direct feedback from pupils and staff.

“We work hard to be seen as genuine partners,” Caroline says.

Weathering the storm

This winter, flooding has caused significant disruption, with some schools closed for up to

three days due to road closures.

“Our drivers always try to find alternative routes, even if deliveries are slightly later than

usual. We budget for the occasional ‘snow day’, but flooding can still present challenges.”

Closures can affect finances depending on notification times.

“If we’re told before 3pm the previous day, there’s no charge. After that, preparation may

already have begun, which can lead to waste. We always try to redirect food elsewhere to

minimise that.”

Looking ahead

This year marks the 20th anniversary of Local Food Links and plans are underway to create

a commemorative recipe book for each of the 9,500 pupils.

“It will feature the dishes children love most and encourage them to recreate them at home,”

Caroline says.

“Food is really important and we want to nurture pupils’ love of great British ingredients and

for them to develop lifelong healthy eating habits.”

After two decades, Local Food Links is not simply serving meals, it’s rebuilding a culture of

school food in rural Dorset.

Love British Food Crown Champion of Change 2025

Tue, 27 Jan 2026 13:37:55 GMT

Pro-Active Community Endeavour (PACE) from Loughborough has been announced as the

winner of the 2025 Love British Food ‘Champion of Change’ Community Competition, run in partnership with Morrisons , in recognition of the charity’s lasting impact on the lives of local residents.

The competition, which celebrates grassroots initiatives promoting sustainability, community

wellbeing and the use of British produce, has been warmly embraced by communities across

the UK. Entries quadrupled this year, with many nominated by Morrisons in-store Community

Champions.

PACE has been praised by competition judge, David Scott, Corporate Affairs Director at

Morrisons, for strengthening their local community through access to affordable meals and

food via a local shop and reducing food waste.

"The calibre of nominations this year was fantastic. PACE’s submission really stood out; it’s

clear they work tirelessly to bring vulnerable groups together and food is at the heart of that

mission.”

A certificate and vouchers were presented to PACE board member, Tracey Parkinson, who

said winning the award is a blessing.

“To shine a spotlight on the everyday impact of our projects, from our Sassy Seniors meals

to the chef-prepared dishes we serve to children and young people each week, is brilliant

recognition,” said Tracey.

“Most of all, it honours the hard work of our dedicated volunteers who give up their time

week in and week out to support our amazing community. Giving space for people to come

together around fresh, local, British produce to support one another and increase

connections, offering a safe place to be.

“This award allows us to be able to invest the prize money back into the projects and help

more people, so thank you for recognising what we are doing matters, we are very grateful.”

The runners-up:

This year’s runners-up are two outstanding projects, Fordhall Community Land Initiative from

Market Drayton and Project Colt from Calderdale.

“It is so heartening – and indeed humbling – to learn more about the many deeply

inspirational community-led projects that support and nurture people through good food and

love. It is a privilege that our annual Champion of Change competition shines a light on

them,” said Alexia Robinson, founder of Love British Food.

“The winner and runners-up are not only helping to shape a sustainable future but are also

proving that local food systems are integral to building stronger communities. PACE,

Fordhall and Project Colt are true champions of change, and we should celebrate their

successes and follow their example of strengthening the roots that bind us together through

making good food available to all.”

The Queen joins National Harvest Service at Westminster Abbey

Thu, 16 Oct 2025 12:07:34 GMT

The National Harvest Service was celebrated at Westminster Abbey today by 2,200 guests, including Her Majesty The Queen, who has been a prominent supporter of Love British Food since the social enterprise organised its inaugural Harvest Service at the Abbey in 2013.

Taking place on World Food Day, the service, which closed British Food Fortnight, was both a thanksgiving for farmers and a reminder of those challenged by hunger.

In a special message of support for the National Harvest Service, His Majesty King Charles III stated: ‘It is a time of year to give thanks to the custodians of our land in a tradition that stretches back centuries yet remains ever relevant. Their labour is the foundation of our food production, the heartbeat of rural communities and vital to the protection of the natural landscapes we all treasure so dearly.

‘The particular resolve and resilience they have demonstrated through the challenges of our changing climate in recent years deserves our utmost admiration and gratitude, particularly in a year in which the weather has made growing anything so very difficult. Our hearts go out to those who are struggling, especially as winter approaches, those with livestock.’

Founder of Love British Food, Alexia Robinson said: “Today’s service gives thanks to our farmers for the food they produce, whilst also acknowledging that many people do not have enough to eat.”

As the lead organisation of the service, Love British Food has forged partnerships with food redistribution and food bank charities – Trussell, The Felix Project, the Coronation Food Project, and City Harvest – with volunteers joining in prayers for the relief of hunger and suffering.

In recognition of this, Bishop Andrew Rumsey, Bishop of Ramsbury gave a special address during the service, highlighting the importance of sharing and caring for those less fortunate.

Alexia Robinson added: “There is much to celebrate. We are fortunate to live in a country with four seasons, ‘the warmth to swell the grain, the breezes and the sunshine, and soft refreshing rain’; a wonderfully varied topography with fells, dales, moors, plains, valleys, marsh, pasture, and coast; and a vibrant farming community that, despite relentless challenges, continues to succeed in producing some of the highest quality food in the world.

“From our cattle and sheep breeds – which are the envy of the world – to our wonderful dairy farmers, to the abundance and rich variety of fruit and vegetables, to nature’s harvest, we are indeed truly blessed.”

The service also included readings from actor Charles Dance OBE and broadcaster Matt Baker MBE. Poet Laureate, Simon Armitage, read a specially composed poem as a gift for the Queen .

The congregation featured notable representatives from all the leading farming organisations, as well as MPs and peers from all parties. Volunteers from food distribution charities, farmers, schoolchildren and well-known personalities such as Rick Stein, Henry Dimbleby, Ross Kemp and Dame Arlene Phillips also attended.

A Harvest Torch has travelled the country over recent months, spreading the message of celebrating the harvest, and was carried into Westminster Abbey by NFU President, Tom Bradshaw, at the head of the Offertory Procession which contained harvest boxes designed by children from the John Perryn primary school in Ealing and filled with produce from City Harvest.

Following the service, a posy of flowers was presented to Her Majesty. Created by the London florist, Calluna, the arrangement reflected the narrative of Poet Laureate’s poem.

Outside the Abbey, beautiful harvest displays were provided either side of the entrance by Peter Thomas of New Spitalfields Market and in The Great West Door by lead retail sponsor of Love British Food, Morrisons.

An abundant floral and foliage arch featuring British-grown flowers, grasses, brackens, fruits and vegetables in an autumnal colour palette was also on display, made by Calluna and sponsored by London butchers HG Walter.

Also present was a vintage grey and gold Massey Ferguson 35 tractor complete with Ferguson 35cwt trailer, provided by Peter Drinkwater, a second-generation farmer from Gloucestershire. The trailer was filled with fresh produce which, along with all the food in the displays was distributed after service by City Harvest and The Felix Project to four community projects; The Abbey Centre, Tachbrook Youth & Social Club, King George’s Hostel, and Mary Smith Pantry.

The message that echoed throughout the day was one of triumph over adversity and hope for the future. The mission of Love British Food has never been more pertinent than at this year’s National Harvest Service – championing British food from field to fork.

King's message:

Today is a most wonderful way to celebrate our Lord’s bounty through this year’s National Harvest Service in the magnificent setting of Westminster Abbey.

It is a time of year to give thanks to the custodians of our land in a tradition that stretches back centuries, yet remains ever relevant. Their labour is the foundation of our food production, the heartbeat of rural communities and vital to the protection of the natural landscapes we all treasure so dearly. The particular resolve and resilience they have demonstrated through the challenges of our changing climate in recent years deserves our utmost admiration and gratitude — particularly in a year in which the weather has made growing anything so very difficult. Our hearts go out to those who are struggling especially, as Winter approaches, those with livestock.

I am so pleased that there are so many volunteers and others at this Service who are working to deliver surplus food to those most in need. This includes those working tirelessly with my Coronation Food Project. Your ingenuity, kindness and determination that no one should go hungry creates a life-line of food supply to thousands every week.

Celebrating the harvest by gathering together to give thanks for the food from the land is something that is shared by communities all over the world and I am so delighted that this tradition is continuing with a National Harvest Service in a different part of the country every Autumn. As you honour that tradition here today, may it be an opportunity to reflect anew on the refrain from that great harvest-tide hymn:

All good gifts around us are sent from heav‘n above;

Then thank the Lord, O thank the Lord, for all His love.

CHARLES R.

Simon Armitage CBE, Poet Laureate:

DRESSED with a length of lining paper the wooden trestle table sagged and groaned with the heavy bounty of home produce.

Cabbages mooned like the faces of saints in da Vinci’s Last Supper; onions were squat bottles of precious oils on a market stall next to sacred orbs of beefsteak tomatoes and artichoke crowns.

But the bread was the thing, a giant loaf in wheat sheaf form, baked and glazed to a gold that might have glowed in the dark, stove-heat cradled in its plaits and folds.

Alone after Sunday School in the church hall I stood on tiptoes, poked my finger through the toasted crust and hooked out the plain white flesh – I wanted to taste the words of the hymn, I wanted to feast on food made only of summer and rain.

Bread of Heaven

Simon Armitage (b 1963)

Industry leaders unite to champion putting more healthy, sustainable British food on menus

Tue, 14 Oct 2025 08:31:46 GMT

Fresh Direct has pledged to make 100% of its UK contracted growers LEAF Marque certified by the end of 2025, as foodservice leaders joined forces during British Food Fortnight to back a step-change in sourcing and menu transparency.

Speaking at The Great British Showcase event hosted at the company’s Bicester Food Village, managing director Andy Pembroke said: “As the UK’s largest foodservice greengrocer, we have a responsibility to lead the way in championing British produce. Supporting our growers, strengthening relationships and driving innovation is at the heart of what we do.”

The event brought together chefs, caterers and buyers from schools, universities and pub groups to share practical ways to increase British sourcing for menus. Leaders called for greater education, transparency and better storytelling to help consumers recognise the value of seasonal, home-grown food.

Cathy Amos, Head of customer marketing for Brakes and non-exec director for Love British Food said:

“This event summed up what Love British Food stands for. Collaboration across the whole supply chain. Everyone here shared the same passion for making British food at its best the healthy, sustainable choice. The conversations were honest, encouraging, and full of practical ideas about how we tell our stories better.”

The day featured a behind-the-scenes site tour, a ‘Best of British’ menu curated by Fresh Direct's head of food development, Ian Nottage, and a roundtable discussion exploring how the industry can work together to respect the seasons and boost British sourcing, improve transparency, and better engage consumers in where their food comes from.

Cathy added: “We discussed how people connect to stories, not statistics. When we share the faces and farmers behind our food, and tell their stories, we build pride and trust in British produce.”

Ian said: “If we want more British food on menus, we’ve got to start with education, giving chefs, catering teams and customers the understanding and knowledge to champion British produce every day, telling the quality, taste and sustainability stories in ways that resonate.”

The event comes as foodservice and public sector organisations face growing demand from consumers and policy to source locally and reduce carbon footprints. However, it was clear this isn’t easy with price pressures and the need to balance provenance with practicality to protect growers and ensure supply chain transparency.

Cathy added: “During British Food Fortnight, we’ve brought together those who have the power to influence change, to turn great produce from great farmers into great food on our plates. It’s about celebrating seasonal strengths, building trust, and inspiring pride in the food we grow and eat.”

As Love British Food marks more than two decades championing homegrown produce, The Great British Showcase demonstrated the power of unity, showing that when the industry works together, change can happen. Everyone attending has pledged to tell more stories about where food comes from to champion British food and farming across all the seasons.

Source: Fresh Direct

British Food Fortnight returns for a record event across the public sector

Fri, 26 Sep 2025 11:01:13 GMT

26 September – 12 October 2025

British Food Fortnight, the best established annual promotion of British food across the public sector, returns today, and is going from strength to strength. The nationwide celebration is proven to deliver results , with more catering teams than ever expected to take part in the public sector.

Schools, care homes, hospitals, universities , prisons - reflecting the supportive ‘family’ that is the Public Sector Catering (PSC) Alliance , of which Love British Food has been one of the longest-serving members. TUCO, NACC, HCA and LACA all actively support British Food Fortnight and encourage their members to take part.

3,000+ schools, 40+ hospitals and hundreds of care homes are all expected to join.

Celebrations across Britain

This year marks the first time in several years that all four nations are taking part, supported by the launch of a new four-nation series of the Love British Food logo .

Menu promotions during the fortnight will showcase the passion public sector caterers have for fresh, seasonal British produce, and the value they place on close relationships with suppliers who help to deliver robust supply chains.

Hospital promotions will be led by Bon Culina and Medirest , both Official Partners of Love British Food.
Other Official Partners serving the public sector include OCS, Chartwells, Brakes, Fresh Direct, Harrison Catering, and Essential Cuisine.
Regional suppliers Local Food Links and Derbyshire Catering Services are Food Hero members.

Chartwells (Compass) is celebrating British Food Fortnight in 2,000 schools with classic British recipes and menu takeovers.

NHS participation:

Exemplar NHS Trusts in England have committed to taking part, renewing their pledge earlier this year. Many Trusts are running patient-focused activities.

At Yeovil District Hospital , a bronze exemplar site, celebrations include a daily menu of British classics, from beer-battered haddock and chips to roast beef wraps with bubble & squeak fritters, alongside British desserts in the cafe.

Farm visit success:

The success of British Food Fortnight builds on Love British Food’s extensive on-farm training programme , which has now hosted over 214 public sector caterers on 10 farms.

Committed to delivering a positive change on the ground.

Love British Food calls these participants ‘change-makers,’ as they return to their workplaces inspired to source British and equipped with the knowledge of why it matters. The programme, initially focused on NHS caterers, has now expanded to include NACC and TUCO members.

Public Sector Quotes:

Professor Jayne Jones, Chair, Public Sector Catering Alliance, and Assistant Director (Facilities and Production), NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde , said:

“British Food Fortnight is a highlight in any public sector caterer's calendar, as it gives us a chance to showcase the wonderful local produce that we provide across our sector. We serve amazing local and seasonal produce across schools, hospitals, care homes, universities and prisons, and it's inspiring to see the work of Love British Food and other partners continue to grow the connection between producers, caterers and everyone involved in the supply chain in between to strengthen that sustainable access to local food for all.

Caterers are rightly proud to demonstrate their skills in preparing and serving local food, and the care and respect they have for quality produce reflects the care and respect our primary producers have for the land.

It's also wonderful to see this work reach across the devolved nations this year, providing a platform for each nation to showcase their pride in their local areas and the seasonal produce on offer.”

Derek Wright, Catering Services Manager, Blackpool Catering Services , said:

“School meals play a vital role in shaping children’s health and learning, and British Food Fortnight is the perfect opportunity to showcase the importance of fresh, local, and seasonal produce on the plates of our young people. By supporting British farmers, we not only invest in our children’s wellbeing but also strengthen our communities and food system for the future.”

Toby Haines, Sous Chef, Yeovil District Hospital, Somerset NHS Foundation Trust , commented:

“Here at Yeovil District Hospital, we will be celebrating British Food Fortnight with a selection of classics where they can expect a freshly prepared dish using local quality British ingredients every day. The bunting will be in place ready to celebrate on the 26th!”

Across Somerset NHS Foundation Trust , community hospitals will be hosting tea parties, display boards highlighting British suppliers, and even British apple tasting events.

Jane Wills, Deputy Facilities Manager, Somerset NHS Foundation Trust , added:

“Within Somerset NHS Foundation Trust the Community Hospitals will be hosting tea parties for our patients, have display boards promoting the British food we provide, add union jack hearts to our menus to denote what products are British and one site hosts a British apple tasting event.”

Tim Radcliffe, Net Zero Food Programme Manager, NHS England , said:

“This year’s British Food Fortnight is especially important as it highlights the value of fresh, seasonal, and sustainable British produce at a time when supporting local food systems has never mattered more. For the NHS, it resonates deeply — nourishing patients, visitors, and staff with food that promotes health, wellbeing, and care. I’m delighted to see so many Trusts taking part this year, showing real pride in the meals they serve and the people they serve them to.”

Mike Haslin, CEO, TUCO , commented:

“British Food Fortnight holds a special place in the university food service calendar. It’s the time when we can truly spotlight the seasonality and quality of British food, while fostering stronger links between universities, producers and local supply chains.”

Philip Shelley, National Lead for Food, NHS England , sums up:

“Having British Food at the centre of our menu choice throughout healthcare is vital if we are to strengthen our commitment to farmers and local distributors in our regions. Every year, we take time to celebrate British Food Fortnight which highlights the opportunities, the quality of products and the sustainable measures which help us drive our net zero goals.”

Communities unite for British Food Fortnight 2025 to champion our farmers

Fri, 26 Sep 2025 10:29:55 GMT

The UK’s largest annual celebration of homegrown food and the farmers who produce it, returns from 26 September to 12 October.

The nation comes together for British Food Fortnight, for the 24 ^th year, with founder and CEO, Alexia Robinson, saying:

“This year’s theme shines a spotlight on food’s deep-rooted connections with each of us – the bond that sustains the nation, physically, culturally, and economically.

“Against a backdrop of global uncertainty, political pressures, and a challenging market, ensuring Britain’s food security is our number one priority.”

At the heart of British Food Fortnight is a rallying call to back British farmers and celebrate the quality, diversity, and provenance of our food. Leading industry figures and organisations are uniting to support the campaign.

Nation Farmers Union president, Tom Bradshaw says:

“This British Food Fortnight comes on the back of a very hard two years for many farmers and growers. Public support means the world to those out in all weathers producing great British food for the nation. This fortnight is a great chance to celebrate all they do, so please show your support by trying to buy British wherever you can.”

It is a sentiment echoed by Shadow Farming Minister, Robbie Moore MP, who says:

“From the family farms that have been part of our countryside for generations to our young farmers bringing fresh ideas into the industry, British farming is the backbone of our rural economy. This year’s Food Fortnight celebrations are bigger than ever and I would encourage everyone to use this moment to show their support!”

A true community movement, British Food Fortnight stretches from field to fork, reaching into every corner of the UK. For the first time celebrations are planned across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. From city authorities to remote rural village halls, from the nation’s classrooms to its care homes, to universities and hospitals, everyone is united by one thing – putting British food centre stage.

From giant puddings, floating food festivals, street food cookery workshops, bakery tours to farm visits, anyone can join in the fun.

On the high street, the newly launched Community Champion of Change competition, is running in collaboration with lead retail partner, Morrisons, celebrating individuals and groups who are making a difference in backing British food.

At a grassroots level, farmers have expressed their support of this vital campaign and encourage the public to take part.

As Gloucestershire pig farmer, Anna Longthorp explains:

“There is only one person with more power than supermarkets and successive governments, and that is you, the consumer; vote with your hard-earned cash and buy British.”

David Webster, chief executive of LEAF (Linking Environment And Farming) says:

“British Food Fortnight is a powerful reminder of the incredible contribution our farmers make – not only in producing high-quality, sustainable food, but also in caring for our environment and supporting rural communities.”

Reaching a crescendo

The celebrations culminate with the Harvest Torch, which has travelled from Southwark Cathedral to Suffolk where it has been paraded at agricultural shows all summer culminating in a special Harvest Service at St Edmundsbury Cathedral in Bury St Edmunds on Sunday 5th October, the middle weekend of British Food Fortnight.

From there it will travel to London for the National Harvest Service at Westminster Abbey the week after the national food celebrations, on World Food Day, where it will be carried by the President of the NFU and lead the Offertory Procession.

This finale brings together a partnership between Love British Food with The Trussell Trust, The Felix Project, the Coronation Food Project and City Harvest, highlighting the importance of making good food accessible to all.

Get involved

“We are incredibly grateful for the support from all our partners and Food Heroes who help us amplify the voices of British farmers and ensure British Food Fortnight 2025 is a resounding success in promoting local, sustainable food,” adds Alexia.

Let’s come together to grow, cook, and champion British food, supporting our farmers every step of the way. To discover how to take part and find local events, visit www.lovebritishfood.co.uk or follow @LoveBritishFood on social media.

Supporters from across the supply chain have shared their commitment to British Food Fortnight:

“From hospitals to hospitality, British food creates some fantastic dishes and it’s only right that we celebrate the amazing contribution our farmers and growers make,”

James Armitage, marketing director, Fresh Direct.

“Choosing British strengthens supply chains, supports rural jobs, and promotes sustainable farming. For organisations, it’s a chance to show real commitment to provenance and resilience.”

Philip Rayner, co-founder and MD, Glebe Farm Foods

Derek Wright, catering service manager, Blackpool Catering Services

“We’re proud to champion British Food Fortnight by showcasing the best of local produce. Supporting British farmers and suppliers isn’t just about great taste — it’s about sustainability, quality, and celebrating the food heritage that brings communities together.”

Caroline Morgan, Local Food Links, Dorset

"Supporting British farming means supporting nature, rural economies, and the future of local produce. British Food Fortnight is an opportunity to showcase the innovation and passion at the heart of our industry.”

Sarah Haire, Dunbia.

“I’m delighted for NSA to join lots of other farming and food organisations in being part of British Food Fortnight. It’s really important to reflect on just how fortunate we are to have such an abundance of high quality food and drink, produced here in Britain with care and a lot of hard work by farmers and many others throughout our supply chain. ”

Phil Stocker, chief executive of the National Sheep Association

Farmers from across the UK have also added the voices:

“British farmers and growers are resilient, hardworking, innovative and deliver some of the highest quality and best tasting food in the world. British Food Fortnight is a celebration of all our hard work!”

Alison Capper, Worcestershire farmer and executive chair of British Apples & Pears

“British food fortnight showcases the safe, ethical and sustainable food produced by British farmers - supporting British farmers, helps sustain our food security, rural communities and countryside.”

Holly Atkinson, dairy farmer, Devon

“British Food Fortnight is a great opportunity to support farmers, to help them produce healthy, nutritious food, while at the same time benefiting nature. When nature thrives, so does farming, and when farming thrives, so does the country.”

James Robinson, Strickley Farm, Cumbria

“Supporting British farmers means backing the people who care for our land, produce high-quality food, and steward our countryside for future generations, British Food Fortnight is the perfect moment to celebrate that.”

Sophie Gregory, dairy farmer, Devon

An exclusive peak behind the scenes - join us at the bakery to celebrate British Food Fortnight

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 17:03:01 GMT

As part of British Food Fortnight this year we would like you to welcome you to Honeybuns bakery for an exclusive peek behind the scenes.

Taking place on Saturday 11 October, this exclusive event will include a tour of our artisan bakery, followed by a guided walk around the nature reserve here at Naish Farm, and finishing with oodles of cake tastings (of course!).

We have two sessions on the day. The first runs from 2.00pm to 3.30pm, and the second from 3.30pm to 5.00pm. £15 per person payable on booking. All monies go to The Big Yellow Bus Garden Project, a local community garden.

Spaces are limited so make sure you book your place. Contact details below.

Honeybuns, Naish Farm, Stony Lane, Holwell Dorset DT9 5LJ

www.honeybuns.co.uk

e: thebee@honeybuns.co.uk

t: 01963 23597

How Celebrating British Food Fortnight 2025 is good for business

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 16:34:16 GMT

Growing numbers of customers want to buy British food

Support for British farmers and food producers is palpable here in the South West. The snaking queues at numerous farm shops such as Teals, Darts Farm and Felicity’s are testament to a growing market for thoughtfully and locally produced fresh food. The phenomenon that is Jeremy Clarkson’s Diddly Squat has also turbo charged interest in our amazing British food heritage. Deliciously stocked rural vending machines are also tapping into this sustained interested in artisan food. Our local one at Woodbridge Farm, home of the esteemed Blue Vinny cheese, sells beautiful chutneys, cheeses, yoghurt and fresh milk with not a single mass produced sausage roll in sight. You can pop in there 24/7 knowing that everything there is made either on the farm or in Dorset. According to Emily Davies, owner of Blue Vinney,

"With business costs rising and no proportional improvement in the milk price for decades it has provided us with an invaluable opportunity of maintaining control over our own products as well as a brilliant shop window for education, trialling anything new or seasonal and just having fun."

Quoting from the Public Sector Catering website, “more than 80% of people surveyed believe it’s important to buy British Food”. The stats from the Red Tractor Assurance Scheme are even more heartening, “91% trust UK food that is exclusively produced in the UK”.

British Farming and Food have weathered the storm - it’s now time to celebrate

Following on from the brutal challenges of the pandemic, lockdowns and the ensuing cost of living crisis, consumer confidence fell in British Food from 2021-2024. The Ukraine crisis with its disruption to the supply of key ingredients from wheat to sunflower oil led the United Nations to state, “The United Nations has warned that the combination of COVID-19 pandemic and Russia-Ukraine crisis has led to the biggest food crisis after the World War II”. Gloomy days indeed - heaven knows we are ready for a bit of a party.

So the fact that trust in British Food is now at its highest since 2021 truly is something to celebrate.

By popping up your British Food Fortnight bunting and going all red white and blue on your chosen day(s) your team and your customers can wave the flag for our fabulous food heritage. From the iconic Cornish pasty to the creamy Cranachan of the Highlands, our beloved isle is full to bursting with gastronomic treasure.

Case study in how celebrating food heritage boosts sales

Our monthly pop up shop and café gives us an invaluable opportunity to try out new cakes and marketing ideas. Our very loyal and very vocal real life followers certainly don’t hold back in their feedback…

Customers tell us that what’s important to them is being able to:

1. Buy British

2. Support smaller independent food businesses

3. Know food has some degree of genuinely local character

I used to tie myself up in purist knots about whether our cakes could truly be called local when we use Belgian chocolate and other imported ingredients not grown here in beautiful Dorset. I’m over that now. We highlight and shout about the local suppliers we can use. Sourcing British too is something to celebrate. An ingredients sourcing map with your suppliers on is an easy and effective way to highlight this.

Sharing supplier stories is also powerful. Our free range eggs have come from the same farm, just two miles away, for the past twenty years. So why not pop this on the menu?

Thoughtful sourcing, stories and soul all create warmth and boost sales.

Top Tips for a brilliant British Food Fortnight event and beyond

- Simple pull up banners on bamboo frames are an excellent way to convey stories. You can then highlight any key supplier or story and switch up the canvas – you can buy them separately from the frame. Great for British Food Fortnight and beyond.

- The vintage Kenwood mixer I used when starting Honeybuns now sits on the café counter along with my original delivery bike which sits outside. Customers love this authenticity and like to share their “hidden local gem” with friends and family. Dust off items you can display.

- Ticketed tours of your food production facility can allow you to control footfall on the day. How about charging for the event then donating the proceeds to a local charity for extra feel good energy?

- Tastings are really what it’s all about. Laying out generous amounts of samples (with clear labelling on allergens) and briefing your team on the story behind each product so they can share this with customers is powerful.

- Get in touch with your local press and invite them along to the event. Socials are obvious but traditional local journalists can be super helpful allies.

- Generous and warm hospitality is key. Try not to get hung up on sales uplift. Visitors will remember how they were made to feel when they crossed your threshold. They then morph into the best ambassadors for your brand going forwards.

Wishing you every success with your own British Food Fortnight event.

About Honeybuns

We are a small but perfectly formed artisan bakery based in Dorset. Specialising in wrapped slices and tray bakes, all our cakes are gluten free with half the range also vegan and/or dairy free. Customers include John Lewis Cafes, The Deep, and RHS Wisley. Accountability, Community and Excellence are our values. Customer delight is our overarching aim.

Our bakery is surrounded by our own nature reserve filled to bursting with bees, butterflies, wild flowers and our two resident donkeys.

www.honeybuns.co.uk

Please contact emma@honeybuns.co.uk or call 01963 23597 for more info on how to visit/buy/find out more.

Our Honeybuns British Food fortnight event is Saturday 11 October, from 2pm. For more information and to book a place, please call 01963 23597.

Love British Food seeks Champion of Change

Mon, 01 Sep 2025 09:23:55 GMT

The organisers of British Food Fortnight and its official retail partner, Morrisons, have launched this year’s Community Competition to identify and recognise individuals, community groups, and organisations driving positive change in their local food systems.

A key initiative which runs from 26 September to 12 October, the newly titled Love British Food Champion of Change competition is a celebration of the people creating deeper connections to British produce across their communities.

In partnership with Love British Food, Morrisons is encouraging nominations from individuals and organisations, with the retailer’s in store network of community champions playing a key role in the nominations process.

Morrisons Community Manager, Joseph Clark-Bland, said; “The Champion of Change competition is a chance for the industry to celebrate the unsung heroes working tirelessly to make British food the first choice on every plate. We look forward to giving recognition to those who share Morrisons values by inspiring others to explore the incredible variety and quality of food grown right here in the UK.”

The competition provides a platform for recognising those creating stronger connections with British food. Morrisons’ involvement in this initiative aligns with its ongoing efforts to support a sustainable food system and champion the use of high-quality, locally sourced British ingredients.

Love British Food founder, Alexia Robinson encourages competition entries ahead of the deadline on 12 October 2025.

“We’d love to hear about inspirational people, whether they’re championing British produce from farms or in schools, universities, care homes, hospitals or restaurants. Nominees could be making a tangible difference by reducing food waste, food miles, alleviating food poverty, or promoting healthy, seasonal diets. Any initiative that supports British food and encourages others to make informed food choices would make ideal candidates, so please share their stories with us.”

Could you be Love British Foods’s Champion of Change?

Mon, 01 Sep 2025 09:14:20 GMT

Get ready to savour success during British Food Fortnight. Love British Food, in partnership with Morrisons, is seeking extraordinary individuals and community groups making a real difference in their local food systems to crown the 2025 Champion of Change.

The newly launched community competition is a key initiative during British Food Fortnight which runs from 26 September to 12 October.

An opportunity to celebrate the people creating deeper connections to Britain’s food roots, the campaign founder, Alexia Robinson encourages people to submit competition entries.

“This is an opportunity to recognise the hard work of those building a better, more sustainable food future. If you’re driving change in your community, we want to share your inspirational stories!

“In 24 years of organising British Food Fortnight, one thing that consistently astounds me is the dedication of people working at a grass roots level. Anyone making a tangible difference, whether by reducing food waste, food miles, alleviating food poverty, or promoting healthy diets, any initiative that supports British food and encourages others to make informed food choices are worthy champions.”

As Love British Food’s official retail partner, Morrisons, is encouraging nominations from its customers through the store’s network of community managers.

Morrisons Community Manager, Joseph Clark-Bland encourages people from across the UK to get involved; “As champions of British food, we are delighted to support Love British Food’s Champion of Change competition. This is a chance to celebrate the unsung heroes who work tirelessly to make British food the first choice on every plate. The competition provides an exciting platform to recognise those having a lasting impact on their communities by developing a stronger connection with British food.”

Individuals can submit their nominations online, sharing why their nominee deserves to be celebrated in no more than 500 words. The deadline is Sunday, 12 October 2025. For more information please visit: https://www.lovebritishfood.co.uk/community-competition

Proud partners of Love British Food, Fresh Direct strengthen sustainability through LEAF Marque certification

Thu, 28 Aug 2025 18:46:23 GMT

Here at Fresh Direct, the UK’s leading wholesale fresh produce supplier, we fully understand our responsibility to set a precedent for others to follow when it comes to sustainability. Our vision is very clear – we will continue to lead the industry by championing UK farmers, embracing regenerative practices, and driving meaningful change across the sector – and we have a number of initiatives under way to deliver this vision.

Irrespective of sector, the public care more than ever about where their food comes from and the standards in place to demonstrate sustainable sourcing. And as part of our efforts to meet customer needs, we recently announced a commitment to ensure all contracted UK fresh produce growers are LEAF Marque certified by the end of 2025.

This move strengthens our environmental standards, with a focus on supporting growers to implement more sustainable farming practices. These include energy efficiency and carbon reduction, responsible soil and water management, minimising waste, and enhancing local biodiversity.

Our Managing Director Andy Pembroke, said:

“As a business, we are not only committed to reducing our impact on the environment, but also to ensuring we make a positive contribution to a more sustainable future for farming. And we want to work with growers who share that vision.

Making this pledge for all our contracted UK fresh produce to be LEAF Marque certified represents a real step forward for our sector and we are grateful for the support of our growers who have really stepped up to the challenge. It’s also fantastic news for our customers who can see our demonstrable commitment to a sustainable future.”

As we work towards full LEAF certification by the end of 2025, the initiative aligns with broader efforts to accelerate the transition to more resilient, transparent, and environmentally conscious food systems.

Clare Mike, Director of Technical & Business Development at LEAF (Linking Environment and Farming), added:

“Fresh Direct’s pledge is a significant milestone in the journey towards more sustainable and resilient farming systems. This commitment not only supports the adoption of Integrated Farm Management practices but also demonstrates a proactive approach to climate change, biodiversity, and soil and water health.

We’re proud to collaborate with forward-thinking partners like Fresh Direct, whose leadership sets a powerful example for the entire foodservice sector.”

She added: “This exemplifies the kind of collaborative action needed across the agri-food sector to drive meaningful change. By aligning its supply chain with LEAF Marque standards, Fresh Direct is not only enhancing the sustainability of their operations but also setting a precedent for others to follow. It is through such leadership and commitment that we can build a more resilient food system for the future.”

It's a cliché – but as an organisation it’s true that we are on a journey to deliver a better future. I have confidence my expert colleagues and the network of committed British growers we work with will take us to a destination we can all be proud of.

Contributor Bio

Lee O’Mahoney is Brand Marketing Manager at Fresh Direct . Along with the rest of the Marketing team his focus is on championing the brand, communicating the market leading initiatives the organisation delivers, and putting a voice behind dedicated partner growers and their glorious produce.

Industry leaders unite to support Love British Food’s ‘Make the Switch’ pledge

Thu, 28 Aug 2025 15:51:08 GMT

As British Food Fortnight approaches (26 September to 12 October), food supply chain partners are joining forces to champion Love British Food’s call for businesses and consumers to ‘Make the Switch’ and choose British produce – not only during the campaign, but all year round.

The pledge encourages retailers, public sector caterers, hospitality providers, and households to make small, manageable changes to their buying habits, opting for seasonal British ingredients wherever possible. This approach, say campaign supporters, can have a ripple effect – boosting food security, strengthening local supply chains, and safeguarding high welfare and environmental standards.

Alexia Robinson, Founder of Love British Food, says:

“Supporting British food doesn’t have to be an all-or-nothing approach. By encouraging businesses and home cooks – to take one simple step with their food choices, we can make a lasting difference to the resilience of our food system.”

Industry figures backing the pledge include the campaign’s partners Bon Culina, Brakes, Fresh Direct and Glebe Farm.

Collectively, they are calling on their networks to play an active role in ensuring that British farmers’ produce reaches more plates across the UK.

The campaign comes at a time when food security is under increasing scrutiny, and when the public is being urged to recognise the value of Britain’s world-class farming. By making small, conscious choices to buy British, consumers and businesses alike can invest in farm businesses, support rural communities, and create a more sustainable future for UK food and farming.

British Food Fortnight is the UK’s biggest annual, national celebration of the diverse, sustainable food produced across the country.

Small switches add up to a better British food future

Wed, 27 Aug 2025 09:27:54 GMT

Both British Food Fortnight (26 September – 12 October) and the National Harvest Service at Westminster Abbey (16 October), serve as important reminders of the essential role that British farming plays in our economy, communities and national security.

Our farmers consistently produced world-class food. But unless there’s a clear route from farm to fork – through retail shelves, foodservice and hospitality menus – we risk undervaluing this national asset.

Love British Food continues to call on businesses and consumers to pledge to ‘make the switch’ – to consciously choose British produce.

While the concept of ‘buy British’ is not new, the impact of making small, manageable seasonal switches is often underestimated. Seemingly small changes can create a ripple effect, ensuring a more resilient, sustainable food system.

The commitment to support British food is not an ‘all or nothing’ approach. By encouraging retailers, caterers, and consumers to take one simple step with their food choices, we can strengthen our food supply chain.

At a time when food security is increasingly under scrutiny, the ‘small switch’ approach provides a realistic pathway to supporting British food and farming. It ensures that we are investing in farm businesses, while building a more sustainable food system for the future.

We urge everyone to pledge to make the switch, and make a lasting difference, together.

Alexia Robinson, Founder, Love British Food

Andy Jones, Head of Service Development, Bon Culina

Cathy Amos, Head of Customer Marketing Public Sector, Brakes

James Armitage, Marketing Director, Fresh Direct

Phil Rayner, Owner and MD and Jez Allman, Head of Commercial, Glebe Farm Foods

Jenny Jefferies, Author, Food Columnist, Producer & Campaigner

Farm-to-fork collaboration in action - Bon Culina and Glebe Farm Foods unite to champion British food in public sector catering

Sat, 16 Aug 2025 09:42:53 GMT

As proud partners of Love British Food, Bon Culina and Glebe Farm Foods recently came together for a visit that celebrated collaboration across the food supply chain.

The Bon Culina team, led by Head of Service Development Andy Jones, was welcomed to Glebe Farm Foods’ state-of-the-art facilities in Cambridgeshire by Philip Rayner, Managing Director and Founder for a tour and first-hand insight into their unique gluten-free oat production.

The visit highlighted a shared mission – to ensure that British produce is celebrated, understood, and chosen across public sector catering procurement, from hospitals and care homes to schools and universities.

A meeting of shared values

Both Bon Culina and Glebe Farm Foods are committed to high-quality British ingredients, shorter supply chains, and sustainability. For Bon Culina, this means sourcing as locally as possible, building strong relationships with producers, and maintaining rigorous standards for nutrition and taste across the 151 hospitals they supply.

For Glebe Farm Foods, it means managing Britain’s only farm-to-table gluten-free oat supply chain – from sowing and harvesting through to processing and packaging – right here in the UK.

Andy Jones, past chair of HCA and PSCA and who sits on government think tanks, praised the visit as “enlightening” and commended the cleanliness and efficiency of Glebe Farm Foods’ processing operation. He noted how seeing the journey from field to finished product reinforces the value of connecting caterers directly with producers.

Strengthening the public sector’s British food offering

The collaboration is more than just a meeting of minds – it’s a practical step towards increasing the availability and visibility of British-grown ingredients in public sector menus. By building understanding between suppliers and caterers, both organisations can help overcome barriers, identify new recipe opportunities, and promote provenance to consumers.

As part of the day’s discussions, Andy encouraged Glebe Farm Foods to explore opportunities with public sector catering bodies such as the Hospital Caterers Association, LACA, TUCO, and the National Association of Care Catering. These forums provide a direct route to decision-makers and can help amplify the role of British food in the sector.

A legacy of championing British

Andy’s involvement in Love British Food spans over two decades, alongside his leadership in campaigns such as Nutrition and Hydration Week. He believes initiatives like the Glebe Farm Foods visit are vital in turning seasonal campaigns into long-term change.

“Partnerships like this are how we make a real difference,” Andy said. “From farm to fork, everyone has a role to play in ensuring the food we serve is not only nutritious and delicious, but also supports our farmers, reduces food miles, and strengthens our national food security.”

Of the visit, Philip said: “Meetings such as the one with Bon Culina help develop relationships and recipes with Glebe Farm Foods . It’s a great way to ensure we can both work to get more British food and drink into hospitals and schools.”

A view to the future

The visit has already sparked ideas for how Glebe Farm Foods’ products might be incorporated into Bon Culina’s recipes, helping to broaden their British offering while keeping quality and sustainability at the forefront. Both teams left the day energised by the potential for collaboration – proving that when producers and caterers work hand in hand, British food can truly take centre stage in the public sector.

Visit BonCulina Foodservice and Home - Glebe Farm for more information.

Love British Food partners can arrange a similar visit by emailing: office@glebefarmfoods.co.uk

A special Love British Food interview with Jayne Jones, Chair of the Public Sector Catering Alliance that Love British Food is fortunate to be part of.

Thu, 14 Aug 2025 08:47:56 GMT

Jayne Jones is incredible. She used to be Chair of ASSIST FM that represents 32 Scottish Local Authorities. She is currently Assistant Director for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde. She has, therefore, experience of both school and hospital catering.

She has participated in a number of Scottish Government steering groups including those developing Local Food Strategies, ending the need for food banks in Scotland and in developing proposals for the next Scottish Organic Food Action Plan.

The plate of food in front of a patient in an NHS Scotland hospital might seem like a small detail in the grand scheme of healthcare, but for Jayne Jones, Assistant Director for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and Chair of the Public Sector Catering Alliance, it represents a significant opportunity.

As an advocate for sustainable food systems within NHS Scotland, Jayne is at the forefront of a movement to integrate more locally farmed and produced food into the public diet across the nation. As a former Chair of ASSIST FM, which represents 32 Scottish local authorities, she has experience of both school and hospital catering and feels passionately about what she is doing. This isn't just about nutrition; it's about public health, climate change, community, and supporting Scotland's diverse agricultural landscape.

The ambition to transform public sector food procurement in Scotland is rooted in legislative foresight. The Good Food Nation Act, enshrined in law in Scotland in 2022, places a duty on all local authorities and health boards to leverage their power, including public food procurement, to create sustainable food system shifts. This includes improving meal quality, enhancing sustainability credentials related to climate change, biodiversity loss, and animal welfare, and addressing health inequalities, poverty, and education.

As Jayne explains, “Because we now have a requirement to do something about that, we are going to see changes.”

These changes will be driven by five-year plans, reviewed every two years.

One of the most tangible examples of this commitment is the forthcoming Scottish Organics Action Plan, which is anticipated to potentially include public procurement as one of its key pillars. This plan may mandate government, local authority, and public body commitments to foster organic growth within Scotland.

“We are seeing much tighter controls,” says Jayne, “and so there's less of that fear around the ‘nanny state’ that we find in other parts of the UK.”

This proactive legislative environment sets Scotland apart and provides a robust framework for ambitious food strategies.

However, the path to a fully localised public food system isn’t without its challenges, such as the inherent differences between urban and rural environments. Jayne, having worked in the very rural Argyll and Bute Council and now in the urban NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, understands this firsthand.

“What works in a certain place won't necessarily lift and lay somewhere else,” she says.

Rural areas might have direct access to farms, while urban centres need to establish strong supply chains that bring Scottish produce into the city.

Despite these variations, the commitment to Scottish food remains steadfast. NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, for instance, actively procures Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) red meat, ensuring that even without local farms, the meat served is of high accreditation standard and Scottish origin. The same applies to fish, with a focus on MSC-certified Scottish catches, supporting the nation's "blue economy."

The question of meat consumption, particularly red meat, is a nuanced one. While acknowledging the climate arguments, Jayne emphasises the importance of supporting Scottish farming communities and providing dietary balance, including essential nutrients like iron. The approach is holistic, exploring opportunities like incorporating wild venison, which is already part of the Scottish landscape in abundance with Argyll and Bute Council undertaking a pilot to provide wild venison in school meals on the islands of Islay and Jura. This also involves balancing costs by exploring other protein sources and encouraging diversification in farming to meet public sector needs. An inspiring example is the “Bridge the Gap” project in Aberdeen, where the local authority, in collaboration with Sustain and the Soil Association, is introducing organic peas on to public plates. This initiative supports local farmers, provides sustainable organic food, and diversifies protein options.

Engaging farmers and food producers in public sector procurement is crucial but complex. The tender process can be daunting for smaller, local producers. Jones highlights the need for building relationships years in advance, offering pilots, and sharing information about volumes and product requirements.

“The balance of risk sits with them, not with us,” she admits.

By fostering trust and demonstrating the benefits – such as timely payments and regular income – public bodies can encourage farmers to engage.

“We pay our bills on time and we’re a regular income. You know, we don’t want your premier product. They can still go to your higher restaurants, but we do want the rest of it, and we’ll pay a fair price, and we will pay you regularly.”

When asked to share lessons with other parts of the UK, Jayne offers three key points:

Target specific commodities: focus on products that are readily available locally and are popular with customers. This requires realism about what can be procured in a given region.
Build relationships through pilots: nurture connections with producers, talk to them, build trust, and pilot initiatives to demonstrate success. Shared values around providing high-quality, sustainable food for improved health outcomes and community wealth building are vital.
Learn from others: don’t reinvent the wheel. There’s a wealth of good practice across the UK, including in England and Wales. A customer-centric approach, focusing on the positive impact on patients, children, and young people, helps drive motivation. “Don’t try and do everything at once,” she advises.

Looking beyond Scotland, Jayne is actively involved with the PSCA in establishing an all-party parliamentary group on public sector food, a significant undertaking to create a platform for dialogue among politicians, decision-makers, supply chain partners, and NGOs. The aim is to bridge gaps in understanding and highlight the real-world issues facing public catering, from staffing shortages to the impact of policy changes on small schools. The ultimate goal, Jayne reiterates, is to get “patients, children, all of our customers… enjoying eating nutritious food that’s grown in Scotland.”

The absence of public sector representation on the UK's new Food Strategy Advisory Board and the recent shelving of the Food and Drink Sector Council are pressing concerns for Jayne, and a disappointment to her. While Scotland and Wales have their own enabling legislation (the Good Food Nation Act and the Well-being of Future Generations Act, respectively), the vacuum in England, where public caterers provide 2.6 billion meals, underscores the critical need for their voice at the table.

For Jayne Jones, her commitment to this work is deeply personal and her strength of belief in its value radiates from her. Her mother, a former dinner lady, instilled in her the value of good quality, homemade food cooked from scratch.

She says: “I know the value that that means for our children and young people and for families”. This personal connection, combined with the immense privilege of providing decent meals to the most vulnerable in society, fuels and inspires her daily to strive for positive change.

Interview conducted by Catherine Austen on behalf of Love British Food

Farming our Health with seasonal, British food

Fri, 08 Aug 2025 14:10:08 GMT

I’m lucky to have 30 years across the ‘One Health’ spectrum from soil & livestock as a farm Vet previously, to food systems & health, in my current role as a Public Health Nutritionist!

It was so inspiring in July to join other health practitioners, farmers, policy-makers and food providers and speak at Groundswell, our UK regenerative farming festival.

As we enter that time of year when our British harvest is plentiful and Organic September is upon us, it’s exciting to consider how climate-friendly farming and choosing British and local really can address food-related ill health, biodiversity loss and greenhouse gas emissions all at once. Our biology wants to work well for us. Food is its fuel but food must serve all life - our land, our animals, our planet, our health . The golden thread here is microbes and soil & gut health just happen to be my passion as a public health nutritionist very much grounded in a soil-up approach!

Did you know that In all living systems microbes do 3 things? They -

Drive metabolism
Unlock nutrients
Provide protection = Resilience

So whether we’re talking about nature-friendly farming systems or Gut Health, they’re basically ecosystems serving the same benefits and they’re literally our lifeboat right now.

Within human health key chronic conditions of our time are rooted in inflammatory processes in the body. The Gut Microbiome which is fuelled by plants and a nutrient rich diet has a key role in regulating this. Currently the World Health Organisation (2024) states that malnutrition from nutrient-poor foods is a greater threat than overweight and obesity. So what better time to celebrate our British food providers and choose local, seasonal food to ensure we’re getting maximum nutrient density?

With:

Ultra-processed foods dominating our shopping baskets (low in nutrients, high in energy)
Weight loss drugs exacerbating nutrient gaps in our diet
Losing biodiversity soil to gut
Our NHS spending £10.7B/year on Type 2 Diabetes alone…

Sustainable, resilient farming systems producing nutrient-rich foods hold many of the answers.

This organic September, it’s a great reminder that

Organic +/or regeneratively farmed crops are higher in gut healthy polyphenols and tend to be richer in many nutrients (Montgomery & Biklé, 2021)
The same can be said for meat and dairy from these systems - science is showing us they have an improved fat profile being higher in vital anti-inflammatory Omega 3 (Butler et al.; 2021)
1 tsp of healthy soil = more microbes than people on Earth! This equals a sizeable diversity regain.

So, as we move towards Love British Food Fortnight, I’m reminded of Wendell Berry’s advice - 'the act of eating is an agricultural act’ Our food is our best health intervention not to mention all the community health benefits too from choosing British and local!

I’m celebrating our hard working British food providers who need all our support. Let’s hope the recent Good Food Cycle begins to place the support and value on our British farmers that they need and deserve, so that we can turn the tide on people and planetary health too.

You can hear more on health from Groundswell here .

Refs:

Regenerating Europe from teh ground up JUne 2025 https://eara.farm/wp-content/uploads/EARA_Farmer-led-Research-on-Europes-Full-Productivity_2025_06_03.pdf
Montgomery, D. R., & Biklé, A. (2021). Soil Health and Nutrient Density: Beyond Organic vs. Conventional Farming. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems, 5. https://doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2021.699147
Butler G, Ali AM, Oladokun S, Wang J, Davis H. Forage-fed cattle point the way forward for beef? Future Foods. 2021;3:100012. - OMEGA 3 BENEFITS FROM CONSERVATION GRADE DOWN TO CONVENTIONAL

Get Seasonal for the summer with the chef-led podcast from Love British Food

Mon, 04 Aug 2025 17:45:34 GMT

Launched in May, Love British Food’s podcast Get Seasonal is continuing to voice the importance of generating greater demand for UK produce with the release of its second summer edition.

Made by chefs for chefs, the podcast aims to highlight the importance of supporting British produce within the food service and hospitality industries and promotes sustainable, British-sourced produce.

This episode, hosted by Ian Nottage, head of food development at Fresh Direct, and Graeme Collie, executive chef at King’s College London, features two new guests and one returning.

They discuss more about the importance of seasonality in our British menus and how we can maximise the ingredients we have on our doorsteps.

The first guest is Jon Hammond, a fourth-generation farmer from Hammonds farm in Nottinghamshire, highlighting challenges faced by British farmers.

He discusses climate concerns, and the balance needed between soil health and sustainability with larger scale operations to meet consumer demands.

Lecturer and game expert, Jose Souto, from Westminster Kingsway College, talks about the myths surrounding wild meats. He explains that each variety has different sustainable and ethical implications, as well as requiring distinct handling and preparation methods when it comes to maintaining flavour and quality.

Colin Wheeler James, founder of the Ground Up Cookery School, returns by popular demand to share his insights into creative uses of foraged ingredients.

His segment focuses on pairing them with game, and highlights the sustainability benefits of using local, seasonal, and wild ingredients.

The key takeaway is clear - we should celebrate the best of British produce when it is fresh and in-season.

For anyone looking to expand their culinary horizons, the Love British Food Get Seasonal podcast is available now on all major platforms, including Spotify, iTunes, or listen on the Love British Food website.

Building a movement – Love British Food changemakers visit Courteenhall Estate

alexiarobinson@lovebritishfood.co.uk (Alexia Robinson) — Tue, 29 Jul 2025 12:44:45 GMT

Courteenhall Estate, a model of regenerative farming nestled in the rolling countryside of South Northamptonshire, provided a stunning backdrop for Love British Food’s tenth on-farm training day.

The Estate’s rich heritage is married to a compelling story of innovation, stewardship and sustainability which perfectly aligned with the purpose of the visit – to connect changemakers across the public sector with the people and places behind the food they serve.

The training day brought together over 20 professionals working across schools, hospitals, universities, care homes, local authorities and the supply chain. All united by the shared goal of putting more British produce on the menu in public sector settings.

From the outset, the day cultivated open conversation, collaborative thinking, and a renewed sense of purpose for everyone present.

A thriving example of sustainable British farming

Hosted by Dr Johnny Wake, British Farming Awards’ Sustainable Farmer of the Year 2024, the event offered attendees a first-hand view of nature-friendly farming in action.

Johnny, returned to run the 350-year-old family estate after a career in medicine. Bring his expert insight on health and applying it to how food is produced in the healthiest way while benefiting the environment. Over more than a decade, he has transformed Courteenhall into a shining example of regenerative agriculture.

Under his guidance, the Estate has diversified from traditional arable to a mixed farm that has introduced combinable crops such as cereals, oilseeds and pulses as part of the rotation to build soil health. Livestock have been reintroduced including the heritage breed of Hereford cattle. This hardy herd are Reared to Pasture for Life standards by grazing the ancient parkland throughout the year. This benefits biodiversity, sequesters carbon, supports human health and animal welfare.

The landscape itself told a story – lush wildflower strips including rare orchids, cover crops, and vibrant hedgerows served to evidence of the farm’s commitment to biodiversity, carbon capture, and soil health. Visitors saw sustainability in action; as an operational ethos rooted in both legacy and future-thinking.

Connecting sectors, sharing solutions

Love British Food’s changemaker events are never passive learning days – they are spaces for people working in public sector catering to forge connections, share challenges, and co-create solutions. Over a lunch of seasonal British produce, delegates engaged in practical discussions around procurement barriers, seasonal menu planning, and leveraging local supply chains.

Examples shared on the day illustrated what success looks like in action:

Nottingham County Council’s County Enterprise Foods radically restructured its supply chain to source 100% fresh local produce
Milton Keynes University Hospital reported cost savings through working with a local butcher
An NHS Trust restructured its tendering process to accommodate a regional dairy supplier
NHS caterer reported move from per-patient budgets to fortnightly budgets to deliver savings
Schools using regional wholesalers for fresh vegetables and meat
Local dairy farm supplied ice cream to hospital, improving nutritional value
North Shropshire hospital sourcing beef from a local farm and putting it on their menu once a month

These stories demonstrated how policy shifts, procurement language, and courageous leadership can unlock opportunities for British producers.

As one attendee put it, “Today has shown how much positive impact you can have through small but meaningful changes. Shouting about what you’re already doing, telling the story – it becomes part of your customer experience.”

The power of networks

With Courteenhall marking the tenth farm visit, Love British Food’s training programme has now created a nationwide network of over 200 changemakers. These are individuals return to their institutions empowered and equipped to push for incremental but impactful shifts in sourcing policy.

Founder Alexia Robinson described the importance of this network:

“Each of our changemakers leaves with a deeper understanding of how the food we eat is produced, and why that matters for sustainability, nutrition, and local economies. Their collective impact is immense – British food becomes not just a procurement choice, but a values-led statement.”

This growing network is already delivering on that promise, advocating for systemic change in the way public institutions think about food. Attendees discussed how procurement frameworks can be rewritten to prioritise sustainability, how stories from farms can help meet Ofsted and CQC objectives, and how even minor shifts in menus can support the broader goal of a healthy, sustainable food system.

From vision to action

The event closed with a strong sense of optimism and forward motion. As delegates prepared to return to their respective organisations, the mood was one of resolve. The visit had reaffirmed the link between food, land, health, and sustainability. Most importantly, it had sparked ideas for how to turn knowledge into action.

Love British Food’s farm training visits are not just about showcasing British farming, they are about cultivating a movement. They remind us that changing our food system is not about one big leap, but about many people making small, meaningful steps, together.

As one changemaker concluded: “Whether it’s choosing a local butcher, sourcing seasonal veg, or championing British produce in a school lunch, it all adds up. That’s the power of this programme. It gives us the knowledge and the network to make it happen.”

As out host farmer, Johnny spoke of the impact the day and how it changed his perception: “I now have a much better understanding of the multiple challenges in public sector catering. While sweeping reform won’t happen overnight, small, strategic changes will deliver long-term improvements to public health and our environment.”

Quotes from the day:

"Change needs to be accessible and actionable. Today has shown how much positive impact you can have through small but meaningful changes."
“We urgently need to dispel the myth that fresh, British produce is more expensive – when considered in a wider social and economic context.”
“We need to make food a priority in the NHS. Too often the focus in hospital is on cure rather than prevention.”
“The programme provides a vital opportunity to see the work that British farmers put into producing food”
“We need to make food a priority in the NHS. Too often the focus in hospital is on cure rather than prevention.”
“Shout about what you are already doing, tell the stories so it becomes part of your organisation and your customer experience”
“I am hugely grateful to Johnny for hosting and sharing how regenerative farming contributes to British food production.”
“Johnny was such an outstanding host, with a wealth of knowledge to share and a keen interest in the intricacies of public sector procurement.”

Caterers, Dieticians, Procurement Leads and Board Members are all invited to attend our farm visits.

Each visit runs from approx. 11am – 3pm and involves a farm tour followed by working lunch and discussion on opportunities and challenges.

Anyone interested in attending a future farm visit and joining our cohort of changemakers should contact: info@lovebritishfood.co.uk

Love British Food welcomes partnership with Derbyshire Catering Service

Wed, 23 Jul 2025 15:56:49 GMT

Derbyshire Catering Service is the latest public sector caterer to partner with Love British Food, ahead of this year’s British Food Fortnight which starts on 26 September.

By becoming a new Food Hero of the national initiative, Derbyshire Catering Service, can access wide ranging resources and educational materials that celebrate the importance of our food roots – while advocating the value of British-sourced seasonal produce in school and care home settings.

Derbyshire County Council’s commitment to sourcing 72% of its raw ingredients from British suppliers, alongside its use of only British and farm-assured meats, aligns seamlessly with Love British Food’s values and mission.

The latest collaboration highlights the public sector's role in supporting British agriculture while building greater awareness of the benefits of local, seasonal produce and more sustainable supply chains.

Love British Food, founder, Alexia Robinson says: “It’s great to have the Derbyshire team onboard to amplify the important message that British Food Fortnight delivers. Becoming a Food Hero is such a simple way for local authority or third sector operators to demonstrate their dedication to high quality, nutritious British grown and produced food.”

A Derbyshire Catering Service spokesperson says: “We are proud to become Food Heroes and to stand alongside Love British Food in celebrating the incredible produce this country has to offer.

“Supporting British farmers and local suppliers is at the heart of our mission to serve fresh, nutritious, and sustainably sourced meals across Derbyshire. We look forward to working together to inspire the next generation about the value of British food."

Derbyshire Catering Service joins Local Food Links which provide meals for 60 schools across Dorset and have been a Food Hero for the past two years.

Caroline Morgan, from Local Food Links explains why the organisation proudly supports British Food Fortnight: “The celebration, which starts in late September, provides a wonderful opportunity to highlight to pupils the fantastic food that we are able to source locally. We know that pupils are very knowledgeable about environmental issues, so they will appreciate that featuring ‘Roast Dorset Gammon’ on the menu means minimal food miles, therefore food that is good for the planet as well as being delicious.”

Blackpool Catering Services has participated in British Food Fortnight for four years. Its Catering Services Manager and Love British Food director, Derek Wright adds: “British Food Fortnight is a fantastic opportunity for us as a school catering service to celebrate and showcase the vital work we do in bringing the farm-to-fork journey to life every day.

“In Blackpool, we take great pride in supporting local supply chains, working closely with our regional wholesaler to ensure we are backing British farmers and producers wherever possible. British Food Fortnight allows us to highlight this commitment to our schools and the wider community across the town.”

British Food Fortnight 2025 seeks to strengthen consumers’ connection with UK farmers

Thu, 10 Jul 2025 09:09:18 GMT

Love British Food the organisers of British Food Fortnight are calling on the retail sector to engage with this year’s national campaign to reconnect people with the food that feeds them.

The annual two-week campaign runs from 26 September to 12 October. Serving as a timely reminder of farmers’ vital role in securing the nation’s food supply. This year’s British Food Fortnight theme, ‘strengthening the roots that bind us’ aims to inspire a deeper appreciation of seasonal British produce and increase accessibility for all.

Alexia Robinson, Love British Food founder is determined to put farming back at the heart of this year’s celebrations.

“Our aim is to ignite a movement that reconnects people with where their food comes from and, most importantly, with the people who make British food possible. At a time when food security and the long-term sustainability of the farming sector are hanging in the balance, this campaign is dedicated to promoting those working day-in, day-out to nourish the nation.”

This year’s campaign focuses on three key pillars – Grow British, Cook British, and Champion British with grassroots activity targeting consumers, hospitality and public sector catering.

Morrisons, the lead retail partner of British Food Fortnight, expressed their commitment to supporting UK agriculture by motivating customers to embrace homegrown produce.

David Scott, Morrisons Corporate Affairs Director comments; “As a champion of British food, Morrisons is proud to be the lead retail partner for British Food Fortnight. Our customers value fresh, seasonal British ingredients, and through this campaign, we want to inspire more people to explore the incredible variety and quality available from UK farmers and producers. Supporting British agriculture where possible is essential to building a sustainable and resilient food future, and this campaign perfectly aligns with those goals.”

Throughout British Food Fortnight, a wide range of events, promotions, and media activities will take place nationwide. From Morrisons community competition, The National Harvest Festival Service at Westminster Abbey, and cookery demonstrations to collaborations with schools, universities, care homes and hospitals, the campaign aims to educate, engage, and empower consumers to make British food a cornerstone of their lives all year round.

Public sector caterers urged to ‘Champion British’ during British Food Fortnight

Thu, 10 Jul 2025 06:56:27 GMT

Love British Food, the organisers of British Food Fortnight are calling on public sector caterers to engage with this year’s national campaign and help reconnect people with nutritious British food to build a stronger supply chain.

Running from 26 September to 12 October, the annual two-week campaign, serves as a timely reminder of the public sector’s vital role in supporting the nation’s farmers, and the role of farmers and food producers in putting nutritious food on the public plate.

This year’s British Food Fortnight campaign theme, ‘strengthening the roots that bind us’ aims to inspire a deeper appreciation of seasonal British produce and encourage procurement strategies that prioritise local suppliers.

Founder of the initiative, Alexia Robinson is determined to build on British Food Fortnight’s 24-year heritage, putting nutrition, flavour and sustainability at the heart of this year’s celebrations.

As one of the longest serving members of the Public Sector Catering Alliance, Alexia explains: “We are at a critical moment, where the need for national food security has never been greater. From local authority procurement teams to NHS chefs, we all have a role to play in driving forward a shared vision that celebrates and supports the incredible variety of food grown right here in the UK.

“British food is the bond that sustains our nation — helping us grow physically, culturally, economically, and securely. By strengthening the roots in our food system, we ensure that British food remains central to our future, making the supply chain more resilient and sustainable. Together, we can empower the public sector to lead the way in driving lasting change for the good of our communities and the planet.

“We’re encouraging public sector caterers to prioritise British suppliers in their procurement decisions and to make a conscious effort to seek out SMEs and regional suppliers wherever possible.”

This year’s campaign focuses on three key pillars – Grow British, Cook British, and Champion British – with grassroots activity targeting consumers, hospitality and public sector catering.

‘Grow British’ celebrates the hardworking UK farmers and the critical importance of resilient and sustainable farming practices for food security
‘Cook British’ encourages everyone to make seasonal, nutritious British food central to daily meals and menu planning for all
‘Champion British’ advocates for greater use of British produce in public institutions, businesses, and communities

During a period of profound change in food, farming, and procurement policies, British Food Fortnight encourages stakeholders to promote sustainable, British food choices in all public sector settings as a key step in reducing environmental impact.

Throughout the campaign, a wide range of events, promotions, and media activities will take place nationwide with 1,000’s of schools, 100’s of care homes and many hospitals and leading universities taking part every year.

From digital toolkits, Morrisons community competition, The National Harvest Festival Service at Westminster Abbey, and cookery demonstrations to collaborations with schools, universities, care homes and hospitals, the campaign aims to educate, engage, and empower institutions to make seasonal British food a cornerstone of their menus all year round.

Champion British Food Fortnight to reconnect the industry with its food roots

Wed, 09 Jul 2025 16:46:57 GMT

Love British Food, the organisers of British Food Fortnight, are calling on pubs, bars, hospitality venues and restaurants across the UK to join this year’s national campaign and celebrate the best of British food.

From 26 September to 12 October, British Food Fortnight provides an opportunity for hospitality businesses to attract customers by offering seasonal, locally sourced British dishes that showcase the vibrant flavours of the nation.

As part of this year’s theme, ‘Strengthening the roots that bind us’, the campaign encourages businesses to take part by promoting British-sourced ingredients on their menus, supporting local producers and offering customers a memorable dining experience that highlights the country’s rich culinary heritage.

Founder of the initiative, Alexia Robinson believes British Food Fortnight is more than a two-week celebration.

“At its heart, the campaign is about bringing communities together through shared dining experiences. The hospitality sector plays a crucial role in connecting people to the origins of their food.

“This year, we’re asking pubs, bars, hospitality venues and restaurants to showcase the best seasonal produce the UK has to offer. It’s an opportunity to attract customers looking for quality, locally-sourced dishes, while supporting local farmers, suppliers and getting consumers to back the hospitality sector.”

This year’s British Food Fortnight campaign is built around three key pillars – Grow British, Cook British, and Champion British – which are designed to inspire hospitality businesses to make British food the focal point.

‘Grow British’ celebrates UK farmers and the importance of supporting resilient, sustainable farming practices.

‘Cook British’ encourages businesses to incorporate seasonal, nutritious British food into their menus, offering customers meals that are delicious and responsibly sourced.

‘Champion British’ advocates for the wider use of British produce in pubs, bars, and restaurants, and for promoting these dishes to customers as part of a broader commitment to sustainability and food security.

Fresh Direct and Brakes, are among key partners of British Food Fortnight, and are instrumental in helping hospitality businesses source local, British ingredients.

Head of customer marketing at Brakes, Cathy Amos says: “By celebrating British food, our incredible industry can not only support local suppliers but also meet growing consumer demand for sustainable, home-grown produce. British Food Fortnight is an excellent opportunity to champion seasonal specials, support national food security, and provide customers with a memorable dining experience that reflects the rich diversity of our food culture.”

Businesses are encouraged to get involved by offering British-themed menus, running special promotions, and highlighting local suppliers throughout the campaign period. Participating venues can access to digital toolkits, recipe ideas, and promotional materials to help them showcase their British food offerings and increase foot traffic during the campaign.

Champion British Food Fortnight to reconnect the industry with its food roots

Wed, 09 Jul 2025 06:49:12 GMT

As part of this year’s theme, ‘Strengthening the roots that bind us’ , the campaign encourages businesses to take part by promoting British-sourced ingredients on their menus, supporting local producers and offering customers a memorable dining experience that highlights the country’s rich culinary heritage.

Founder of the initiative, Alexia Robinson believes British Food Fortnight is more than a two-week celebration.

“At its heart, the campaign is about bringing communities together through shared dining experiences. The hospitality sector plays a crucial role in connecting people to the origins of their food.

‘Grow British’ celebrates UK farmers and the importance of supporting resilient, sustainable farming practices.
‘Cook British’ encourages businesses to incorporate seasonal, nutritious British food into their menus, offering customers meals that are delicious and responsibly sourced.
‘Champion British’ advocates for the wider use of British produce in pubs, bars, and restaurants, and for promoting these dishes to customers as part of a broader commitment to sustainability and food security.

Fresh Direct and Brakes, are among key partners of British Food Fortnight, and are instrumental in helping hospitality businesses source local, British ingredients.

Be a ‘champion of change’ this British Food Fortnight

Thu, 03 Jul 2025 16:17:45 GMT

British Food Fortnight returns between 26 September and 12 October 2025 – and this year it’s not just a celebration. It’s a movement. Whether you’re shopping, cooking, dining out, or simply sharing your food choices, every positive action you take makes a difference.

In the run up to British Food Fortnight, the Harvest Torch is blazing a trail through rural communities, agricultural shows and traditional harvest celebrations, before finishing its tour at the prestigious Harvest Service at Westminster Abbey this autumn. The hand-forged torch is a powerful symbol of appreciation for British farmers and a rallying call for the public to become champions of change.

Alexia Robinson, founder of Love British Food, says; “British Food Fortnight is much more than a two-week celebration – it’s a reminder of the deep roots that connect us all, every day of the year. From the soil that feeds our crops to the special meals that bring us together, British food is the bond that sustains our nation — helping us grow physically, culturally, economically, and securely.

“This year we’re asking the public to turn their passion into purpose and become champions of change. Every time you choose British, you support the people who grow, rear and produce food with pride, care and sustainability at its heart. Whether grabbing your weekly groceries, cooking dinner for the family, or planning a fun brunch with friends, it’s easy to get involved in British Food Fortnight.”

Morrisons, the lead retail partner of British Food Fortnight, expressed their commitment to British Food Fortnight.

Join a countrywide movement

From school cookery demonstrations and hospital menus, to community festivals and competitions, this year’s campaign is packed with opportunities to get involved.

Why not register to take part in this year’s British Food Fortnight Bingo? A series of fun challenges that encourages family and friends to buy, cook, and eat British. Sign up online to play for a full house and a full tummy.

Make it matter – all year round

This isn’t just about two weeks. It’s about creating lasting change. British Food Fortnight invites everyone to make conscious food choices, ask where their ingredients come from, and champion British on every plate – at home, in schools, in care homes and hospitals, and in restaurants.

British Food Fortnight 2025 seeks to strengthen deep rooted connection with UK farmers

Thu, 26 Jun 2025 16:25:54 GMT

Love British Food the organisers of British Food Fortnight are calling on the farming sector to engage with this year’s national campaign to reconnect people with the food that feeds them.

Alexia Robinson, Love British Food founder is determined to put farming back at the heart of this year’s celebrations.

Yorkshire pig farmer Anna Longthorp who rears and sells free range pork under her Anna's Happy Trotters brand says: “It is a challenging landscape for farmers right now, and we need greater recognition and a commitment from the top down to better support UK agriculture.

“I'm really proud to support a campaign that strengthens the vital roots throughout the supply chain, from farm to plate, and encourages businesses and consumers to choose British food with confidence and pride."

This year’s campaign focuses on three key pillars – Grow British, Cook British, and Champion British with grassroots activity targeting consumers, hospitality and public sector catering.

Throughout the fortnight a ‘Rooted in Britain’ series will share farmer stories, showcasing those at the coalface of growing British.

Morrisons, the lead retail partner of British Food Fortnight, expressed their commitment to supporting UK agriculture by motivating customers to embrace homegrown produce.

Supporting British agriculture where possible is essential to building a sustainable and resilient food future, and this campaign perfectly aligns with those goals.”

Love British Food cohort of change makers continues to grow

Fri, 13 Jun 2025 13:33:58 GMT

Love British Food has hosted its tenth on-farm training event for public sector food professionals at Courteenhall Estate, expanding the number of change makers to 214 people, all inspired to champion British produce.

The farm walk, guided by former GP and now leading nature-friendly regenerative farmer Dr Johnny Wake, brought together 20 high calibre caterers for a day of transformative learning and collaboration both out in the field and during a working lunch, where lively discussion and practical ideas were exchanged.

With representatives from across the NHS, education including The University Caterers Organisation (TUCO), advisory bodies, local authorities, food service organisations and the National Association of Care Catering (NACC), the day explored common procurement and policy challenges. Steps to improve procurement practices were discussed, and a mutual objective to remove barriers and promote British food across all public sector settings was agreed.

Love British Food founder, Alexia Robinson believes the programme is essential in joining the dots between farming, food, health and sustainability.

"As our cohort of change makers continues to grow, so too does their collective impact,” she says.

“The programme provides a vital opportunity to see the work that British farmers put into producing food. Every participant goes away understanding the connection between how food is grown and its nutritional value. All while learning about how food produced in harmony with nature can help them meet their sustainability targets and improve health outcomes.

“From the positive feedback I’ve received, our changemakers left feeling inspired, supported, and enabled to make real, tangible differences by introducing more British-grown ingredients onto their menus.”

Conversations during the day highlighted numerous positive examples the group could adopt. These included successful local sourcing initiatives, such as Nottingham County Council’s County Enterprise Foods radical eighteen-month transition to sourcing 100% fresh, local produce including rabbit and venison. This has been achieved through establishing a network of regional wholesalers that have become ‘integral to our catering family’.

The forum demonstrated delegates commitment to UK sourced food that balances nutritional needs. A change that multiple studies have proven to enhance outcomes for students and patients. For many it had delivered cost savings, such Milton Keynes University Hospital saving 1-2% through using a local butcher - overcoming the myth that British costs more.

Following the event, host farmer Dr Johnny Wake explained:

“I have a much better understanding of the multiple challenges in public sector catering. It’s not realistic to expect wholesale change immediately; but incremental changes will still deliver long term improvements to people’s health and public finances in the end.”

Neel Radia, who attended as chair of National Association of Care Catering (NACC) and a long-term supporter of Love British Food’s activities, highlighted;

“Change needs to be accessible and actionable. Today has shown how much positive impact you can have through small but meaningful changes.”

Learn more about Love British Food’s farm visit training programme here: Farm Visits for Caterers

Building Britain’s only farm-to-table gluten free oat supply chain

Tue, 20 May 2025 18:16:38 GMT

By Philip Rayner, Managing Director, Glebe Farm Foods

Sustainability is more than a principle for us - it’s the foundation of how we grow, produce, and package every product in our PureOaty range at Glebe Farm. From our oat fields in Cambridgeshire to our energy-efficient production line just metres away, every step of the journey is designed to reduce emissions, support biodiversity, and strengthen the British farming community.

Homegrown in Cambridgeshire

All of our oats are sown, grown, and milled in Cambridgeshire. Spanning 100,000 acres, our family farm works with a trusted network of local farmers within a 70-mile radius. This hyper-local supply chain keeps food miles low and helps reduce transport-related emissions while also ensuring traceability and quality from farm to table.

By supporting local farmers, we’re investing in our local economy and creating a resilient, British-first supply model, something we believe is critical in this ever-evolving food landscape.

Sustainable farming practices

Climate resilience starts in the soil. That’s why we’re working collaboratively with farmers to trial regenerative and low-impact farming techniques tailored to our crops and regional conditions.

These include:

Parallel cropping , which allows for better use of land and improved soil biodiversity.
Winter cover crops on fallow fields, which prevent nitrate leaching, protect water sources, and improve soil structure.
Enhancing organic matter to increase water retention, crucial as dry springs become more frequent due to changing climate patterns.

These methods not only help mitigate climate impact but also create environments where pollinators and other native wildlife can thrive.

Zero-waste, powered by nature

We’ve taken steps to ensure that sustainability doesn’t stop at the farm gate. Our production facilities are powered by renewable energy - including solar panels and biomass generators. Importantly, we use oat by-products like inedible husk and chaff to fuel these systems, creating a closed-loop model that ensures minimal waste and maximum efficiency.

In 2023, we invested in a cutting-edge Tetra Pak facility located just 150 metres from our mill. This has allowed us to process, package, and distribute our oat drinks, porridges, and granolas on-site, removing an estimated 100,000 miles of heavy goods vehicle (HGV) transport annually. That’s a major reduction in our carbon footprint and a powerful example of how infrastructure choices can support sustainability goals.

Leading the way in low-carbon food

Our efforts are paying off. Independent analysis by MyEmissions has confirmed that our PureOaty Barista and Tea-riffic oat drinks produce just 0.26kg CO₂e per litre, that’s 50% lower than leading oat drinks and 78% lower than dairy milk. Likewise, our porridge and granola ranges perform significantly better than industry averages.

These figures demonstrate how a local, vertically integrated model can achieve real world environmental benefits. By combining low-impact farming, short supply chains, and renewable-powered production, we’re setting a benchmark for sustainable plant-based foods.

As the demand for sustainable, plant-based options grows, we believe British agriculture and food producers can lead the way, not just in taste and quality, but in integrity. For us, sustainability is not about quick wins. It’s about long-term stewardship of the land, conscious consumption, and empowering customers to make choices that are better for the planet.

Find out more about Glebe Farm’s sustainability story here .

Contributor bio:

Philip Rayner is the co-founder and managing director of Glebe Farm Foods, the UK’s leading grower of gluten-free oats. With a background in engineering, he champions sustainable production and co-created PureOaty, the UK’s first coeliac-certified oat drink, as part of a growing range of porridge and granola offering safe, delicious options for consumers.

Be inspired by the brand new Get Seasonal podcast for chefs

Mon, 12 May 2025 09:54:42 GMT

Love British Food, the initiative dedicated to generating greater demand for UK produce, announces the launch of its new podcast for chefs, Get Seasonal.

The podcast showcases the importance of introducing sustainable, seasonal British produce onto menus throughout the hospitality sector, to deliver greater commercial and environmental resilience.

Hosted by Ian Nottage, head of food development at Love British Food’s official partner - Fresh Direct, and Graeme Collie, executive chef at King’s College London, the industry-focused podcast seeks to build better supplier relationships and encourage a more rounded approach to foodservice strategies.

“We all care about food, and I hope our podcast helps chefs’ better understand and harness the seasonality of British produce, it’s crucial for menu development. There’s growing demand for British produce, and we want to support the industry to learn more about its benefits, especially in terms of sustainability and quality," says Ian Nottage .

Graeme Collie adds; “As a chef it’s great to have access to information that can help you build deeper commercial awareness and connections with where your food comes from. Get Seasonal is all about collaboration and shared thinking, so we can all become ‘partners in produce’ and make the most of fantastic seasonal ingredients to drive positive change in the catering industry.”

Featuring insights from industry giants, renowned chefs, and producers from across the supply chain, Get Seasonal will be broadcast quarterly in line with the British growing seasons to deliver topical news and menu inspiration.

The first episode’s special guests are Peter Taylor, general manager at Westlands Nurseries, who talks about the innovative growing techniques used to ensure year-round availability of high-quality British produce.

The podcast also features founder of Ground Up Cookery School, Colin Wheeler-James, who explores foraging and fermentation techniques that reduce food waste and add depth to seasonal dishes.

Balancing cost implications, nutritional value, flavour profiles and sustainability can be challenging in today’s hospitality landscape. The Get Seasonal podcast provides an easy to digest guide through the seasonal calendar, looking at food innovations.

Graeme says: “Ultimately we want to provide chefs with the inspiration and expertise to make more with underutilised fresh British produce.”

Join the community of chefs, food service professionals, and sustainability advocates in celebrating British produce.

Public sector caterers invited to Love British Food farm-based sustainability training day

Tue, 06 May 2025 14:04:51 GMT

Love British Food announces its tenth on-farm training event for public sector food professionals, showcasing how sustainable British produce can enhance nutrition, meet procurement standards, and support local economies.

Taking place on Tuesday 10 June at Courteenhall Estate in Northamptonshire, the event is being hosted by the British Farming Awards Sustainable Farmer of 2024, Dr Johnny Wake.

Dr. Wake left a career in medicine to focus on transforming his family farm into a leading example of regenerative farming. He will guide a tour of the Estate, showcasing the sustainable practices shaping British agriculture.

Delegates can expect practical insights and an opportunity to share learning with their peers, as Dr Wake explores the vital relationships in the food chain and their link to student / patient wellbeing. From sustainably managing land to produce low-impact, nutritious food, to the positive outcomes this has for health – both for people and the environment.

“We’re looking forward to welcoming Love British Food to Courteenhall,” says Dr Wake.

“We’re keen to promote healthy eating and a connection with food and where it comes from by providing tangible example of how responsible land stewardship, sustainability, and holistic living can be seamlessly integrated into daily life.”

With the upcoming Government Buying Standards for public sector procurement, this unique training day offers a timely opportunity to learn how to align with policies that prioritise nutritious, sustainably farmed British food—driving economic growth and supporting public health.

The event will also introduce the new partnership between Love British Food and Food for Life, aimed at promoting good food in schools, hospitals and care settings.

This visit is part of Love British Food’s national programme promoting British food within the public sector. After successfully completing nine farm visits, this tenth event will inspire even more caterers to champion locally sourced, environmentally sustainable, and nutritionally superior food.

Alexia Robinson, Love British Food Founder, says: “Simply put, food grown in a way that Johnny advocates for, not only enhances the environment it is often more nutritious. It plays a vital role in helping students thrive, patients recover, and our local communities and economies to flourish.”

Learn more about Love British Food’s farm visit programme here: Farm Visits for Caterers

Event notes:

Cost including farm tour, lunch, and training materials:

£50 for NACC and TUCO members
£95 for non-members

How to book:

NACC members: Email Neel.Radia@thenacc.co.uk
TUCO members: Email Sarah.McLoughlin@tuco.ac.uk
Or online at https://www.tuco.ac.uk/academy/professional-development/development-day/love-british-food-training-day
Other organisations: Email alexiarobinson@lovebritishfood.co.uk

Location details: Courteenhall Estate, Northamptonshire, NN7 2QD

Visit the Courteenhall Estate Website

Agenda:

10.30am - Arrival with tea/coffee and introductions
11.00am - Guided farm tour led by Dr Johnny Wake, showcasing regenerative farming practices
1.00pm - Working lunch and group discussion covering:
Building robust, local supply chains
How sustainable food supports net zero goals
Improving nutrition and health outcomes
Menu planning around seasonal produce
Managing cost challenges
Community benefits of sourcing British
Love British Food's national programme of farm visits and support
3.00pm - Closing remarks (the day will conclude by 3.30pm)

Listen: Dr Wake, recently appeared on BBC Radio 4 discussing the future of food and farming. Listen to his interview here: BBC Radio 4 Interview

Love British Food Pledge Launched at TUCO Competitions Event

Wed, 16 Apr 2025 08:37:36 GMT

A new commitment to British food and farming was unveiled at the University of Warwick today as the Love British Food Pledge made its debut at the prestigious TUCO Competitions Event.

Co-created by Tim Radcliffe , NHS England and Alexia Robinson , Founder of Love British Food, the initiative calls on industry leaders, influencers, and media to publicly pledge their support for homegrown food and farming.

At the heart of the launch is a Pledge Board , inviting attendees to physically sign their commitment to the principles of the Pledge.

The Pledge outlines core commitments:

We, the undersigned, proudly commit to supporting and promoting British food and farming. Together, we pledge to:

Champion British Produce

- Prioritise the sourcing, supply, and promotion of British-grown and British-made food wherever possible.

- Highlight the quality, sustainability, and heritage of British produce in all aspects of our work.

Support British Farmers, Producers and Manufacturers

- Build strong, fair, and transparent relationships with British farmers, growers, producers and manufacturers.

- Encourage investment in British agriculture by promoting its importance to local economies and communities.

Promote Sustainability and Seasonality

- Advocate for sustainable farming and production practices that protect our countryside and environment.

- Celebrate the seasonality of British food, reducing food miles and minimising waste

Inspire Consumers to Choose British

- Educate and inspire customers and communities about the benefits of choosing British food.

- Create opportunities to showcase the diversity and excellence of British food and drink through menus, events, and campaigns.

Work Together for a Stronger Future

- Collaborate with like-minded organisations and businesses to strengthen British food’s presence locally and globally.

- Advocate for policies that support the growth and success of British agriculture and food production.

- By signing this pledge, we affirm our commitment to the values of Love British Food, to ensure a thriving future for British food, farming, and communities.

Love British Food’s Alexia Robinson commented:

“British food is the backbone of our nation’s health, economy, and identity. This Pledge gives people across our industry a powerful way to show their support and drive real change in sourcing, sustainability and education,”

NHS England’s Tim Radcliffe added:

“We believe this initiative will energise the sector and create a ripple effect - encouraging public services, retailers, and the wider food industry to source British and support our farmers.”

Graeme Collie, TUCO concluded:

“We were delighted to launch the Love British Food Pledge at the TUCO Competitions event today and I'm sure the TUCO members will continue to support the Pledge this year. Many TUCO members were keen to commit to the pledge and show their support to British food and farming.”

Following its launch at TUCO, the Love British Food Pledge will feature at major sector events throughout the year, including the LACA Main Event in July, as well as the NACC and HCA annual events.

This campaign comes at a pivotal time for British food production, as consumers and caterers alike demand greater transparency, sustainability, and local provenance in their food choices.

NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde (NHSGGC) - How We Source Our Patients Food

Mon, 14 Apr 2025 18:16:13 GMT

Background

NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde (NHSGGC) is the largest Health Board in Scotland, providing a catering service for approximately 6,000 patients each day across 4 sectors covering 16 hospital sites.

These range from small outlying units to the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital Campus, the largest Critical Care complex and Emergency Department in Europe.

I work as Catering Business Manager within the Corporate Catering Team for NHSGGC.

The team is multi-disciplinary and includes:

Head of Catering
Retail Catering Lead
Catering Business Manager
Cook Freeze Production Unit Manager
Strategic Dietitian
Strategic Catering Manager

The team work continuously to improve the quality and standard of catering to patients and visitors by providing governance to each catering department across NHSGGC ensuring compliance with National Standards and regulations.

Over the years the team has been involved with several catering initiatives and projects over including:

Refurbishment of 2 Central Production Units to a cook freeze model of food production.
Transition to a cook freeze model of food service across the entire health board.
Implementation of standard menus across every hospital site.
Supply of Cook Freeze products to support another Health Board in Scotland.
Development and trial of the current National Catering Information System.
Introduction of Catering Public Partners to monitor and audit patient catering services.

NHSGGC deliver patient catering using standardised menus and procedures across every catering department. The majority of patient food is offered from the standard adult 2 week menu.

All hot items offered within this standard menu are produced in house from the 2 Cook Freeze Production Units (CFPUs) who produce and deliver orders to all our hospital sites. Between them the CFPUs produce over 70,000 meals each week.

The CFPUs also support with some additional items for specialised menus and retail catering. Specialised menu items that cannot be produced in house are currently purchased externally by the individual Catering Departments according to their specific patient’s dietary needs.

All of our menus are nutritionally analysed to ensure compliance with National Standards and Legislation.

Menu Planning

Menu planning for patients has become extremely challenging over the years where greater consideration must now be given to:

Increased cost of provisions and available budget.
Increased demand for special, alternative and religious diets.
Compliance to national nutritional standards and legislation.
Meeting the Scottish National “Cost per Patient Day” financial target.

Retail Catering however can be more flexible with seasonal offerings and promotions which is an ideal opportunity to promote our Scottish Food.

How we source our food

In Scotland all 14 health boards and 8 special boards source their provisions in conjunction with National Services Scotland National Procurement (NP).

NP manage the supply of provisions from third party suppliers which involves, contracting suppliers and products, management of suppliers and the supply chain. This gives NHS Scotland more control over the procurement process ensuring quality and value for each health board.

Food safety is also enhanced with regular supplier audits and inspections.

We are extremely fortunate to have a highly motivated National Commodity Manager with a wealth of knowledge and experience.

Every stage of a tender process involves the participation of the “Catering Advisory Panel” with representation from every related health board. This collaboration ensures that all boards have a voice at the table and their individual requirements are met. It is acknowledged that one size does not fit all for example rural areas in the Highlands will have very different needs to that of NHSGGC.

While we do consider finance during the procurement process the panel wholeheartedly recognise that that it is not just a cost cutting exercise. Value also relates to food quality, nutritional value, the health of our patients, sustainability and the local community. We are also extremely mindful that we are buying for the public plate with the public purse and take our responsibility very seriously.

We work in line with current Government guidance, regulations and legislation.

Including:

Procurement Reform (Scotland) Act 2014

Ensures that we focus on the wellbeing of our local areas.

All of our milk is produced and processed in Scotland.

All of our red meat is Quality Meat Scotland Assured which contributes to the efficiency, sustainability and integrity of the Scottish red meat sector and its contribution to the Scottish economy.

Good Food Nation (Scotland) Act 2022

The “Good Food Nation (Scotland) Act 2022” commits the Scottish Government, Local Authorities and Health Boards to create strategies for the sustainability of food supply and the quality of food to improve outcomes for health.

National Catering and Nutritional Specification for Food and Fluid Provision in Hospitals in Scotland

Sets out nutrition and catering criteria to ensure that NHS Boards support HIS Food, Fluid and Nutritional Care Standards.

The Catering Advisory Panel also actively work with smaller local suppliers and nominate products that can be added to our catalogues. NHSGGC use a local fishmonger to supply the CFPUs with fresh Scottish fish for our patients.

The panel also visit suppliers regularly to see where our food comes from and how it is processed/handled. It is also very useful for us to see and hear about some of the challenges our suppliers experience in terms of logistics and the current inconsistency with the ongoing supply of commodities.

Relationships with our Suppliers

Working with NP helps Health Boards to develop good relationships with our suppliers.

An example of this is described below.

NHSGGC for several years struggled to find a suitable breaded fish product for our patients which could be cooked in our food regeneration trolleys. There were several products available on the market from contracted suppliers but none were suitable, nor were they Scottish.

Directly following the Pandemic our National Commodity Manager identified a quality Scottish haddock product used in Scotland’s Schools as a possible solution. Following a successful trial of the product, a visit to Downies of Whitehills in the north of Scotland was quickly arranged. Interest from a few other Health Boards was also expressed and Borders, Fife and Grampian joined us.

It was wonderful to see the operation in action and the icing on the cake was that this breaded fish is both landed and processed in Scotland. The Aberdeen Harbour Master also dropped in and gave us an informative talk about Scottish fishing in the area.

The visit was extremely successful. We were given a full tour of the processing unit where we observed the fresh fish being processed, blast frozen, breaded and packaged.

Following several months of collaboration between National Procurement, NHSGGC and Bidfood who offered to support with distribution, we were finally were able to supply a wonderful Scottish breaded haddock fillet to our patients.

This is an excellent example that demonstrates the value our Scottish National Procurement and collaborative working. Last year alone Downies of Whitehills supplied NHSGGC with 180,852 fillets of breaded fish for patients.

I am very proud to have contributed to several commodity tenders and initiatives over the years and place great value in how we procure our patients food in Scotland, especially in light of increasing concerns around food security.

Milton Keynes Hospital

Tue, 01 Apr 2025 14:27:09 GMT

Our Journey So Far

As the Catering Manager at Milton Keynes Hospital, I am proud to share how we have helped our community, local suppliers and farmers get their food into our hospital and to hopefully inspire you to do the same.

I am passionate for locally grown and supplied produce, and working with Love British Food has empowered me to change the way the hospital works with suppliers and supports local food.

The first local supplier we worked with was AB Fruits, a small fruit and veg supplier just 27 miles away from our site. AB Fruits understand our ambition for nutritious, healthy food at the hospital and were key to ensuring we use seasonal produce at its most fresh, sourced right here on our doorstep.

We encourage our Catering Team to meet our suppliers face to face to gain an understanding of how they work, and to check they share the same values as us. We visited AB Fruits and took a closer look at the produce they supply and how they support British farmers. They took us to visit one of their farmers - Crossways Farm – and we saw the vegetables being grown in often challenging British weather. We learnt about watering crops by irrigation and how the crops are rotated on the land. The crops include leeks, celeriac, pumpkins, squash, savoy cabbage, brussels sprouts, asparagus, purple sprouting broccoli and cauliflower – most of which we use at the Hospital.

In 2023, we introduced Farm to Table specials to our hospital menus and try to do one of these each m onth. We give full traceability on the food items, even down to the field it is from. We want to further develop this to push more seasonality of food and educate our customers (who are our patients, visitors and staff) on how they might make seasonal, local choices at home.

The Catering Team also visited our local butcher – The Buckingham Butcher. They have been in the butchery trade for over 20 years supplying restaurants and schools and now us as their first hospital. They are incredibly passionate about working with local farmers and buying British, and keen to supply more hospitals in the future. Working directly with the butcher gives us full traceability and access to see them working at any time.

Finding local suppliers in our area was not easy, particularly as hospitals operate to complex and high standards, have demanding procurement processes and require stringent Hygiene certification. However, we strongly believe a local hospital should support local businesses and vice versa. This supports the health of the community, the local economy and demonstrates good social values.

We are always conscious of needing to get value for money, and I believe our approach is cost-effective and responsible. We are able to support local community suppliers and, at the same time, ensure patients have access to tasty, nourishing food that contributes to their recovery and, I hope, sends them home quicker and healthier. For our staff, we know that they can rely upon decent meals and snacks that give them nourishment, comfort and sustained energy to work in our very demanding environment.

My recommendation is the food that we serve should come straight from a local farm or supplier close to you.

Catering at Yeovil Hospital

Tue, 01 Apr 2025 10:37:14 GMT

Yeovil District Hospital (YDH) are committed to improving the care experience for their patients, staff, and visitors. They have an innovative approach to improving meal provision, with a special focus on tackling malnutrition and dehydration, streamlining meal delivery, and enhancing both the patient and customer experience. Through strategic improvements in menu design, waste management, and patient-centric service, the hospital catering team has successfully met the challenge of providing nutritious, appealing meals that cater to the diverse needs of the hospital community.

As part of their commitment to sustainability, a comprehensive waste reduction initiative that targets food waste at all stages of meal provision—from kitchen preparation to patient plated and unserved meals was introduced. By partnering with food service providers and leveraging technology, they implemented real-time waste tracking, allowing them to identify inefficiencies and reduce unnecessary food wastage. Additionally, they transitioned to biodegradable, recyclable meal packaging, reducing their carbon footprint and contributing to the hospital’s broader environmental goals.

The Catering team have come a long way in recent years, demonstrating fantastic improvement for not only patients, staff but also visitors, with many changes including waste, improving service levels and patient/customer experiences.

The in-house service has seven chefs at working YDH included in the team of over 40 staff, the Catering department has grown in recent years with the influence from new management with Catering and Hospitality background.

The use of local and seasonal provisions are used to write menus for both patients, staff and visitors, has not only reduced costs but also reduced Caterings carbon footprint & sustainability in food, the catering team work closely with suppliers in the KPI monthly meetings to talk about seasonal provisions

Regular monthly meets between the Catering and the Dietitians was implemented back in 2018 and has paid dividends, with both departments working closer together for patient nutrition and hydration, the chefs work with the dietitians on menus to make sure there is a well-balanced menu (remember food is medicine) the newly appointed Catering Liaison Officer (CLO) in 2023 is the link between the Catering and Dietitians but also the patients.

The CLO carries out weekly surveys from staff and visitors, including speaking directly with the patients on the wards, this has allowed the Catering team to make changes by listening to the feedback, it gives the team a better understanding of what is and isn’t liked from the most popular meals to the not so popular meals and what sides of vegetables go with what main courses, this also helps with portion sizes and waste, there is also a suggestion box in the staff canteen as well as QR codes for feedback.

Menus at YDH are written 8 days in advance by the chefs, with the use of seasonal provisions, using local British ingredients from local suppliers.

The chefs working closely with the Dietitians in the monthly meetings, write varied well-balanced menus, dried herbs are banned in the kitchen with the chefs having their own herb garden outside in the seating area.

The patient-centric strategy focuses on creating the environment where the needs, preferences, and experiences of patients are at the heart of every decision made. This approach improves outcomes, enhances patient satisfaction, and drives better care delivery, the team commitment is consistently communicated of the importance of a patient-centred approach which will keep improving patient outcomes and experiences.

The Catering team have regular training sessions, encouraging staff to take an active role in enhancing the patient experience by providing them the tools and autonomy to solve patient issues quickly and effectively, by phone or in person.

Part of the Catering Liaison’s Officers role is to work with not only dietitians but clinical staff, working together on patients care plans, which includes their nutrition and hydration.

A newly refurbished staff canteen called the Breeze Café offers a clean, quiet, and accessible facilities including a garden (in the summer) for staff, visitors and patients to visit and enjoy the talented chefs’ delights, from the Deli-bar to Asian Thursday and a fantastic carvery with three meats and proper homemade gravy every Wednesday and Sunday is a must try.

Focusing on mealtimes, the Catering team work closely with the Housekeepers who serve the food at ward level ensuring the service of meal times run as smooth as possible, with late meals being delivered for any patient outside of lunch or supper times, digital meal time ordering as close to meal times not only ensures the patient gets what they ordered, it has helped reduce food waste and efficiency.

The development of a QR code system where patients can look at the coming weeks menu, with pictures and nutritional information will be rolled out for 2025.

Love British Food Podcast Shortlisted for Marketing Award at Public Sector Catering Awards

Mon, 31 Mar 2025 10:32:01 GMT

Love British Food is delighted to announce that its unique podcast series has been shortlisted for the prestigious Marketing Award at the 2025 Public Sector Catering Awards, marking a significant recognition just one year after its launch.

Led by Derek Wright, Director of Love British Food and Head of Catering at Blackpool Local Authority, and expertly edited by Georgina Wright, the podcast has quickly gained recognition for tackling some of the most pressing and complex issues in the UK food supply chain.

Since its debut, the Love British Food podcast has featured engaging and thought-provoking conversations with voices from across the sector, including caterers, farmers, chefs, procurement leads, educators and public sector leaders. Episodes have explored everything from sustainability and supply chain resilience to the challenges of delivering nutritious British food in schools and hospitals.

Each episode concludes with a popular seasonal food feature led by Ben Bartlett, Director of Love British Food and Director of Master Chefs GB, highlighting the importance and versatility of local seasonal British ingredients.

Episodes start with an update from our resident farmer, Sam Mallinson who is a 3rd generation arable farmer from Lancashire. Sam shares monthly updates about his family farm in Lancashire.

Commenting on the news, Alexia Robinson, Founder of Love British Food, said:

“This shortlisting is a fantastic achievement and a real testament to the energy, honesty and passion that goes into every episode. Huge congratulations to Derek and Georgina, our Farmer-in-Residence Sam, and of course Ben Bartlett for creating something truly original.

These podcasts are the first to really cover the full farm-to-fork journey, through insightful conversations with the people who keep our food system going. We’re proud to be giving them a platform.”

The awards ceremony will take place on Thursday 24th April at the Hilton London Metropole, where winners will be revealed in a celebration of excellence across the public sector catering landscape.

Podcast links:

https://www.lovebritishfood.co.uk/podcasts

From estate to plate: How Islay and Jura introduced local wild venison to the school menu

Sun, 09 Mar 2025 21:01:55 GMT

On a crisp morning in the heart of Argyll and Bute, the small community schools on Islay and Jura are buzzing with excitement. In the lunch hall of Small Isles Primary, a group of children eagerly line up to try something new - a plate of wild venison meatballs, freshly prepared and sourced from the very hills surrounding their homes.

This is not just another school meal - this is the future of sustainable, locally sourced food in action.

The groundbreaking pilot project, launched in partnership with Argyll and Bute Council, Wild Jura, and Food for Life Scotland, aims to bring the rich flavours of Scotland’s wild larder to school children while promoting sustainability and supporting the local economy.

“We were delighted when Food for Life Scotland approached us to collaborate on this pilot project, and we are extremely pleased with the positive response,” said Christine Boyle, Senior Manager for Catering, Cleaning, Events, and Food Strategy at Argyll and Bute Council.

“In the past, we had explored ways to introduce locally sourced meat into school meals but encountered several challenges, with distribution and reducing food miles being the most significant barriers.

“When the opportunity to participate in this pilot project arose, it was an obvious choice for us. It allowed us to support local businesses while ensuring high-quality, nutritious food was served to our pupils.”

The council looked to the schools on Islay and Jura, using pupil focus groups to gain students thoughts on venison and try different dishes that met nutritional standards. Led by the upper year groups at Small Isles Primary, pupils of all ages tried and voted for their favourite dishes. The result? Venison burgers and meatballs – and the price was favourable.

“The response has been brilliant and while this is currently a pilot project on the two islands, we hope it can continue. It’s not shown a significant increase in cost because it’s only two products every three weeks – but it has increased our meal uptake, which has been fantastic,” Christine said.

Lucie Wardle, Senior Development Manager (Supply Chain Lead) at Soil Association Scotland said “It has been a real joy to work with Wild Jura and Argyll & Bute Council on making this idea a reality. Getting local food into local school meals is a huge focus for our work, but it’s not always easy. Wild venison has been an area of interest for years, but making these things happen takes time.

“Making use of wild venison in the communities where it is being culled is a win for everyone. Wild venison is such a sustainable protein – it’s low carbon as we’re not supplying the feed or farming it with added inputs, the deer are here in our landscape and need to be culled by regulation, so finding a valuable supply chain for this nutrient dense, sustainable meat is a no brainer. The kids here on Jura are surrounded by deer, it’s part of their culture, so to be able to get it into their school meals just makes sense – plus it’s really delicious.”

"We had not seriously considered introducing our venison into school meals until we were approached by Food for Life Scotland," said Cath McCallum, co-founder of Wild Jura.

"A friend had often expressed the view that venison should feature on school menus, and while I shared that belief, it always felt somewhat out of reach. However, through this initiative, Lucie from Food for Life Scotland played a pivotal role in turning that vision into reality.

"The supply chain is remarkably simple. From source to school, the journey takes no more than an hour - from the hill to Port Ellen. Food miles are exceptionally low, processing is minimal, and any additional ingredients are organic. We are grateful that these benefits are recognised and are now being enjoyed by local children, whom we have a collective responsibility to feed with care.

"On a personal level, it is especially rewarding to know that my own children, who attend this school, are receiving locally sourced, sustainable food. They are also gaining an understanding of the food cycle—learning where their food originates, the reasons behind the cull, and the broader benefits of this approach."

The pilot project supplies wild venison to six schools across Islay and Jura, including primary schools and Islay High School. The meat is nutrient-dense, rich in protein, and low in saturated fat, making it a healthy addition to school meals.

Recipes were developed that comply with Scottish Government Nutritional Requirements for Food and Drink in Schools and the Food for Life Served Here standards.

This journey has not been without its challenges - establishing the butchery, meeting strict nutritional guidelines, and balancing the needs of wildlife management. But the rewards have outweighed the hurdles.

Looking ahead, the council plans to monitor the project's outcomes and explore opportunities to expand this initiative to more schools across Argyll and Bute. The success of this pilot could serve as a model for other regions seeking to integrate locally sourced, sustainable produce into public institutions.

The relationship between NHS and farming

Tue, 18 Feb 2025 14:58:28 GMT

Our Prime Minister Keir Starmer was quoted in an interview last week by saying voters must choose between a 'tax break' for farmers or tackle the NHS backlogs. How about our government invests in farming and start to revolutionise the food system to produce highly nutritious food in more accessible places and affordable avenues to ultimately reduce the consumption of ultra processed foods and to deduct revenue and profit from the large corporations who are contributing to the current obesity and mental health crisis? Surely the corporate fat cats are morally and directly responsible for the heavy burden upon our NHS?

Jenny Jefferies explores further the widening gap between farmer and consumer for Love British Food…

We are all in it together

We are living in the middle of a modern epidemic of mass misinformation where an awful lot of people are making an awful lot of noise to the detriment of our food producers, especially our farmers. The challenges currently facing farmers both here in the UK and around the world are not exclusive to just paying ‘a bit more tax’; but also climate change, conflict, delicate local, national, and international economies, politics and policies, rise in cost of living, rise in cost of fuel and fertiliser, shortage of labour, post Brexit, post pandemic… we are all in it together.

Farmers in the UK are under so much pressure.

Farmers in the UK are under so much pressure to not only produce highly nutritious food for us all to eat, but also to look after our immediate environments, to educate the public, to inform consumers, to ‘tell their story’, to inspire the next generation, whilst at the same time making the farming business viable, profitable and sustainable.

There’s absolute no sufficient financial support from the ever changing government administrations; initiating the now infamous and devastating inheritance tax, and withdrawing the BPS (Basic Payment System), to mention but a few, and in parallel getting increasingly taken advantage of by large corporations and supermarkets, by not giving farmers a fair price for their produce, and along with depleting agricultural resources and a consistent lack of support for the mitigating risks of TB and bird flu.

The average age of a farmer here in the uk is 58 (Farming UK). Three people in the UK farming and agricultural industry die by suicide every week, according to the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP). And the tragedy that dare not speak its name; people who trespass on land that doesn’t belong to them, and in the middle of dark night to hare course and breed dogs purely for their speed and aggression to the detriment of crops and livestock, and of course, the hares themselves.

This increasingly heavy load upon the shoulders of our food producers is actually unfathomable, outrageous and very dangerous.

Are we not asking too much from our farmers?

Is this not seriously time to take a step back and consider the detrimental effect that is happening to people who are simply growing our food? There is, however, nothing simple about it. Food is far from simple. Food is complicated. Power, influence, money, people; they all play a significant part. But it is the people that really matter; perhaps especially those whom are on the front line in this war against corporate greed, conscious selfishness and political ignorance.

Farmers are a very rare breed. But that doesn’t justify the colossal burden of simply expecting farmers to have all the answers. But they so often do.

The future is in our hands

There is a profound and powerful movement from the ground up where British farmers are now making positive and powerful decisions to farm regeneratively, in amongst other farming initiatives such as agroecology, permaculture, urban, organic and vertical farming.

When other people have persistently let our food producers down; farmers are beginning to fight back. This, perhaps, is just the beginning.

Follow @jennyljefferies

Love British Food & ‘No Farmers, No Food' Partnership Announcement

Wed, 05 Feb 2025 09:52:06 GMT

Love British Food and No Farmers, No Food are delighted to announce a partnership dedicated to promoting British farmers. Together, they will champion initiatives to ensure British food is the primary choice in public institutions and push for fair supermarket pricing that reflects the true value of our farmers' hard work.

Together they will campaign to:

Prioritise British food in the public sector: push for a higher commitment than the current government pledge of 50%.
Achieve fair pricing: ensure supermarkets pay a fair price to farmers.
End misleading labelling: Tackle 'farm washing' that misleads consumers about the origins of supermarket products.
Reform country of origin labelling laws: push for legislation requiring at least 65% of a product's ingredients to be British for it to be labelled as such.
Expand Love British Food’s programme of farm visits:increase educational farm visits for caterers to highlight the value of buying British.
Encourage food service buyers to access the value of shorter supply chains and close relationships with producers.
Align investment in British food with an investment in a healthier more productive population.
Secure funding to incentivise farmers to produce the types of food that will meet the nation’s changing diets: more pulses, fruit and vegetables, alongside maintaining our meat and dairy supply as quality, safe protein that contributes to sustaining our beautiful countryside.
Debunk once and forever the falsehood that Britain’s livestock farming is a contributor to climate change. Instead educate consumers and media about the importance of livestock to sustaining our environment and the value of quality meat in a balanced diet.

Alexia Robinson - CEO Love British Food:

"This partnership amplifies our impact across the country and aligns our ground initiatives with a strong social media presence. I’m so happy to contribute actively on the NFNF Steering Group alongside respected farmers.”

We have long admired the work that NFNF does and Charles Goadby, one of the lead Steering Group members, has been one of Love British Food’s ambassadors for a long time.

Love British Food prides itself on delivering change on the ground, such as our farm visit programme for caterers that has been ground-breaking in putting British food on the public sector agenda. No Farmers, No Food has quickly become the biggest voice for British farmers on social media. Partnering makes so much sense - we can amplify each other’s our work and our activity in communities across the country.

Hiking inheritance tax is the issue of the moment, and has acted as a catalyst to ignore a much-needed debate around the importance of British farmers. This partnership is designed to ensure this new-found appreciation is built on to deliver a more robust future for farmers and other producers all over the UK.”

James Melville - Founder of No Farmers, No Food:

“We are delighted to partner with Love British Food who are a brilliant campaign organisation that champions all that is great about British food. This is a perfect fit for a hugely exciting and productive collaboration. British farmers are facing huge pressures on a number of different fronts. We will continue to support farmers and amplify the concerns in the farming industry and rural communities and at the same time, showcase the importance and benefits of British farm food and to campaign for improving supply chains at a fair price for farmers.”

Charles Goadby - No Farmers, No food steering group member:

“The partnership between Love British Food and No Farmers No Food will see two campaign groups that I'm immensely proud to be involved with working together for the common good. British farmers provide the highest quality produce, with amongst the highest animal welfare and environmental sustainability standards in the world. Let us ensure that we are able to continue to do so, increasing and protecting our self sufficiency and food security and delivering what the British public have consistently called for. Let us ensure that our schools, hospitals and public sector caterers use British and locally sourced produce wherever possible, delivering the freshest and most nutritious and sustainable meals available while feeding and growing our own economy. Let us bring honesty, transparency and trust back into our diets and our food supply chains.”

Cathy Amos Joins Love British Food as Non-Executive Director

Mon, 27 Jan 2025 14:59:42 GMT

Love British Food, the leading organisation promoting British food at grassroots and industry levels, is delighted to announce the appointment of Cathy Amos as Non-Executive Director.

Cathy, who currently holds the position of Head of Customer Marketing at Brakes, is celebrated for her extensive experience in the food service sector, particularly within the public sector which is integral to Love British Food's mission.

Cathy Amos has devoted her career to the food and hospitality industry, with a focus over the last decade on supporting caterers in public and care settings. At Brakes, she leads a team of development chefs who specialise in these sectors. She has also collaborated closely with leading contract caterers and various public sector bodies, including PSC, LACA, TUCO, NACC, and the HCA.

She joins other non-executive directors: Derek Wright (Blackpool Catering), Tim Radcliffe (NHS England) and Ben Bartlett (Master Chefs GB).

“I am delighted to join Love British Food as a non-executive director. We should be so proud of the fantastic British food manufacturers producers and growers and must support the food service industry in using more British food. Love British Food has done an incredible job over the past 15 years in supporting the industry and I am looking forward to supporting and representing the supply distribution side of the foodservice industry.”

- Cathy Amos, Head of Customer Marketing, Brakes

“I am delighted to welcome Cathy Amos as a non-executive director of Love British Food. Cathy and I have worked together for many years. Her support is a much valued endorsement of our activities. She is hugely respected, liked and admired across the food industry. She brings much experience, wisdom, vision and passion. I look forward enormously to working with her.”

- Alexia Robinson, Love British Food Founder

Looking ahead, Love British Food is excited about its upcoming activities…

Get Seasonal with Love British Food: new series of podcasts led by Graeme Collie and Fresh Direct to support chefs private and public sector; with a quarterly e-newsletter to support. Part of Love British Food’s Farm to Fork podcast led by Derek Wright.
Morrisons community activities and in-store promotions
Supporting the 193 NHS change-makers who have attended Love British Food farm visits as well as the newly announced NHS Exemplar Trusts
Love British Food Education and Hospital and Care Catering Working Groups expanding reach and activity
Hospitality promotions with pubs and restaurants
British Food Fortnight 26 ^th Sept – 12 ^th Oct
National Harvest Service in partnership with leading food re-distribution charities working to address food poverty
Love British Food partnership with Food for Life to enhance joint activity in schools & hospitals.

Partners announced this year include: Brakes, Fresh Direct, Bon Culina, Essential Cuisine and Harrison Catering. Love British Food is in discussions with Chartwells, Medirest, OCS, Sodexo and Aramark all of whom are being asked to sign a pledge of support for British farmers, food producers and manufacturers as part of their partnership this year.

British Hamper Company

Fri, 20 Dec 2024 14:18:16 GMT

Our family business, the British Hamper Company, was founded in 2014 by our eldest son James, together with my husband and me.

Mike and I come from large families that enjoyed cooking and eating and we seem to have passed this down to the next generation. Having a big (party-headed) family ourselves meant that we spent much of our time (and still do!) cooking good and largely unprocessed family meals on a budget. We had a few years living abroad when the children were small which made us realise how much we missed British food….so all in all, perhaps it’s only natural that we developed a food business!

Having a love of food is important when it comes to selecting tasty, quality products for our hampers. Like many people, we’ve become more and more interested in where our food comes from. It also helps that I’m coeliac. Diagnosed about 20 years ago, I consider myself quite an expert now when it comes to choosing gluten- free foods. We have regular tasting sessions for our products, and I have a lot of fun sampling the gluten- free ones. They tell me I’m a picky one too (!) so you can guarantee the products in our wide range of gluten- free hampers are amazing!

Living and working in beautiful rural Lincolnshire, we’re lucky to be surrounded by food artisans who work hard to make the wonderful products you see in farm shops, delicatessens and markets.

By artisans, we mean independent producers who use traditional methods and tools to make small batches of food, not mass-produced, using just a few traceable ingredients. You’ll find them passionate about the quality and hence taste of their food. All over the UK our countryside bustles with small producers who desire to showcase the best of British produce, and we heartily support their efforts! Our British seasons allow such a variety of foods to be grown, why not use them?

In our search for good British foods to fill our hampers, we have met some inspirational artisans.

Take our cheeses, for example. We have two that are local to us, one from nearby Nottinghamshire and one from Somerset.

Lincolnshire Poacher is made by the Jones family on their farm in the Lincolnshire Wolds using their own herds’ milk. This delicious and popular cheese is said to be a cross between a West Country Cheddar and a continental alpine cheese.

Cote Hill Red cheese is made by the Davenport family, just down the road from us. An award-winning cheese, it has a sweet, nutty and semi-hard texture.

Over in Nottinghamshire we found the loveliest Blue Stilton cheese, made by the Skailes family who have been running the Cropwell Bishop Creamery for over 160 years.

From Godminster in Somerset comes the tasty Vintage Organic Truckle. This mouth-watering cheddar comes from an organic dairy herd on a small farm and we’re proud to include it in our hampers.

We have an interesting selection of gift hampers that include these cheeses, and they all come paired with artisanal sweet and savoury nibbles and/or fine wine. Our British Cheese and Treats hamper is a perfect and neat mix of cheese and delicious sweet and savoury artisanal treats, to suit all palates. Our award-winning Picnic Celebration Hamper includes Poacher cheese, a cream tea, smoked salmon and an English Rose, for picnic perfection!

Down in the West Country we found a passionate family of artisan confectioners who make the most out-of-the world buttery fudge. Infused with tiny flakes of sea-salt, it’s delicious AND it’s gluten-free! Hand-made Caramel Sea Salt Fudge is included in many of our hampers.

Also here in the West Country works the skilled artisan chocolatier, Willie Harcourt-Cooze. He uses 100% natural ingredients! Milk, dark and white chocolate, these sublime Bean to Bars make wonderful additions to our hampers. In fact, we have the ideal hamper for chocoholics which contains these and more from other talented British independent chocolatiers, the Divinely Decadent Chocolate.

From the West Country we travel nearly 1000 miles to the Outer Hebrides where artisans are busy at work baking the crispiest, tastiest, savoury biscuit ever! Our Scottish Water Biscuits are made by traditional methods and pair very well with our cheeses but, being so popular, can be found in many of our hampers.

Tea lover? Even our teas are blended by artisans, on our doorstep in Lincoln! A family-run business, they blend the most perfect teas and coffees in small batches. We have full- flavoured breakfast tea, delicate refreshing Earl Grey tea and medium-bodied 100% Arabica coffee.

We’re coming up to Christmas, so let’s talk about chutney!

Fruity, spicy and seasonal, our Christmas Chutney is made in the heart of Essex by a family, using traditional methods and with no additives or preservatives. Great for the festive season but actually good all year round!

Our list of great tasting artisanal foods for our hampers is endless! We focus on provenance, never ceasing to be amazed at the passion and hard work that goes into creating the products. We’ll never tire of our journeys around Britain in search of the best; indeed we enjoy them!

We celebrate British food artisans and we’re proud to include their products in our hampers.

Soil Associations’ Food for Life and Love British Food join forces to amplify the need for British food to be accessible for all

Wed, 11 Dec 2024 14:10:47 GMT

Soil Associations’ Food for Life and Love British Food join forces to amplify the need for British food to be accessible for all

Two leading food campaigning organisations have joined forces to champion the importance of buying British in public sector settings. Soil Association’s Food for Life and Love British Food will support each other’s mission for good food for all in the public sector, hospitality and beyond. [EB1]

With a deep synergy between both organisations', together they will advocate for shorter, more sustainable supply chains to make British food a central part of schools, hospitals and other settings.

“We are delighted that Food for Life’s sustainable catering team has approached Love British Food proposing that we collaborate to further both our organisation’s activities. I am excited in particular that Food for Life schools will now be invited to take part in British Food Fortnight, joining the hundreds of schools that already run special menus for children during the national food celebrations.”

Alexia Robinson, CEO, Love British Food

It’s a great time to join forces with Love British Food to amplify the work that both charities are doing to put more fresh, minimally processed, British food on the plates of the nation. We look forward to collaborating with each other to strengthen our combined calls for change across the food industry and support caterers and suppliers to access our homegrown produce.

Amit Dattani, Director of Healthy and Sustainable Diets, Soil Association

Notes to editors:

Food for Life – Founded in 2003 has been running for over 20 years to make good food accessible for all. A Soil Association programme working directly with caterers, schools, and communities to implement sustainable and lasting change within the broken food system.

Food for Life Served Here is the sustainable catering certification run by the Soil Association. It currently has certified caterers in over 6500 schools across the UK.

Food for Life Schools Award empowers schools to build solutions that reach beyond the school canteen through the pioneering whole school approach. Focusing on system wide change and supporting people and communities to understand how to advocate for improved access to, and education around, good food. Currently operating in over 600 schools in England.

The Soil Association is a leading sustainable food and farming charity. Since 1946 the organisation has impacted millions of people, creating practical, nature-based solutions to recover climate, nature and health through sustainable and regenerative food, farming and forestry. Promoting the connection between people, food, and the natural world, lobbying government on key environmental policies, helping to serve millions of certified school meals and engaging thousands in farmer-led research.

Love British Food

Love British Food was founded by Alexia Robinson in 2002. It is the leading voice promoting British food in communities around the country, working at grassroot and industry level. Its work focuses on creating a vibrant domestic market for British food that gives farmers and producers the confidence to invest and ensure our food security, enabling sustainable supply chains that make good food available for all.

It is the organiser of British Food Fortnight, the national food celebration that reaches millions every autumn. 1,000s of shops, pubs, restaurants and communities, large and small, take part.

Love British Food’s activities aim to make quality British food available to all sectors of society. It is a uniquely trusted voice in the public sector, where Love British Food has become an established promotion in schools, universities, hospitals, care homes. As part of this, it is the longest serving representative of the British food industry on the Public Sector Catering Alliance; working to ensure British food is the first supplier of choice. It runs a national programme of farm visits for caterers, giving them a new appreciation of the value of British food to the supply chain. To date it has hosted 193 NHS caterers on 9 farm visits. And it facilitates working groups of public sector chefs providing the industry with a knowledge exchange platform.

It has a long association with the education sector having published the first guide to teaching food and cookery within the national curriculum: ‘Putting the Ooo back into Food’, endorsed by the Department of Health and Department for Education and Skills. Distributed to 35,000 schools, this established British Food Fortnight as a core event on the school calendar. Hundreds of teachers and school catering teams have taken part in the event over the years.

Love British Food has a very active social media presence and a Love British Food farm to fork podcast. It launches a new series for chefs in 20245: Get Seasonal with Love British Food, aiming to help chefs buy British more easily through the wholesale sector.

Further information:

E: alexiarobinson@lovebritishfood.co.uk

W: www.lovebritishfood.co.uk

Trimsaran Primary School announced as Love British Food’s Community Competition winner

Wed, 27 Nov 2024 14:49:01 GMT

Love British Food is delighted to announce Trimsaran Primary School as the winner of Love British Food's 'Community Competition', a highlight of this year’s British Food Fortnight. Recognised for their outstanding contribution to making good, healthy food accessible, the school was celebrated for its innovative food hub made from repurposed shipping containers.

This transformative project, driven by the school’s staff and its 180 pupils, has turned underutilised shipping containers into a bustling community food shop. The hub offers a range of healthy food options at reduced prices, vital in an area where public transport is sparse and access to affordable nutritious food is limited.

The school’s initiative promotes environmental sustainability by featuring homegrown produce cultivated in raised beds and a large polytunnel maintained by pupils under the guidance of a retired local gardener. The produce - including tomatoes, leeks, cucumbers, cabbages, and potatoes - is sold directly from container to community, eliminating food miles and providing the freshest ingredients to local consumers.

Community Champions from Morrisons stores across the country reached out to their local communities to find the nominees for the 'Community Competition' and the winning school receive £1,000 of products from Morrisons that can be spent over the year.

David Scott, Corporate Affairs Director at Morrisons and one of the competition judges, praised the project for its "intergenerational learning and the impressive repurposing of shipping containers." He highlighted how "this initiative brings the rural community together, turning the school into a linchpin of local life."

Liz Earle MBE, a wellbeing broadcaster, entrepreneur, and Love British Food Ambassador, also commended the project: "It resonated with me as being distinctly innovative—using shipping containers to bring fresh, local, and well-priced food into the heart of the community. The involvement of all ages in both education and contribution creates a vibrant model for community health and cohesion."

The food hub not only serves as a critical resource for affordable food but also as a social venue where the community can gather and support the school. Plans are underway to establish this initiative as a registered charity, ensuring its sustainability and potential for growth.

British Food Fortnight 2024: celebrating the Best of British Produce

Fri, 18 Oct 2024 10:22:50 GMT

British Food Fortnight 2024 has concluded its two-week celebration of the very best of British food with resounding success, embracing communities, retailers, and public sector institutions across the country. Kicking off at New Covent Garden Market in London, the fortnight was packed with lively events, promotions, and activities - all aimed at making British food accessible to everyone.

The festivities culminated in the National Harvest Service at Southwark Cathedral, supported by HM The Queen, and highlighted the nation’s commitment to sustainable and local food production.

This year marked the first British Food Fortnight with Morrisons as the Exclusive Retail Partner, who announced a three-year partnership with Love British Food. They trialled a number of initiatives, including taking customers to visit local farms and a British food module for their in-store tours for primary schools.

The event saw outstanding participation, from schools and universities to hospitals and retailers, showcasing the diversity and quality of British food. Thousands of caterers crafted special menus to highlight British ingredients, reinforcing the nation's rich culinary heritage.

Community Engagement and Public Sector Participation:

This year’s British Food Fortnight saw unprecedented participation from public sector institutions, including 100s of schools, 10 universities, and 35 hospitals. These institutions joined the celebration by featuring British produce in their meals, further promoting the importance of nutritious, seasonal, and locally sourced food.

The event’s impact was bolstered in advance by a series of farm visits for NHS caterers, engaging more than 190 representatives from across 43 hospitals to learn more about sourcing and preparing fresh, British ingredients for their patients.

Alexia Robinson, Founder of Love British Food, praised the efforts of all involved.

“This year’s British Food Fortnight was one of the most successful to date. The level of enthusiasm, from community groups to retailers and public institutions, was incredible. It’s inspiring to see so many people come together to celebrate British food and ensure it is accessible to all. I want to pay special thanks to Morrisons, and all of our Official Partners for making the fortnight possible - without their support, it could simply not happen.“

Sam Stott, Senior Customer Planning Manager, Morrisons:

“We have really enjoyed working with Love British Food for the first year of our three year partnership. We have introduced some great Morrisons initiatives such as Farm Tours and have added a British Module to our instore primary school tours, both of which champion British food, farming and education. As we are the largest customer of UK farming this really aligns to our values. We are excited to see what else the partnership will bring.”

James Armitage, Marketing Director, Fresh Direct (UK):

"This was our first British Food Fortnight as a sponsor of Love British Food, and we were delighted with the outcome. It was the perfect platform for us to drive awareness of our commitment to British produce and highlight our growing range of top quality British fruit and veg. As well as providing some fantastic content for our PR and social campaigns, it was also a great catalyst for our sales teams to open conversations with customers about the value of having more British produce on the menu."

Cathy Amos, Head of Customer Marketing, Brakes:

“Brakes combined celebrating British Food Fortnight with hosting a foodie exhibition in the beautiful Hertfordshire countryside, the perfect venue for the celebration. The event included a round table Love British Food discussion, food demos and a presentation from Wild Farmed with some fabulous breads from The Bread factory. Other fantastic British suppliers included Whitby Seafoods, Callestick Farm ice cream, Fresh Direct produce, Yeo Valley and many more. The event was attended by more visitors than ever before.”

Derek Wright, Catering Services Manager, Blackpool Council:

“I’ve been inspired to see how many people have thrown themselves into celebrating British Food Fortnight this year in schools, colleges and universities across the country. I’m so proud to lead the Love British Food Education working group. It never ceases to amaze me with the creativity and passion shared from an amazing set of leaders from education catering.”

Jane Wills, Facilities Manager at Somerset NHS Foundation Trust:

"We are proud to be a part of British Food Fortnight and enjoyed celebrating the British products that are currently on our menu. We held a variety of celebrations, including tea parties and food tasting, which were enjoyed by patients and colleagues alike."

Rob Cass, Operations Manager, OCS Group:

“OCS has taken part in British food fortnight for many years but 2024 is our first year as proud partners of Love British Food .

The OCS team in all our Catering divisions have totally got on board with creative ideas like the Great Pie Challenge and British food featured every day on our menus. As part of the Love British Food Education working group, it was a pleasure to collaborate with the other members of Love British Food and gain ideas and inspiration on how to celebrate British Food Fortnight. British Food Fortnight 2024 has been truly amazing. My fantastic chefs and their teams along with myself have had such fun delivering everything from a giant Eton mess to food workshops and British food open evenings and celebrating everything on our menus from farmers’ fields to the sea. Cannot wait for British Food Fortnight 2025!!”

The Great British Pie Challenge:

A key highlight of British Food Fortnight was the introduction of the Great British Pie Challenge, which invited chefs and caterers from all sectors to craft pies using British ingredients. The winner of the challenge was a Beef, Potato, and Rosemary Pie created by the catering team at the University of Huddersfield.

The pie was made with locally sourced British beef, potatoes, and rosemary grown on the university grounds by students and staff.

Phil Howard, Michelin-starred chef and Love British Food Ambassador, commented on the winning pie:

“The winning pie was a well-made and well-conceived classic pie delivering everything you want from a pie – deep flavours, soft and tender textures within and harmonious seasonal flavours. This pie has all three in spades and would surely put a smile on any hungry face.”

Ben Bartlett, another judge and celebrated chef, added:

“This comforting, hearty pie was so popular it sold out with customers raving about the quality, presentation and flavours. A superb entry that makes the best use of locally grown fresh ingredients.”

The Winner receives a British Food hamper including a Steak box, courtesy of HG Walters; selection of fish, courtesy of Plymouth Fishing & Seafood Association and a fruit & veg box, courtesy of OCS.

British Food Fortnight Community Competition:

This year our competition has been incredible with a huge number of entries from communities all over the UK, all with the same aim to help make fresh, healthy British food available to all.

Nominations include emergency food banks, a community space with cooked meals for the elderly and vulnerable, food workshops delivering practical advice on cooking and budgeting, a school growing their own veg from seed for use in school and in food tech lessons, a Dementia café, breakfast, after school and holiday clubs for children, plus many more. Love British Food Ambassador Liz Earle, MBE; David Scott, Corporate Affairs Director and Alexia Robinson, Founder of Love British Food will judge the entries with a luxury personalised foodie experience courtesy of Morrisons up for grabs. The closing dates for entries is Friday 25th October and winner will be announced by 8th November.

British Food Fortnight Campaigns:

Love British Food’s key wishes for the new Labour Government that were announced during the fortnight at the same time as the Labour Party Conference.

Proposals that can be done now by Ministers within existing budgets:

Cross-Departmental Collaboration: Establish cross-departmental cooperation on food policy to ensure cohesive approaches that connect food production with public health, education, and environmental sustainability.
Prioritise Community Engagement Over Lobbying: Work closely with organisations, businesses, and community leaders who are actively delivering change on the ground, rather than focusing on lobbying groups.
Move Beyond Targets: Instead of simply aiming for a target of 50% British food in the public sector, focus on a scheme that inspires and enables catering teams, food service organisations, and wholesalers to connect food procurement with nutritional outcomes.
‘Buy British’ Initiative: Encourage all food service organisations and wholesalers to feature a ‘Buy British’ category, similar to the supermarkets' ‘Buy British button,’ to promote and prioritise British produce.

Suggestions that will need reallocation of existing budgets:

Food Education for All: Ensure that every primary school pupil knows where their food comes from, how to prepare it and that every secondary school pupil understands basic nutrition and the critical role of food in mental and physical health.
Clearer Food Labelling: Implement clearer labelling to highlight food provenance and the link between how food is produced and its nutritional value. Consider reallocating funds from existing programs, such as Red Tractor, to support this initiative.
Channel Government investment into promoting the benefits of eating seasonal, quality, local British food to the domestic consumer. Currently the majority of investment is geared to promoting British food to the export market.

Possible ambitious new proposals that will need policy amendments and budgets increasing:

Free and Healthy School Meals: Provide free, healthy school meals for all children. At the very least, extend free school meals to all children on Universal Credit, and ring-fence the food allowance to ensure it is spent on high-quality, nutritious food.
Investment in British Agriculture: Substantially invest in growing more fruits, vegetables, beans, and pulses. Encourage public institutions to incorporate these foods as part of a balanced menu, alongside less but better-quality meat.

Looking Ahead As British Food Fortnight continues to grow, the date for next year’s event has already been set: 26th September to 12th October 2025.

A huge Love British Food thank you to all of our Official Partners.

Aramark

Brakes

Harrison Catering Services

Essential Cuisine

Master Chefs of Great Britain

Chartwells Independent

Sodexo UK

New Covent Garden Market

Medirest

AtoZ

OCS

AB Fruits

BonCulina

Eat Game

Love British Food Encourages Wholesalers to Include Dedicated 'Buy British' Categories

Tue, 01 Oct 2024 11:59:15 GMT

As part of the annual British Food Fortnight , Love British Food has issued an open letter to key wholesale industry leaders, calling on them to support the growing demand for British produce by integrating dedicated "Buy British" categories within their offerings. The letter, signed by prominent chefs and industry leaders, highlights the vital role wholesalers play in strengthening the British food supply chain.

British Food Fortnight , running from 20th September to 6th October, celebrates the quality of British cuisine. It provides an opportunity for businesses across the UK to spotlight locally sourced produce and support British farmers and producers.

The letter has been sent to all major wholesale industry leaders.

If anyone would like to sign the letter, please email info@lovebritishfood.co.uk .

Letter in full:

Let's Love British Food - An Invitation to Wholesale Industry Leaders

Dear Wholesale Industry Leaders,

As the country embraces and enjoys British Food Fortnight, it is an important moment to reach out to a vital part of the British food supply chain - wholesalers.

This two-week celebration isn’t just about appreciating British cuisine; it's about making substantial, sustainable changes that benefit our farmers, our economy, and the health of our nation.

Currently, thousands of caterers across the UK are curating tailored menus that highlight the quality and diversity of British produce, a testament to the country's culinary heritage. We’ve seen that the enthusiasm for British food is vast and growing. This surge is supported by a wide array of hospitality and public sector organisations, all keen to showcase what Britain has to offer.

Earlier this year, during our public sector event, we gathered and collated insights through a comprehensive report that came to conclusions from leading chefs and industry stalwarts.

Our discussion revealed a clear challenge: the desire to source more British produce is strong right across the UK, yet there is a blockage. Both farmers and producers are eager to supply, and kitchens are ready to serve - however supply chain logistics complicate this enormously.

While some industry leaders have commendably established a dedicated British category, making it easier for businesses to source local produce, it is imperative that more follow suit. By integrating a 'Buy British' category within your offerings, you not only simplify the procurement process for caterers and chefs but also align with a growing consumer demand for transparency and local sourcing. It is the very definition of a ‘win-win’ for all involved, not to forget the positive message you are sending from your company that you are dedicated to supporting British producers.

The benefits of enhancing the visibility and accessibility of British products through your platforms:

Economic Growth: Boosting the sales of British foods supports not only local farmers but also the wider UK economy.
Environmental Impact: Shorter supply chains mean reduced carbon footprints, an aim we all share.
Health Benefits: Fresh, locally sourced produce is key to promoting healthier food choices among consumers.
Cultural Heritage: Preserving and promoting British culinary traditions.
Company Profitability: The British public want to buy British - give them the option and feel the financial rewards.

This British Food Fortnight, we invite you to consider featuring, or boosting, a British category.

We, along with prominent figures in the industry, are ready to support and collaborate with wholesalers willing to make this commitment.

Through joint efforts, we can further deliver positive change across the entire food industry.

Let's lead this change together.

Kind Regards,

Graeme Collie, Executive Chef, King’s College London

Alexia Robinson, CEO, Love British Food

Chris Knott, Head Development Chef, Loughborough University

Graham Senior, Executive Chef, Southampton University

Alex Sim, Development Chef and Sustainability Champion, Bristol University

Ben Bartlett, Board Member, Master Chefs Great Britain & Director, Love British Food

Karlene Gaskell, Executive Chef, University of Reading

Dunk Parsonage, Business Development Chef, Flora Food Group & Isle of Wight Technical College

Michael Croy, Executive Chef, University of St. Andrews

Liam MacDonough, Head of Catering Operations, University of Edinburgh

Love British Food Calls on New Government to Embrace a Community-Focused Food Strategy During British Food Fortnight

Mon, 23 Sep 2024 09:14:43 GMT

Proposals that can be done now by Ministers within existing budgets:

Cross-Departmental Collaboration: Establish cross-departmental cooperation on food policy to ensure cohesive approaches that connect food production with public health, education, and environmental sustainability.
Prioritise Community Engagement Over Lobbying: Work closely with organisations, businesses, and community leaders who are actively delivering change on the ground, rather than focusing on lobbying groups.
Move Beyond Targets: Instead of simply aiming for a target of 50% British food in the public sector, focus on a scheme that inspires and enables catering teams, food service organisations, and wholesalers to connect food procurement with nutritional outcomes.
‘Buy British’ Initiative: Encourage all food service organisations and wholesalers to feature a ‘Buy British’ category, similar to the supermarkets' ‘Buy British button,’ to promote and prioritise British produce.

Suggestions that will need reallocation of existing budgets:

Food Education for All: Ensure that every primary school pupil knows where their food comes from, how to prepare it and that every secondary school pupil understands basic nutrition and the critical role of food in mental and physical health.
Clearer Food Labelling: Implement clearer labelling to highlight food provenance and the link between how food is produced and its nutritional value. Consider reallocating funds from existing programs, such as Red Tractor, to support this initiative.
Channel Government investment into promoting the benefits of eating seasonal, quality, local British food to the domestic consumer. Currently the majority of investment is geared to promoting British food to the export market.

Possible ambitious new proposals that will need policy amendments and budgets increasing:

Free and Healthy School Meals: Provide free, healthy school meals for all children. At the very least, extend free school meals to all children on Universal Credit, and ring-fence the food allowance to ensure it is spent on high-quality, nutritious food.
Investment in British Agriculture: Substantially invest in growing more fruits, vegetables, beans, and pulses. Encourage public institutions to incorporate these foods as part of a balanced menu, alongside less but better-quality meat.

Alexia Robinson, Founder of Love British Food, commented:

“British Food Fortnight is the perfect time to reflect on the importance of our national food strategy and what it can achieve. With the Labour Party Conference taking place during the biggest celebration of British food, we urge the new government to focus on community, education, and accessibility.”

“We believe that by moving beyond simple targets and offering practical support to those working in the public sector, we can make real changes that benefit everyone – from school children learning about food to local farmers supplying nutritious British produce.”

Why Now?

British Food Fortnight, the UK’s biggest annual celebration of British food and farming, is the ideal backdrop for this call to action. It highlights the value of local food production and the need for a food strategy that promotes sustainability, education, and public health.

Love British Food is ready to work with the new government to turn these wishes into actions that will benefit communities across the country. We invite policymakers, businesses, and the public to join us in this mission.

British Food Fortnight, the biggest celebration of British food, starts today

Fri, 20 Sep 2024 07:15:45 GMT

The UK’s much-anticipated British Food Fortnight starts today and runs from 20th September to 6th October 2024, marking its 23rd year as the nation's leading celebration of all things British food. Set against the backdrop of the harvest season, this year’s event promises to be bigger and better than ever, with activities, promotions, and celebrations taking place across the country.

(A partial list outlining some of the nationwide activities included in the notes below.)

This annual event, embraced by communities, retailers, and the public sector alike, is a unique opportunity to highlight the diversity and quality of British food. The fortnight is supported by local communities as well as being backed by most of the major food service organisations and the public sector meaning that schools, hospitals, universities and care homes join pubs and restaurants in celebrating British food. Morrisons is the Official Retail Partner having signed a three-year partnership with the organisers, Love British Food.

The national food celebrations launched this morning at New Covent Garden Market, London’s oldest and largest fresh produce wholesale market, fittingly marking the sale of British fruit and vegetables in the capitol since Medieval times and the 50 ^th anniversary of the market’s move to Nine Elms.

Wanda Goldwag OBE, Chair of Covent Garden Market Authority,, commented:

A Message from Love British Food Founder, Alexia Robinson:

“We are thrilled to see British Food Fortnight growing stronger each year. This celebration is about more than just food; it’s about community and sustainability. We are excited to partner with Morrisons, who have been exceptional leaders on British food and farming. Their commitment to making good food available for all aligns perfectly with our mission. With so many exciting activities planned, we hope everyone will join us in celebrating the very best of British food this British Food Fortnight.”

Highlights of British Food Fortnight 2024:

Morrisons Involvement: throughout British Food Fortnight Morrisons will be celebrating the best of autumn's British produce, meat and fish on Market Street with great value prices and in store marketing displays. In addition, the community champions that are based in all of Morrisons supermarkets and work closely with the communities surrounding each store will be rewarding local groups who focus on increasing access to fresh, seasonal British food.

Community Focus: The British Food Fortnight Community Competition, in association with Morrisons, returns to celebrate individuals and volunteer organisations making “good food available for all.” Liz Earle, wellbeing entrepreneur and broadcaster, will lead the judging panel, focusing on the availability and affordability of good food in communities.

“I have been involved in British Food Fortnight for over a decade. I love how the event inspires communities to celebrate the wonderful food we produce in this country. But the stark reality is that not everyone has access to good food. So the spotlight of this competition on the availability and affordability of good food for all is something I feel deeply strongly about, particularly in my role as Commissioner for the Social Justice Commission. I am delighted to be the lead judge. If you are an individual or organisation working hard to make ‘Good food available to all’ in your community, we want to hear from you!”

Liz Earle MBE, wellbeing broadcaster and entrepreneur and Love British Food ambassador

“At Morrisons we love British food and are delighted to be partnering with British Food Fortnight. We share the ambition for affordable fresh food to be available to everyone - it's one of our core values. So I'm honoured to be on the judging panel for this competition which profiles and rewards the unsung heroes in our community who are helping to ensure more people can enjoy great British food.”

David Scott, Director of Morrisons Corporate Affairs

New Competitions: The Great British Pie Challenge, a new addition for 2024, invites school and hospital chefs to compete against hospitality chefs in creating the ultimate British pie. Judged by Michelin-starred chef Phil Howard and Master Chefs of GB’s Ben Bartlett, the competition has already garnered significant interest, particularly among hospital caterers.

Nationwide Participation: Over 3,000 schools, 10 universities, 28 hospitals and many care homes will showcase British food on their menus, promoting nutritious and sustainable eating. Leading food service organisations like Aramark, OCS, Sodexo, Chartwells and Brakes are also participating with special promotions and events.

Hard-Hitting Campaigns: During the fortnight, Love British Food will release a set of ‘wishes’ for a national food strategy, to be presented at the Labour Party Conference. Leading chefs will sign a letter highlighting supply chain challenges in sourcing British food.
National Harvest Service: T he event will conclude with the National Harvest Service at Southwark Cathedral in London. This year’s service is being run in partnership with City Harvest, the food charity that redistributes 1.2 millions meals a month to those in need across London. The service takes place in a different city every year during British Food Fortnight. The Harvest Torch is travelling from Peterborough, where the service was held last year, to London. Her Majesty The Queen who instigated the National Harvest Service at Westminster Abbey in 2013, supports the service every year.

Looking Ahead:

British Food Fortnight promises a dynamic program of activities designed to engage and inspire communities, businesses, and public sector organisations to embrace British food. From farm visits for NHS caterers to school menus and national competitions, the event showcases the best of British food production and the importance of making good food available for all.

ENDS

Notes to the Editor:

About Love British Food:

Love British Food is the leading organisation dedicated to promoting British food in the public and private sectors. Through initiatives like British Food Fortnight, Love British Food works to support local farmers, producers, and retailers while encouraging sustainable and healthy eating.

https://www.lovebritishfood.co.uk/

ACTIVITY TAKING PLACE AROUND THE COUNTRY

Over 3,000 schools are hosting activity during British Food Fortnight from special menus to educational activities:

National school food providers

OCS food service: (78 schools)

Chartwells (2,000 schools)

Academies for Character & Excellence

School Grid (1,200 schools nationally); APSE (working with 300 councils across the UK)

Local Authority and regional school food providers

Shire Services, Shropshire (140 schools); CMC School Food, national (180 schools); Local Food Links, Dorset (58 schools)

Blackpool Local Authority (32 schools); Nottingham Local Authority; Norse Group, Norfolk (140 primary schools); Oxford County Council, working with 34 school caterers in 300 schools.

And individual schools , each of which is a shining inspirational example of what can be achieved with school food:

Batholomew School, Oxford; Ca Site Sarum Academy, Salisbury; Woodlands Primary School, Liverpool

Phunky Foods will be organising special healthy food activities throughout the fortnight.

Wicor Primary School, Fareham, Hants 436 children taking part in cooking, tasting and learning where local food comes from.

Abingdon School, Abingdon, Oxford (Sodexo independent school) – Celebrating BFF in school with themed menus and activity

Lancaster County Careers Centre, Lancaster

Universities taking part with British Food Fortnight menus

Plymouth, Staffordshire, Huddersfield, University of St Andrews, Kings College London,

Harper Adams, Exeter, Southampton, Loughborough and Reading.

The following hospitals are all running special menus and promotional activity for British Food Fortnight:

Somerset NHS Foundation Trust

Hawkhurst Community Hospital, Hawkhurst, Kent

Milton Keynes UHT

James Paget UHT, Great Yarmouth

SE Trust, Northern Ireland

NHS Solent, Southampton

County Durham and Darlington NHS

Victoria Hospital, Blackpool

Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital, Shrewsbury

Airedale General Hospital, Keighley, West Yorkshire

Norfolk & Suffolk Foundation Trust

Barnsley Hospital

Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS

Southern Health NHS Foundation, Hampshire

Medway NHS Foundation Trust, Kent

Dorset Healthcare University NHS Foundation Trust

Stepping Hill Hospital/Stockport NHS Foundation Trust

South West Yorkshire Partnership

Manchester NHS Foundation Trust

Leicester hospital

Gosport War Memorial Hospital

Ipswich hospital, Ipswich

Ashford & St Peters Hospital, Surrey

East London NHS Foundation Trust

Royal Free, London

St Bernard's Hospital West London NHS Trust

Orchard Unit, West London NHS Trust

Royal Brompton Hospital

Swansea Bay Universal Health Board

Wales NHS Confederation

NHS Wales

Care Homes taking part:

National Association of Care Catering (NACC)

Harrogate Neighbours care homes

Norse Group, Britain’s largest local authority trading company

Events taking place around the country

If you would like more details about the events below and the many other things happening during British Food Fortnight please email info@lovebritishfood.co.uk

From Seafood trails in Plymouth, to Eat Local celebrations in Cheshire, to food festivals in Abergavenny, Broadstairs, Brecon Beacons and Thame; village celebrations in Northumbria & community events in Harrogate there is something for everyone to enjoy during British Food Fortnight

Many imaginative things happening in communities British Food Fortnight. Food history talks, cooking demos, tasting menus, foodie quiz nights, pop up shops at farm gates, ploughing matches, seasonal menus and supplier talks in pubs and meet the producer farm visits.

Two big events during British Food Fortnight for pub, restaurant and food service buyers that will help you source more British food:

Brakes Foodie Expo with 60 suppliers in Hertfordshire on 25 Sept.

Universal Cookery & Food Festival in Kent on 26 Sept.

Many Councils are taking part in British Food Fortnight:

East Lindsey, South Holland, South Cambridgeshire, Chichester, Cheshire East, Mid Devon, Portsmouth, Hampshire, Blackpool, Oxford and Boston Borough Council are all organising activities in their communities.

Great variety of places hosting British Food Fortnight menus:

From National Trust properties to London restaurants, country pubs, garden centre cafes, hospitals, care homes, universities and a few thousand schools!

Meet our Love British Food directors during British Food Fortnight:

Tim Radcliffe in discussion with our Ambassador Cathy Amos from our Official Partner, Brakes, at Brakes’ Foodie Expo on 25 Sept.

Ben Bartlett at Universal Cookery & Food Festival in Kent on 26 Sept.

And Derek Wright on a special edition of our podcast, out during the fortnight.

Activity sheets for children

Celebrating British food with a focus on British pies.

https://www.lovebritishfood.co.uk/teacher-zone

Competitions:

Great British Pie Challenge for British Food Fortnight

Open to all chefs. To enter simply create a pie, savoury or sweet, using British ingredients and add to menus during the Fortnight. Judged by Love British Food Ambassador and renowned chef, Phil Howard.

Win a hamper with a steak box from HG Walter butchers, a fish hamper from Plymouth Fishing and Seafood Association and Fruit and Veg from OCS.

Visit https://www.lovebritishfood.co.uk/great-british-pie-challenge to enter.

Community competition

Is someone in your community helping to make good food available to all?

Volunteers, charities, local businesses. We want to hear from you!

Enter our British Food Fortnight community competition, in association with our Official Retail Partner Morrisons.

Judging is led by Liz Earle, MBE, David Scott, Corporate Affairs Director, Morrisons and Alexia Robinson, CEO Love British Food.

Prize luxury foodie experience personalised for winner

To enter: https://www.lovebritishfood.co.uk/community-competition

Food Festivals taking place during British Food Fortnight:

21 – 22 Sept: Abergavenny Food Festival

https://www.abergavennyfoodfestival.com/

27 – 29 Sept Broadstairs Food Festival in Kent

https://www.broadstairsfoodfestival.org.uk/autumn-2024-festival

28 – 29 Sept: Thame Food Festival

https://thamefoodfestival.co.uk/

29 Sept Louth Food & Drink Festival Lincolnshire

https://lovelincolnshirewolds.com/events/view/3228/louth-food-drink-festival-2024

5 Oct Brecon Beacons Food Festival

https://breconbeaconsfoodfestival.co.uk/

5 ^th – 6 ^th Oct: Shop to Eat Local, Tatton Park, Knutsford, Cheshire:

https://www.tattonpark.org.uk/events_at_tatton_park/event-listings/2024/october/shop-eat-local-weekend.aspx

Quotes from our Directors and some of our Ambassadors:

“As the years role by everything we hear informs us that using local and seasonal produce is becoming ever more important. It is, in fact, the only responsible way to cook and eat. We will be indulging in all that is seasonal, responsibly sourced and local in all of my restaurants during British Food Fortnight and in doing so will serve the most vibrant, fresh, nutritious and utterly delicious food that is best for us and best for the environment. “

Quote from Phil Howard, Chef and Restaurateur, Love British Food ambassador:

“British Food Fortnight is of great importance to me because it celebrates the rich diversity of local produce, supports British farmers and fosters a connection to the land and heritage.

It encourages the appreciation of high-quality, seasonal food that’s grown and produced sustainably.

The national food celebrations promote community spirit, bringing people together through food festivals, farm visits, and educational activities, helping us to understand where our food comes from.

Supporting British food also contributes to the local economy and reduces the environmental impact of importing goods.

Overall, it allows us all to embrace the values of sustainability, health, and cultural pride.”

Tim Radcliffe, Director Love British Food & Net Zero Food Programme Manager, NHS England

“British Food Fortnight 2024 is a fantastic opportunity to shine a light on the quality and diversity of British produce. This event not only supports our local farmers but also plays a crucial role in educating young people about the importance of sustainable, nutritious food. By incorporating British produce into school meals, we’re teaching the next generation the value of eating locally and healthily.”

Derek Wright, Director Love British Food & Catering Services Manager, Blackpool Catering Services

“During British Food Fortnight, I will be cooking at lots of events across the country and speaking on local BBC radio stations championing British produce that I believe is the best in the world.

There are 191,000 farms in Britain supplying some of the best restaurants in Britain as well as local grocery stores and farmers’ markets. Sustainability and seasonality are the key players to the best menus and British producers are absolutely killing it right now.

British waters also have an amazing stock of seafood renowned for being some of the most flavoursome, and getting fresh fish is a real advantage.

As a Master Chef of Great Britain, I am impressed with the many exciting chefs we have slaying it right now. Britain has its fair share of food masters and local food heroes with great menus and the best ingredients, so support them during British Food Fortnight 20th September to 6th October 2024.”

Ben Bartlett, Director Love British Food & Board Member Master Chefs of Great Britain

“As an Ambassador for Love British Food, British Food Fortnight is the ultimate Harvest Festival. Our islands produce some of the most responsibly grown, caught, harvested and marketed produce in the world and when it comes to British Seafood those values are never more accurate. Our seasonal, sustainable traceable and responsibly managed wild and farmed fish and shellfish are the envy of the world and that is reflected in the amount we export. However I would encourage everyone who loves seafood to support our Great British Fishing Industry and its communities, not just during this celebration but all year round”.

Mike Warner, Love British Food Ambassador

“Being an ambassador with Love British Food is always exciting. As a retired Fisherman, it's also great to show off UK-caught seafood to the public during the fortnight. Earlier this year, we set up the Seafood Plymouth brand ‘Choose Local, Go Wild’; during British Food Fortnight, we have organised the Seafood Plymouth Seafood Tour, partnering up with restaurants in and around Plymouth. The public can tour various restaurants at different locations and enjoy the best seafood Plymouth has to offer. Plus, I will be hosting a seafood evening at The Longs Arms in Wiltshire on 26 September showcasing UK-caught seafood with owner Rob Allcock's 6/7 course tasting menu. Wishing everyone taking part all the best….. It's a brilliant fortnight where we get to showcase Great British Homegrown, Home caught British food.”

Adrian Bartlett, Love British Food Ambassador

“We are proud to be Love British Food Ambassadors and we can’t wait for British Food fortnight to push the message wider about the importance of supporting British producers. We are opening the farm gates on 21st September for a pop-up shop selling our award-winning lamb and mutton alongside Free Range local pork and Lincolnshire Beef plus other local produce including bread, fruit and veg, cakes, honey and so much more. We absolutely love being able to connect the public to where their food comes from and the importance of buying British and even better local. We are always happy to answer questions about what we do on the farm and it really does make us incredibly proud to get feedback direct from our customers to help us push forward promoting how wonderful British Food is.

We will also be cooking up our delicious lamb burgers from our converted sheep trailer at three local ploughing matches, a great way for us to speak to everyone and get them trying lamb straight from our family farm.

British Food is absolutely amazing and should be celebrated. British farmers and producers should be supported all year round for feeding the nation and looking after the beautiful British countryside”.

Louise Elkington, Gelston Lamb

“The first day of British Food Fortnight is always a momentous day in the nation’s food calendar. This market has marked the annual event in various ways over the years but this year, we wanted to make it more of an interactive occasion and invite people to meet some of the fantastic British growers who supply wholesalers both here and around the country. This market’s catering suppliers provide premium, world class product to the vast majority of the Michelin starred restaurants in the capital,” Wanda added. “But it’s also true that they supply thousands more small independent businesses who rely on them for the quality product and service that keeps their menus fresh and exciting. Accessing independent restaurants to supply them is not something most growers can do easily, but knowing your product is featured on the menu of a high-profile, high-end restaurant must be a fantastic feeling. Our traders make that happen. Our customers demand, of course, that we provide a year-round supply of premium fresh produce from all corners of the world, but there is nothing to match the buzz in Buyers’ Walk when new-season homegrown produce arrives.”

Wanda Goldwag OBE, Chair of Covent Garden Market Authority, where British Food Fortnight launched this year.

Love British Food Launches Community Competition for British Food Fortnight

Thu, 12 Sep 2024 09:55:06 GMT

Love British Food, in association with its Official Retail Partner, Morrisons, is delighted to announce the launch of the 2024 Community Competition in celebration of British Food Fortnight.

Running from 20th September to 6th October, the competition seeks to recognise and celebrate the individuals, organisations, and communities that are making “good food available for all.”

This year, the Community Competition invites everyone to take part—from community volunteers, chefs, and caterers to businesses, schools, pubs, restaurants, retailers, care homes, hospitals, and even entire villages, towns, and cities. The aim is to spotlight activities that bring British food to life, and create a lasting legacy within communities.

Alexia Robinson, Love British Food Founder, commented:

"We are looking for an individual or a community that makes a difference during British Food Fortnight.”

"Whether it’s a charity providing good food for a community, a care home engaging its residents with British produce or a school developing a vegetable garden - this competition is about highlighting the great work that goes on to make fresh, healthy British food accessible to everyone."

How to Enter: Share Your Story and Make an Impact

The competition is open to everyone who plays a role in making fresh, healthy British food more available in their community. Previous entries have included:

Schools: Creating vegetable gardens or mini farms.
Social Care: Organising regular food gatherings for the elderly and isolated.
Community Leaders: Offering cooking classes through community hubs or local pubs.
Retailers: Ensuring their store provides a reliable source of healthy seasonal food.
Markets: Bringing fresh, healthy food into the heart of communities.
Hospitals: Improving food options for patients and visitors.
Pubs and Restaurants: Going the extra mile to offer seasonal, healthy menus.
Charities and Community Groups: Working to ease food insecurity.

To enter, participants should share their story of what they did during British Food Fortnight 2024 to make good food available to all. Take plenty of photos and post them on social media, tagging #BritishFoodFortnight. Entries should also be emailed to info@lovebritishfood.co.uk with a description of the activity in no more than 500 words.

Judging Panel and Prizes

This year's judging panel includes Liz Earle MBE, wellbeing broadcaster and Love British Food Ambassador; David Scott, Corporate Affairs Director at Morrisons; and Alexia Robinson, Founder of Love British Food.

Liz Earle MBE, who has been involved with British Food Fortnight for over a decade, commented:

David Scott, Corporate Affairs Director at Morrisons, added:

"At Morrisons we love British food and are delighted to be partnering with British Food Fortnight. We share the ambition for affordable fresh food to be available to everyone - it's one of our core values. So I'm honoured to be on the judging panel for this competition which profiles and rewards the unsung heroes in our community who are helping to ensure more people can enjoy great British food."

The winning entry will receive a personalised foodie experience courtesy of Morrisons.

To enter, send your story and photos to info@lovebritishfood.co.uk and post your activity on social media using the hashtag #BritishFoodFortnight. Full terms and conditions are available on the Love British Food website.

https://www.lovebritishfood.co.uk/community-competition

The Family Tree of Beer

Fri, 06 Sep 2024 15:05:05 GMT

I am an accredited beer sommelier and the founder of the School of Booze. Whenever I’m educating about beer one of the questions I am most often asked is ‘What is the difference between ale and lager’. The answer gives me the opportunity to talk about The Family Tree of Beer. This is how I explain it.

Picture a Venn diagram. Each of the three interlocking circles contains one of the following words: Ale, Lager, Wild Fermentation. Each is a branch of the family tree of beer. Where the circles overlap, the headline is BEER. Each branch contains sub-branches, which represent the various beer styles. Ale includes IPA, Barley Wine, Mild, Porter, Weizen and dozens of others. Lager incorporates Helles, Pilsner, Märzen, Schwartzbier, Bock and several more. Wild fermentation comprises Lambic, Faro, Gueuze (three Belgian styles) and others, all of them acidic and sour and often mistaken in blind tasting for cider or wine.

Only a handful of British brewers produce wild fermentation beers – most of them are ale and lager brewers.

What Determines The Branch That Beers Sit On?

The main factor is the strain of yeast used in fermentation. Ale brewers employ a strain of cultured yeast known as Saccharamyces Cerevisiae which ferments quickly at temperatures between 16-20 ̊ C (60-68 ̊F) adding fruity aromas and flavours known as esters to the beer. It is often referred to as warm fermenting or a top fermenting (denoting the direction the yeast cells head in the fermentation vessels).

Lager brewers used a strain of cultured yeast called Saccharomyces Pastorianus often referred to as a bottom fermenting (denoting the direction the yeast cells head in the fermentation vessels) or cool fermenting yeast which ferments slowly at lower temperatures than ale yeast - between 10-15 ̊ C (50-59 ̊F) and confers a crisp body to the beer by fermenting one of the sugars (melibiose) that ale yeast does not. Lager yeast produces fewer esters than ale yeast and so lagers are often described as ‘clean’ to drink.

Wild Fermentation brewers do not use cultured yeasts, instead they encourage untamed non-conformist wild yeast spores, such as a strain called Brettanomyces (also known as Brett), that float in the air or that colonise wooden beams or beer barrels in the brewery. They also rely on wild microbes such as Pediococcus and Lactobacillus. The aromas and flavours bestowed by the yeast and microflora are unpredictable and complex and include sourness.

But to confuse the issue there are mixed fermentation beers such as Flanders Red Ale and Oud Bruin (another Flanders speciality) which are fermented with ale yeast and then aged in oak barrels where wild microflora imbue sourness. And beers described as kettle sours or fruited sours are fermented with ale yeast and then lactic bacteria is added during the brew for the characteristic tang.

The Importance of Water’s Mineral Composition

With ale and lager the mineral content of the brewing water is also a factor. A glass of beer is composed of up to 95% water. The chemical composition of water is one of the factors that determines which branch the beer styles belong to. Look around the world and note what the heritage style of beer is brewed in that area and you can make a guess about the mineral content of the water. For instance, historically Burton on Trent in the Midlands was celebrated for India Pale Ale (IPA) and the reason is river Trent water is high in calcium sulphate which makes the best IPA. River Thames water is high in calcium carbonate and London was renowned for Porter and dark Stout beers.

In ales, the water is high in mineral salts and the type of salt is influential. Water high in calcium chloride is good for making sweeter beers such as Mild. Water with high levels of calcium sulphate and bicarbonates is perfect for dry beers such as India Pale Ale and it also enhances hop aromas and flavours. Water high in calcium bicarbonate is used to make dark Stout.

Water low in mineral salts is ideal for lagers such as Pilsner - this showcases the sharp bitterness of hops and the sweet biscuit of the malts.

The presence or absence of mineral salts makes a difference to the body of the beer. Brewers can treat the brewing water by adding or subtracting minerals. Ales tend to be fuller bodied than lagers, which have a lighter body and crisp texture.

Many brewers I know studied chemical engineering or biochemistry at university and understand the complicated science of brewing. For readers who are not biologists or chemists my explanations of yeast and water are simplistic accounts but are intended to be straightforward and easy to understand. Cheers!

*****

Jane Peyton is the drinks ambassador for Love British Food and is the founder of the School of Booze and author of several books including The Philosophy of Beer – signed copies here .

More Plants, Better Meat

Fri, 06 Sep 2024 15:05:03 GMT

‘We are what we eat, so eat something natural’ is one of my mantras. So when you consume an alternative product made from a variety of unknown ingredients such as a ‘plant-based’ cheese pretending to be a Brie or a Camembert, or a product acting like a chicken (which is very much like halloumi). It. Doesn’t. Work.

Vegan food mimicking the real deal does not cut it for me. The plant-based ‘bacon’ is far too uniform in its appearance (it looks like a zebra crossing on the plate) and ‘perfect’ in it’s execution; it doesn’t have the natural fat oozing out of the meat, there are no streaks of splendid peccadillo colours, and the flavour is bland at best.

So why are we judging plant-based food on how close it can be to natural animal products? They’re completely different and the vegan or ‘plant-based’ alternative cannot come close. It’s like judging Jane Austin to a Charles Dickins novel; they’re both still art and creative in their own right but completely different. The former doesn’t try to emulate the other, or indeed fall beneath its other shadow, the novel just celebrates its own creativity upon its own merit and this is what vegan and plant-based food can and should do too. Highlight the importance and significant diffidence of plants but please leave the cheese and bacon aspirations to the sheep, cows, goats and pigs.

I thoroughly believe that vegan and plant-based food can shine and provide a balanced alternative and/or supplementary diet with a beautiful and sustainable homage to our plant life. Please let us celebrate plant-based food; harvest the produce and make products that allow the plants to shine and make them the star of the show, (as well as all the animals). There’s room in the world for plenty more stars and our plants deserve it.

The therapeutic, medicinal and nutritional power of plants cannot be overestimated. They are, after all, the source of what gives us life!

The carbon cycle illustrates how we can all live together in a harmonious and productive way. Plants on land and in the ocean convert carbon dioxide to biomass through photosynthesis. The carbon returns to the atmosphere when the plants decay, are eaten and digested by animals. I think there is so much beauty in nature’s simplicity and wonder, and we often learn so much from Mother Nature.

Aren’t we lucky to be living in a country where we have so much produce and can enjoy the luxury of this vast choice to satisfy all of our individual diets and preferences? Meat, dairy, fish, seafood, vegetables, cereals, chillis, beer, wine, culinary lavender, edible flowers, sugar, honey, herbs and so much more! Whatever diet you choose to live by – whether you are vegetarian, pescatarian, vegan, omnivore, flexitarian – aren’t we lucky that we have this luxury of choice when other people in the world are not so fortunate?

Consuming ‘better’ meat, is perhaps only desirable and achievable for possibly the most affluent demographic of our society? The good and philanthropic intentions are there, but in practice, I personally don’t think this is realistic or indeed achievable. We conveniently forget that there are currently 8.4 million people in the UK who are living in poverty which is the equivalent of the population of london. Insisting that we should get the best quality meat that money can buy is a little ignorant and patronising. However, Great Britain does have the best animal welfare standards in the world, and for those who can afford the luxury of choice, we can, and should, be eating 100% pasture-fed livestock. Please don’t eat lamb from New Zealand of beef from Australia, but please do support our British food producers; especially our farmers.

The provenance of our food is of the upmost importance and crucial to the education of our children. Simply knowing where our food comes from lends each and everyone of us a deeper understanding of the world, nature and the circle of life. Whether or not you live in the town or in the country, coast or inland, bridging that gap is what I help try to do. To understand and appreciate our food, we need to know how it’s produced

I believe wholeheartedly that we, as a nation, need to support our British food producers now more than ever before and to ensure we educate and communicate to the general public the right information, especially about regenerative agriculture, and sustainable fishing, and not incomplete, sensationalist propaganda. This is so people can make informed decisions and choices that’s good and right for them.

So with more plants, and better meat, we need to support our farmers, because without them there is simply no food.

My other mantra is to ‘buy local, buy sustainably, buy seasonally, and when you’re in this country, please buy, and love British food’.

Follow @jennyljefferies

Countdown to British Food Fortnight - a fortnight to go until the annual national celebration of British Food

Fri, 06 Sep 2024 09:32:41 GMT

The UK’s much-anticipated British Food Fortnight returns in two weeks from 20th September to 6th October 2024, marking its 23rd year as the nation's leading celebration of all things British food. Set against the backdrop of the harvest season, this year’s event promises to be bigger and better than ever, with activities, promotions, and celebrations taking place across the country.

This annual event, embraced by communities, retailers, and the public sector alike, is a unique opportunity to highlight the diversity and quality of British food. The fortnight is supported by local communities as well as being backed by most of the major food service organisations and the public sector meaning that schools, hospitals, universities and care homes join pubs and restaurants in celebrating British food. Morrisons is the Official Retail Partner having signed a three-year partnership with the organisers, Love British Food.

A Message from Love British Food Founder, Alexia Robinson:

“We are thrilled to see British Food Fortnight growing stronger each year. This celebration is about more than just food; it’s about community and sustainability. We are excited to partner with Morrisons, who have been exceptional leaders on British food and farming.

Their commitment to making good food available for all aligns perfectly with our mission. With so many exciting activities planned, we hope everyone will join us in celebrating the very best of British food.”

Highlights of British Food Fortnight 2024:

Morrisons Involvement: throughout British Food Fortnight Morrisons will be celebrating the best of autumn's British produce, meat and fish on Market Street with great value prices and in store marketing displays. In addition, the community champions that are based in all of Morrisons supermarkets and work closely with the communities surrounding each store will be rewarding local groups who focus on increasing access to fresh, seasonal British food.

Community Focus: The British Food Fortnight Community Competition, in association with Morrisons, returns to celebrate individuals and volunteer organisations making “good food available for all.” Liz Earle, wellbeing entrepreneur and broadcaster, will lead the judging panel, focusing on the availability and affordability of good food in communities.

“I have been involved in British Food Fortnight for over a decade. I love how the event inspires communities to celebrate the wonderful food we produce in this country. But the stark reality is that not everyone has access to good food. So the spotlight of this competition on the availability and affordability of good food for all is something I feel deeply strongly about, particularly in my role as Commissioner for the Social Justice Commission. I am delighted to be the lead judge. If you are an individual or organisation working hard to make ‘Good food available to all’ in your community, we want to hear from you!”

Liz Earle MBE, wellbeing broadcaster and entrepreneur and Love British Food ambassador

“At Morrisons we love British food and are delighted to be partnering with British Food Fortnight. We share the ambition for affordable fresh food to be available to everyone - it's one of our core values. So I'm honoured to be on the judging panel for this competition which profiles and rewards the unsung heroes in our community who are helping to ensure more people can enjoy great British food.”

David Scott, Director of Morrisons Corporate Affairs

New Competitions: The Great British Pie Challenge, a new addition for 2024, invites school and hospital chefs to compete against hospitality chefs in creating the ultimate British pie. Judged by Michelin-starred chef Phil Howard and Master Chefs of GB’s Ben Bartlett, the competition has already garnered significant interest, particularly among hospital caterers.

Nationwide Participation: Over 2,800 schools, 10+ universities, 20+ hospitals and many care homes will showcase British food on their menus, promoting nutritious and sustainable eating. Leading food service organisations like Aramark, Sodexo, Chartwells and Brakes are also participating with special promotions and events.

Hard-Hitting Campaigns: During the fortnight, Love British Food will release a set of ‘wishes’ for a national food strategy, to be presented at the Labour Party Conference. Leading chefs will sign a letter highlighting supply chain challenges in sourcing British food.

National Harvest Service: The event will conclude with the National Harvest Service at Southwark Cathedral in London. This year’s service is being run in partnership with City Harvest, the food charity that redistributes 1.2 millions meals a month to those in need across London. The service takes place in a different city every year during British Food Fortnight. The Harvest Torch is travelling from Peterborough, where the service was held last year, to London. Her Majesty The Queen who instigated the National Harvest Service at Westminster Abbey in 2013, supports the service every year.

Looking Ahead:
British Food Fortnight promises a dynamic program of activities designed to engage and inspire communities, businesses, and public sector organisations to embrace British food. From farm visits for NHS caterers to school menus and national competitions, the event showcases the best of British food production and the importance of making good food available for all.

Love British Food completes 9th farm visit for the NHS and launches new film to inspire catering teams

Thu, 18 Jul 2024 10:07:39 GMT

As Love British Food completes its 9th farm visit for NHS caterers, they launch a new film to inspire catering managers, procurement teams and Trust CEOs to consider the connection between how food is produced and its contribution to patient outcomes.

The film was made at Holkham Estate in Norfolk where Alexia Robinson, Founder and CEO of Love British Food, led the most recent farm visit in the campaign’s programme to encourage NHS catering teams to consider British sourcing.

Film:

https://youtu.be/FWIJMYmySrI

Love British Food has now hosted 43 hospitals from 36 NHS Trusts on farm visits. 193 people have attended these visits, but the message has reached far more as catering managers have gone back to their trusts to discuss the importance and role of British sourcing with their dietitian and procurement leads.

Alexia Robinson, Love British Food Founder, commented:

“We know it is not enough to ask catering teams to buy British. We need to explain why. So, the aim of these farm visits has been to enthuse catering teams to see ‘buying British’ as a ‘carrot’ rather than a ‘Buying Standards stick’ as I fear the perpetually consulted upon New Government Buying Standards make it sound. I genuinely believe these visits have created excitement about buying British in NHS catering teams. Together with the farmers who have hosted the visits with me, we have answered the question ‘Why buy British’ and explained how doing so contributes to patient outcomes, sustainability, net zero goals and Trusts’ role as anchor institutions for supporting their community. Love British Food has inspired caterers to think about the connection between how food is produced and its nutritional value and empowered those attending to go back into their Trusts and:

Look at where they currently source from, produce a provenance map and discuss with suppliers.
Consider flexible menus that enable seasonal sourcing.
Discuss opportunities with their procurement teams and dietitians.

I always describe Love British Food’s ethos as ‘inspiring change-makers’ and these visits epitomise this.”

My yardstick of success is the comments of those who have attended the farm visits…’inspired, informed and empowered’ would be how I would summarise what they have all said. I think the debate about the public sector buying 50% British food and how it is defined is a fruitless exercise…. round and round in circles we go and the new Ministerial team will go as we have done for more than a decade. I believe to my core that there is a better way…inspiring, empowering and enabling catering teams, food service organisations and suppliers rather than issuing diktats.”

Phil Shelley, Chair NHS Food Review, National Lead for Net Zero Food:

“The farm visit programme that Alexia has created for our teams has influenced and empowered those attending to go back into their Trusts and take actions, including, where they currently source their food and how to create flexible menus with seasonal products. Love British Food’s farm visits have opened up conversations and started to prepare the larger manufactures and distributors to work differently. Relationships are being built as a result and they changing the mentality and methodology in the attitude to buying British and working directly with the farming industry.

Good food continues to be at the heart of our health and well-being, and the link between field and the plate never changes.”

Tim Radcliffe, Net Zero Food Programme Manager:

“The benefits from Love British Food’s farm visits may take time to show. When you plant a seed, you don’t get fruit that year or even next year.

But what we are doing through the farm visit programme is planting seeds, raising the consciousness and highlighting the opportunities. This is as much for farmers and growers as caterers. Our aim is to have a more robust, transparent, sustainable British supply chain. This provides better outcomes for our patients and puts our hospitals at the heart of our communities. And Alexia’s work taking NHS catering teams round farms is a key part of achieving this.”

Notes to Editor:

Links to Films and further detail on the farm visits:

Norfolk Farm Visit (Long): https://youtu.be/FWIJMYmySrI

Norfolk Farm Visit (Short): https://youtu.be/mU5QReBUcRM

Details of all farms visits: https://lovebritishfood.co.uk/farm-visits-for-caterers

List of Love British Food Farm Visits for NHS caterers:

Overbury Estate nr Tewkesbury, Feb 2022

Hollis Mead Organic Dairy, West Dorset, May 2022

Moor Farm, Hereford Beef, North Shropshire, May 2023

The Organic Pantry vegetable growers, Tadcaster, Yorkshire, May 2023

Farm Ed, regenerative farming demonstration centre, September 2023

Public Sector Influencers event: Hammonds End mixed farm, Hertfordshire, March 2024

Carraig Dubh Dexters Hammonds End Farm, Northern Ireland, May 2024

Holden Farm Dairy, Bwlchwernen Fawr, Lampeter, Wales, June 2024

Holkham Estate, June 2024

43 hospitals across 36 Trusts, in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, have attended Love British Food’s Farm Visits:

HOSPITALS THAT HAVE ATTENDED LOVE BRITISH FOOD FARM VISITS

England

Ashford & St Peters Hospital
Bradford Teaching Hospital
Christchurch Hospital
Countess of Chester NHS Hospital Trust
Darlington Memorial Hospital
Dorset Healthcare University NHS Foundation Trust
East Cheshire NHS Trust
Hampshire Hospitals Foundation Trust
Hawkhurst Community Hospital
James Paget University Hospital
Kettering Hospital
Manchester University Trust
Milton Keynes University Hospital
Musgrove Hospital
North Bristol NHS Trust
Northampton Healthcare Trust
Nottingham University Hospital
Oxford Health
Robert Jones & Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital
Royal Bournemouth Hospital
Royal Devon University Hospital
Royal Free London
Royal Hallamshire Hospital
Sandwell & West Birmingham Hospital
Sheffield Teaching Hospital
Shrewsbury & Telford Hospital
Solent NHS Trust
Somerset NHS Trust
Southmead Hospital
South Tees Hospital
South West Yorkshire Trust
Stepping Hill Hospital
Stockport NHS Trust
Taunton Hospital
The Queen Elizabeth Hospital
Warrington & Halton Teaching Hospital

N.Ireland

Causeway Hospital
Lagan Valley Hospital
Antrim Area Hospital
Downe Hospital
Ulster Hospital
Whiteabby Hospital
Gansha Hospital

NHS TRUSTS THAT HAVE ATTENDED LOVE BRITISH FOOD FARM VISITS

England

Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust
Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
East Cheshire NHS Trust
Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust
Hampshire Hospitals Foundation Trust
James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Kettering General Hospital
Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust
Milton Keynes University Hospital
NHS Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care Board
Norfolk Community Health and Care NHS Trust
Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust
Northampton General Hospital
North Bristol NHS Trust
Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust
Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust
Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
Royal Free London
Sandwell & Birmingham NHS Trust
Sheffield Teaching Hospitals
Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust
Solent NHS Trust
Somerset NHS Foundation Trust
Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust
South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
Stockport NHS Foundation Trust
The Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust

Wales

NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership
Hywel Dda UHB
Velindre UHB
Wales NHS Confederation

Northern Ireland

Northern Health and Social Care Trust
South Eastern Trust
Western Trust

How Your Restaurant Can Celebrate Provenance in Meaningful Ways

Thu, 20 Jun 2024 12:47:38 GMT

As a Stakeholder and supporter of Love British Food, The Sustainable Restaurant Association shares insights into why the provenance of our food matters and how restaurants can celebrate the best of British food.

It’s hard to deny that sharing the provenance of your ingredients is a valuable marketing tool. When customers can connect with the story behind their meal, both their dining experience and your brand become more memorable. But – beyond meeting consumer demand – what role does provenance really play in your restaurant’s sustainability work?

The benefits of local food

At The SRA, our mission is to drive positive change by building a hospitality sector that is socially progressive and environmentally restorative. As part of this, we encourage businesses to choose products that are fully traceable and suppliers who actively work to protect the environment and uphold human rights across the entire supply chain.

There is a wealth of benefits associated with building short, local supply chains. These are far more resilient than more complex global chains, which are more vulnerable to issues like climate shocks, pandemics or international conflicts.

Buying local food also supports small-scale agriculture, keeps more money in the local economy and helps your business put down deeper roots in its community. Without long journeys or weeks of refrigeration, it also often means that you’re getting fresh, in-season produce when it’s at its absolute best – and often at a more reasonable price. Read on for some advice on how to celebrate provenance in your kitchen operations and on your menus.

How your kitchen can celebrate provenance

Making provenance one of your core values means demonstrating your commitment to sustainable, traceable and ethical sourcing across every aspect of your business. Here are some ways that your kitchen team can bring provenance to the forefront.

Choose local farmers and suppliers where possible. Build stronger relationships with your suppliers and have conversations about their values and practices. Re-evaluating your supply chain to bring provenance and traceability to the forefront won’t happen overnight, but can have a huge and lasting impact.
Consider more than food miles when you think about carbon. Of course foods grown closer to home will have lower travel-related emissions, but consider production methods, too; for foods with high emissions – such as beef – distance travelled will contribute a relatively small proportion of the carbon footprint. The energy used in production matters, too. For example, tomatoes grown in heated greenhouses in the UK may actually have a higher footprint than those imported from countries where they can ripen in the sunshine – even when you take the extra transport into account.
Go further than carbon: in what other ways does the production of each food affect the environment? Is that farmer using regenerative farming methods that nourish the soil and protect natural ecosystems? Was this fish caught from over-exploited stocks? Does this pork come from a happy, healthy, outdoor-reared pig?
Explore what food heritage means to your business, then use this as a way to let provenance shine through. For a pub, this might mean reinventing comfort food dishes once traditional in your area; for an Indian restaurant, maybe it’s recreating classic Goan dishes using local British ingredients.
Make sure everyone across your supply chain is treated fairly. This gets trickier for ingredients that must be sourced from further afield, like citrus fruits, coffee or chocolate. In these cases, look for those certified by reputable international bodies like Fairtrade or MSC to ensure sustainable sourcing and fair treatment of farmers, fishers and growers.
Make use of a diverse range of ingredients; think heritage breeds, ancient grains and unusual varieties of fruit and vegetables. Supporting farmers who work with less common species can be a fantastic way to showcase your area’s food heritage, while also building better biodiversity and stronger ecosystems.
Waste less food. A kitchen that works under a zero waste ethos is one that truly honours the resources and hard work that are required to produce every bite of food – a true celebration of provenance.

How to share provenance on your menu

The more you can share of the stories behind your ingredients and dishes, the better. Not only are customers hungry for this information, but celebrating provenance encourages a greater understanding of food’s origins and the impact behind every one of our food choices. (It’s also a way to communicate quality and attention to detail, helping to justify a higher price point!) Here are some ways you can bring provenance to life for your customers.

Where possible, focus on primary producers – the origins of your ingredients – rather than the suppliers through which they came to you.
Include all your menus. Putting provenance on your breakfast, lunch, dessert and even drinks menus is just as important as doing it on your à la carte.
Add producer information to each of your menu descriptions, or consider a separate provenance statement.
Don’t be afraid to get creative! You could use blackboards or sandwich boards, a card on each table, a QR code that connects to a page on your website, or simply the front page of your menu. Visuals can really bring it to life: could you include photos of your producers, or a map showing where your food comes from?
Make sure your front-of-house team is confident in communicating not just the stories behind your dishes, but also why this matters. Why not organise staff visits to the farms that supply your business? This can be very effective at deepening their connection to the food and giving them the language they need to talk to customers.
Consider taking the Food Made Good Standard – the only global sustainability accreditation that’s designed especially for the industry, and a great way to share your sustainability work and attention to provenance with your customers, staff and stakeholders.

British Food Fortnight – 20th September – 6 ^th October 2024

The leading national celebration of British food takes place again this Autumn, a chance for all the UK to get involved, join in the celebrations and support British Food Fortnight.

Work more closely with your suppliers, highlighting existing British ingredients on your menus, trialling new ingredients, or creating dishes for menus showcasing local producers.

Interested in learning more about the Food Made Good Standard? Find out how it all works here or drop us a line at standard@thesra.org with any questions.

Love British Food Releases New Report on the Benefits of the Public Sector Buying British, following landmark meeting with Public Sector Stakeholders

Tue, 16 Apr 2024 10:32:31 GMT

Love British Food organised the first ever meeting of public sector decision makers to discuss increasing the supply of British sourced food into UK public sector supply chains. The event took place on 20 ^th March in Hertfordshire at Hammonds End Farm, owned by Stuart Roberts.

Love British Food have produced a report detailing the key findings from this meeting, released today.

The key recommendations from the report include:

To increase farmer understanding of the public sector as a customer and to encourage more farmers to view the public sector as a viable partner.
A commitment to encourage and maintain progress where it has been made.
Strengthen commitments to buy British in the new Government Buying Standards.
Promote a higher level of understanding of the potential opportunities provided by the Crown Commercial Service buying system, the UK’s largest public procurement organisation.
Encourage food service providers to include a ‘Buy British’ category in product listings.

The discussion between the relevant stakeholders will continue through a new Love British Food podcast launching this month, with the approach detailed within this report framing future efforts. Love British Food will also continue to lead engagement with two more farm visits already planned for this year and will continue to engage with stakeholders through two industry working groups.

Alexia Robinson, Love British Food Founder:

“In Britain we produce fantastic food. At our landmark meeting with public sector influencers, we gathered invaluable insights that have framed our report.

Encouraging a Buy British policy within the public sector is not only more sustainable, helping them to meet their targets on net zero, sustainability and social value but it will also give more people access to high quality, locally sourced British food.

We look forward to continuing to lead engagement within the public sector, with the final ambition of a principle for buyers to look carefully at their supply chains and to make British farmers the first food supplier of choice throughout the entire public sector.”

We will continue to work with decision makers in the public sector to make the ambitions within this report a reality.”

Stuart Roberts, cereal, beef and sheep farmer, Hammonds End Farm:

“Love British Food has led the way for a long time in promoting British food and farming to the public sector. I am looking forward to working with them to share the true societal and environment value of buying British; and lead farmers to understand the commercial opportunity of supplying schools, hospitals and other institutions.”

Link to report:

Industry-first as public sector providers, leaders, farmers and suppliers gather to discuss ‘Buying British’

Wed, 27 Mar 2024 09:52:13 GMT

Love British Food’s ‘Public Sector Influencers’ event took place on March 20th at Hammonds End Farm in Hertfordshire, owned by former NFU Deputy President Stuart Roberts. Aimed at connecting public sector decision makers with British food producers, farmers and suppliers.

Attendees included Phil Shelley, Chair NHS Food Review and National Lead for Net Zero Food, NHS England, Tim Radcliffe, Net Zero food programme manager at NHS England, Chair Public Sector Catering Alliance Matt White, TUCO, Sodexo, Brakes, Compass, OCS, and many more (full attendee list below).

The group was given a tour of the farm, seeing everything that Stuart does to farm in a sustainable way that contributes to a beautiful environment and glorious biodiversity, thereby learning the value of making British food first supplier of choice. Everyone then gathered on straw bales in the barn for a wide-ranging discussion, led by public sector leaders, on everything from how farmers and suppliers can engage in the tendering process to the contribution of different farming systems to the nutritional value of food. The consensus was an agreement that the public sector is a hugely overlooked market for British farmers.

A report is being prepared that will be distributed, with a new Love British Food podcast launching in April where the discussion with leading food service providers, suppliers, buyers and producers will continue.

The agreed objectives from the event are as follows:

- Inspire public sector providers to work with farmers and food producers to achieve robust supply chains of nutritious food.

- Enhance understanding of exactly how farmers can supply the public sector.

- Promote the public sector as a customer to encourage more farmers to invest in supplying it.

- Explain to public sector caterers why buying from British farmers will help them meet their sustainability and net zero targets and deliver social value and the nutritious food they need.

Alexia Robinson, Love British Food Founder:

“There is a huge appetite across the entire public sector to ‘buy British’ - it’s all about inspiring and enabling both public sector caterers and farmers/suppliers to make British food first supplier of choice. Buyers, whether in the NHS, Local Authorities or universities, must be encouraged to consider where their food comes from and how the way the food is produced contributes to delivering on the many targets they are being set. Everyone on the day agreed that the best way of meeting these targets - net zero, sustainability, social value – is to prioritise buying British and ask their suppliers to provide as much British food as possible. There is also an acceptance that more needs to be done to encourage farmers to view this sector as a customer. We do not produce enough food in this country to meet the full public sector requirement so there is a clear business opportunity.

We need a universal commitment from across the food service to put British farmers first. A big, but realistic aim, as looking at the enthusiasm of everyone who attended there is common agreement on this. Love British Food and our partners have already moved the public sector dial on this - we aim to push it even further. I wonder if the time is right to propose a Buy British category in all food service provider food listings; similar to the Buy British button that many multiples are adopting.”

“Events like this one generate a much-needed debate, with serious players in public sector catering. We know that Government won’t act with the pace or impact required, so we will do it ourselves.”

Phil Shelley, Chair NHS Food Review and National Lead for Net Zero Food, NHS England:

“This was the first time that public sector leaders, providers, suppliers and farmers have gathered together to discuss the supply chain. Momentum is building as we in the public sector, want to buy more British food.

I hope this event gave farmers the confidence to invest in supplying the public sector and helped all the buyers who attended understand the true value of buying British. There were plenty of frank discussions. What better place to have them, than on a farm. Thank you to Love British Food for organising.”

Tim Radcliffe, Net Zero food programme manager at NHS England

"We need to embrace our British produce. We need to ensure that the food we serve reflects our culinary heritage and embraces our farming community. We have great producers of food here. We have great producers of food in this country. What we need to do is ensure it gets onto hospital menus. This is an amazing event!”

Cathy Amos, Brakes Head of Customer Marketing

“We’ve supported Love British Food for eight years now and we supply everybody with loads of great British produce and meats and poultry and we do everything we can to work with seasonality, we buy direct from growers, we buy direct from farmers, and we have lots of local small suppliers for our cheese and dairy and breads. So, it’s our ambition to grow our British offering, we want to work with more people and we want to support everybody to understand the importance of supporting the British and everything we produce and grow.”

The Chefs of Tomorrow

Wed, 06 Mar 2024 14:02:58 GMT

Westminster Kingsway College is one of the largest further education colleges in central London with a diverse student body of around 14,000 learners.

I was invited to their exclusive fine truffle dinner in The Escoffier Room at La Rustichella, London, to experience the sights and delights of their student chefs.

The menu consisted of a five course taster menu with wine pairings, championing the humble truffle in many guises from the family owned, authentic Italian company La Rusticella Truffles. Courses Included Butternut Squash Soup, Lemon Cream, Toasted Pumpkin Seeds & White Truffle Oil to start, followed by Venison Carpaccio Rolled in Herbs, Black Truffle, Caramelized Truffled Walnuts & Bitter Leaves, then Nori Wrapped Coho Salmon, Sole Truffle Mousse, Salmon Skin Crackling and Aged English Rose Veal Loin Rossini, Winter Vegetables, Sauce Perigueux. The modest truffle embarked on a very exciting journey of self discovery where the student chefs provided an absolute authentic delivery of a versatile and a very special product. The truffle wasn’t predictably overpowering, but warm, sweet, and ultimately sang from the various different plates.

The service was well balanced between an endearing familiarity and professionalism that one would expect from a Michelin starred restaurant. The students were well rehearsed in this simple and sophisticated routine, and all attention to detail within this culinary odyssey, was discreet and very sincere.

One kept having to remind themselves that we were being wined and dined by 17 and 18 year olds who had possibly only been at the college for less than 5 weeks!

The quality, maturity, talent and execution from both the kitchen and front of house was both fascinating and stunning in equal measure. It was an adulterated privilege to be there and I highly recommend both their brasserie and fine dining restaurant for a simple, yet sensational evening.

The authenticity and the importance of food provenance jumped from the menu effortlessly and gracefully, leaving me wanting more. But in a good way. I am in no doubt that this was one of the best meals I have ever had.

The future of British hospitality is in safe hands.

Love British Food’s inaugural ‘Public Sector Influencers event’ to connect public sector buyers with British farmers, producers and suppliers

Mon, 04 Mar 2024 15:06:57 GMT

Love British Food’s inaugural ‘Public Sector Influencers’ event on Wednesday 20th March is set to connect the most influential people in the public sector with British farmers, producers and suppliers.

All major public sector providers are attending, for a day of frank discussion and shared sense of purpose. The public sector has the potential to be a huge customer for British farming, and this event will explain clearly and directly how farmers can sell into it.

The aim is to agree a shared vision of what all involved in the supply chain, and those hoping to be involved, can aspire to.

The event is taking place on Stuart Robert’s farm. Stuart is a cereal, beef and sheep farmer - he is one of the most well-known and passionate advocates for farming and consumer engagement.

Stuart Roberts, cereal, beef and sheep farmer, Hammonds End farm, Hertfordshire and former NFU Deputy President:

“Love British Food has led the way for a long time in promoting British food and farming to the public sector. I am delighted to host their public sector influencers event on my farm. I am looking forward to working with them to share the true societal and environment value of buying British; and lead farmers to understand the commercial opportunity of supplying schools, hospitals and other institutions.”

Phil Shelley, Chair NHS Food Review and National Lead for Net Zero Food, NHS England:

“This is the first time that public sector leaders, providers, suppliers and farmers have gathered together to discuss the supply chain. Momentum is building as we in the public sector, want to buy more British food. I hope this event provides farmers the confidence to invest in supplying the public sector helping us, as buyers, to understand the true value of buying British. There will be plenty of frank discussions I am sure. What better place to have them, than on a farm. Thank you to Love British Food for organising.”

Alexia Robinson, Love British Food Founder:

“Everyone we work with in the public sector agrees that we are on the cusp of real change in the way food is procured. There is an increasingly shared vision and agreement that purchasing from British suppliers should be the aspiration for NHS Trusts, Local Authorities, schools, universities, care homes and other public institutions. All have targets to deliver on sustainability, net zero, the environment and, most important, the need to provide nutritional food to the young, the sick, the elderly, their staff and other members of the public.

Interestingly, this aspiration has not been as widely communicated to our farmers and producers, many of whom do not view or understand the public sector as a customer.

This event aims to go beyond talk of aspirations and the detail of government buying standards to a frank discussion on the nitty gritty reality of how we can all work together to deliver robust supply chains of quality food to the vast public sector. Love British Food has always been about delivering positive change for local communities across the UK. That means tangible benefits, where advantages are felt in farms, businesses and the wider local economy.

Real change will be best achieved through showing caterers and influencers the benefits of buying British first-hand on a farm; and giving farmers the opportunity to explain to buyers what they, in turn, need from buyers in order to deliver. Meetings in dusty Westminster committee rooms, which have been discussing this since 2014!, have delivered little and the government buying standards remain in the long grass.

Gathering such an array of established and influential names will take our activities with the public sector to the next level - our national programme of farm visits has already made waves, but we’re hopeful that this event will help to put food security on the map within all elements of the public sector.

Public sector leaders can play their role - through sourcing more food from British farmers and producers. Helping to give them the confidence they need to invest and grow their business, ultimately delivering the domestic production capacity that we need to ensure our food security.

An increasingly volatile global picture has had an impact on food supply chains that has not been fully appreciated by anyone at the heart of Government - we are aiming to change that.”

ENDS

Notes to the Editor:

Love British Food farm visits, see the short film:

https://www.lovebritishfood.co.uk/farm-visits

Capacity if limited but if you are interested in attending, please email: alexiarobinson@lovebritishfood.co.uk

Love British Food has further public sector farm visits planned this year to:

The Holkham Estate hosted by Jake Fiennes

Wales hosted by Patrick Holden

Attendees :

Public Sector:

Phil Shelly, NHS England

Tim Radcliffe, NHS England and Director Love British Food

Derek Wright, Blackpool Local Authority, LACA director and Director Love British Food

Chair Public Sector Catering Alliance: Matt White

Milton Keynes Hospital and Chair Love British Food Hospital and Care Catering Working Group: Frank Fiore

TUCO: Jane Eve and Graeme Collie

HCA: Iain Robertson

HCA London SE: Rupi Valentine

Sodexo: Militsa Pribetich-Gill

Compass: Lone Middleton, Victoria Murray and Egle Cironkaite

Brakes: Cathy Amos and James Armitage

ISS: Ika Bobrowska

NHS Supply: Kirstin Morris

Caterforce: Tom Matthew

OCS: Leigh Ashley

Bon Culina: Colin Clarke

Apetito: Lee Sheppard

Aramark: Phil Quinn

Producers:

Yeo Valley: Bobby Houghton-Brown

Potatoes: Nick Wright

Dairy: Charles Goadby, Amy Eggleston and Michael Oakes

AB Fruits: Roberto Bosco

Organic beef, Derbyshire: Tom Sebire and Nicky Stonebridge

Beef and lamb: Rob Pratt

Lee Valley Growers

Arable: Jamie Burrows

Beef and cereals: Sarah Bell

Dairy: Claire Daw

Nuffield scholars studying public sector supply chains: Hannah Fraser and Tom Pearson

Media:

Farmers Guardian: Emily Ashworth

PSC: David Foad

Contract Catering: Henry Norman tbc

Six Inches of Soil film producer and representing Cambridge Children’s hospital: Claire Mackenzie

Agenda

10.30 Welcome and introduction

Overview of expectations of the day
An on-farm working discussion on how public sector providers can work together with farmers and food producers to achieve robust supply chains of nutritious food
Aim is to enhance understanding of exactly how farmers can supply the public sector;
…and explain to public sector caterers why buying from British farmers will help them meet their sustainability and net zero targets and deliver the nutritious food they need.
Outcome is to map the existing and potential supply chain opportunities; and help the British farming industry understand the public sector as customer so that more farmers invest in supplying them in the future.

11.00 Farm tour led by Stuart Roberts and Rob Pratt – answering the question ‘Why Buy British’

1pm Lunch

1.30 Sector by sector discussion

Farmers will be paired with a public sector lead to discuss the nitty gritty of the supply chain:
NHS Supply and Frank Fiore : Michael Oakes, Stuart Roberts and Nick Wright (compered by Tim Radcliffe, NHS England)
Derek Wright : Derbyshire beef, Claire Daw and Amy Eggleston (compered by Alexia Robinson, Love British Food)
TUCO : Sarah Bell, Rob Pratt and Jamie Burrows (compered by Matt White, PSC Chair)
what is possible, how does it work currently, how can it work better.
who are the influencers in the supply chain making the key decisions on value and price.

3. 30 End

Opportunities and Challenges in the Hospitality Sector

Thu, 15 Feb 2024 10:36:43 GMT

The hospitality and tourism industry is under immense pressure and facing huge and unique challenges not only here in the UK but all throughout Europe and the rest of the world. However, The hospitality and tourism industry is one of the fastest-growing industries in the world, providing a colossal number of job opportunities. Between 2021 and 2031, employment in the hospitality and tourism industry is projected to expand faster than any other job sector, creating about 1.3 million new positions.

In February, I was invited to attend the Hospitality and Tourism Innovation Summit for the Hospitality Industry in Malaga, Spain via the Spanish Embassy. The H&T is the Innovation Summit for the Hospitality Industry and gathers some of the most renowned food producers, chefs and food and catering equipment firms and professionals operating in the industry across the globe. More than 400 companies and organisations were represented including more than 250 from the agri-food sector, 34 reference chefs and Michelin stars, and 15 sommeliers, oenologists and professionals from the world of wine. Countries represented included Spain, Italy, United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Portugal, France, Mexico, Puerto Rico, United Sates of America, Japan and Canada.

At this incredibly interesting and exciting exhibition, which covered the entire world-wide hospitality and tourism sectors, we heard about the problems, challenges and solutions that chefs, restauranteurs, business leaders and organisations are currently facing; including the implications of AI, business management in hospitality, gastronomy at the service of biodiversity, energy efficiency in the hotel field, new trends in the dining experience and opportunities for growth and development.

The summit returned with a specialist call connecting with the sector’s needs to provide innovative and technological tools to drive the future, competitiveness, and development of the hospitality, hotel and tourism industries.

The current cost of living crisis and the shortage of labour are not problematic issues mutually exclusive to here in the UK but can also be felt all over the world, especially in Europe.

However, there is an exciting and a very lovely buzz of innovation, solutions and developments happening that will undoubtedly affect you, the consumer, in a great, positive way.

There is a hunger for the understanding and the implementation of hospitality technology in core businesses of the industry such as the implementation and use of Artificial Intelligence.

Also, Spain is a beacon of gastronomy, equipment and services in both the hospitality and tourism sector; especially with food. 7% of uk food is imported from Spain, which is the largest amount to come from any one single country. Everything from fruits, tomatoes, broccoli, and leeks.

With more than two pubs closing every day in England and Wales, we need to really support our hospitality and tourism industry now more than ever before. To help, you can book a table at your local restaurant, meet friends in your local pub, and spend wisely. Your pennies and pounds are powerful.

I feel a renewed enthusiasm for an impending hospitality and tourism revival. But only time will tell, and and with your support, please remember to buy local, buy seasonally, buy sustainably and buy British.

By Jenny Jefferies

Follow @jennyljefferies

Love British Food transforming into a ‘Social Enterprise’ to enable its work to grow

Wed, 24 Jan 2024 11:50:16 GMT

Love British Food, the leading promotional body for British produce, has announced that it will become a Social Enterprise in order to further its reach and to grow its work.

Tim Radcliffe, Net Zero Food Programme Manager for NHS England, and Derek Wright, Catering Services Manager at Blackpool Catering Services will join Love British Food Founder Alexia Robinson as Directors.

Love British Food: a new social enterprise dedicated to making high quality nutritious British food available to all sectors of our society.

Its key objectives will remain the same, through the channels that have proved so successful since the organisation’s formation in 2002. Including British Food Fortnight, the biggest celebration of British food and drink on the calendar, a national programme of farm visits for NHS caterers, industry working groups to share knowledge, developing the online platform ‘British Food Fortnight Live’, and plenty more.

What is a social enterprise?

They are businesses that trade for environmental or social reasons. Not to deliver profit for shareholders, but to invest those funds into providing a tangible benefit for communities across the country and the environment.

Tim Radcliffe, Net Zero Food Programme Manager NHS England, commented on his new role:

“Being asked to be a director of Love British Food is an immense honour and something I accepted in a heartbeat.

The challenges of food security, ethical farming and nutritional food is more relevant than ever and these are issues that British farmers are better suited than anyone to deliver on. This country produces high quality, affordable produce and we should be immensely proud of our farming heritage.

The public sector has a significant part to play by committing to connect farm to fork. We are feeding the nation from cradle to grave and doing it with British produce benefits our local communities. This is an opportunity for all.”

Derek Wright, Catering Services Manager at Blackpool Catering Services, added on becoming a Director:

"Upon being invited to be a volunteer Director for Love British Food, I eagerly embraced the opportunity. As a Chef I grew up rooted in a farming community, I am enthusiastic about advocating for the use of locally sourced produce in our countryside and the benefits this has not only improves nutrition but our sustainability and local economy.

Love British Food stands as an outstanding platform for championing our cause. Our distinctive position enables us to champion British food across the broader spectrum of the Public Sector and within our communities. We reach individuals through schools and other educational institutions, all while bringing the remarkable farmers, producers, and wholesalers to the forefront of what we do."

Alexia Robinson, Love British Food Founder, commented on the new appointments:

“I am delighted that Tim and Derek are joining me in this new exciting era for Love British Food.

We will have a particular focus on inspiring and enabling robust, quality supply chains in hospitals, care homes, schools and universities.

Love British Food is established as a promotion in these areas; and while there are pockets of very good work taking place around the country (Birmingham, Yorkshire, the new Cambridge children’s hospital to name a few) there is no national programme to enable a step-change to quality, nutritious food as standard in the public sector.

We do not believe any Government’s statement of 50% local/sustainable sourcing will achieve much without a true change management programme on the ground.”

The new organisation launches its activities at…

Love British Food’s Public Sector Influencers meet the Producers event on Wed 20 ^th March in Hertfordshire.

A day of like-minded people, frank discussion and shared sense of purpose.

The public sector has the potential to be a huge customer for British farming and this event will explain how farmers can sell into it. All the major public sector providers are attending and farmers, wholesalers and food manufacturers are being invited.

An on-farm working discussion on how public sector providers can work together with farmers and food producers to achieve robust supply chains of nutritious food.

The aim is to agree a shared vision of what public sector caterers, providers and producers can aspire to.

The event is taking place on Stuart Robert’s farm - Stuart is a Cereal, beef and sheep farmer. He is one of the most well-known and passionate advocates for farming and consumer engagement.

The Importance of Offering Nutritious Patient Food

Sun, 07 Jan 2024 21:19:02 GMT

At Milton Keynes University Hospital prioritising patient catering has been a longstanding commitment. Whether it is a parent who has just given birth, a child recovering from surgery or an individual recuperating from a stroke, it is vital that everyone is offered a wide range of appetising and nutritious meal options during their hospital stay.

Under the guidance of our Hotel Services Manager Steven Hall, and Catering Manager Frank Fiore, teams have worked collaboratively to identify a meal service that offers fresher, more appetising, and personalised meals that benefit the recovery of our patients. We opted for a service which has dishes that can be steamed for enhanced flavour and taste, and crucially which offer health benefits and we successfully implemented a new patient menu in October 2021.

This revamped menu offers a wide selection at every mealtime, catering to specific needs and dietary requirements, including halal, kosher, vegan, allergy-aware, and modified textures for certain patients. To ensure accessibility, the menus are available in standard, pictorial, and large print, in 11 different languages, and in braille.

We also introduced electronic menu ordering and established a new ward-based role - Ward Food Service Assistant. These dedicated and committed colleagues assist our patients with menu selection and electronic ordering of meals in-line with the Trust’s wider ambition to implement technology to improve the way we work. This approach fosters familiarity, understanding, and relationship-building between patients, relatives, and staff and these colleagues have already become integral to the patient catering experience offered here at MKUH.

Our menu now boasts diverse choices, ranging from traditional favourites to innovative options such as falafel tagine. Since the introduction, patient feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, highlighting the broad range of choices, availability of hot and cold options, and most importantly, just how tasty the food is. Positive patient feedback has soared from 49% to 73%, an improvement that we are extremely proud of and we believe will continue to improve as time goes on.

In addition to this, we have managed to reduce our food wastage from 17% to 2% through real-time ordering and effective portion control, saving both money and, just as importantly, reducing our environmental impact. As a Trust our ambition is to achieve the NHS’ net zero aspirations in 2030, 10 years ahead of the national target to become net carbon zero for emissions by 2040. It is through innovations such as these that we are dramatically reducing our carbon footprint and I know this will only continue to improve as the service evolves.

While we know that NHS budgets are under increasing pressures, we also know that quality food does not come cheap. Here at MKUH, our teams have worked increasingly hard to find the balance between high quality nutrition and a cost point that is affordable, sustainable, and manageable, working with colleagues in procurement and finance to ensure we have a service that shares our aspirations and is able to evolve as our hospital expands. This is the same approach we use to deliver all our services here, ensuring we deliver the best possible care to all our patients while delivering value for money for the taxpayer.

It is important to note that not only have we significantly overhauled our patient catering service, but there have also been fantastic improvements in our on-site catering to staff and visitors. We now offer competitively priced breakfast items, balanced hot meal choices, a range of £2 healthy choices, a salad bar, and a jacket potato and filling option. Regular initiatives throughout the year, such as 'Farm to Table,' showcase local ingredients and help to raise the profile of the important work our catering team do.

I extend my appreciation to every staff member involved in our patient and staff food service - a dedicated team passionate about serving delicious and satisfying meals to enhance patient satisfaction. The significant changes made in recent years, coupled with our exceptional team fuel my excitement about the continued development of our offerings. Most importantly good nutrition enables our patients to go home sooner which not only helps that individual, it also ensures that we are able to see and treat more patients – an ambition that every hospital is aiming to achieve to reduce waiting times across the NHS.

There are so many advantages and benefits for effectively investing in a high-quality patient and staff catering service and for me this is something that should be high on the ‘menu’ for every hospital across the country. I am hugely proud of everything the team has achieved in the last few years to develop our services and am incredibly excited to be involved and support their future aspirations moving forward.

Christmas British Turkey and the trimmings on the bbq

Wed, 15 Nov 2023 15:35:52 GMT

A traditional Christmas lunch is very much a part of Christmas. Family and friends celebrating over a wonderful meal is tradition and, in many ways, the same every year. However, we live in times where people want to do things differently and one way to make things differently is to cook Christmas British Turkey on the BBQ.

You may well say that a Christmas Turkey is far too huge to cook on a BBQ, but you would be wrong. Cooking a turkey and the trimmings on the grill (Gas or real coals) is totally possible and totally delicious!

The entire Christmas lunch

In fact, the entire Christmas lunch from the to roast potatoes and even sprouts can be cooked on a BBQ. The number of UK people using their Barbecue in winter is increasing every year and growing numbers of families are using their BBQs to produce magnificent Christmas lunches. There is nothing daunting about a winter BBQ or cooking Christmas lunch in your BBQ oven or smoker, it is all about getting the temperatures and timing right.

From beginning to end, cooking Christmas lunch on the BBQ should take around 3-5 hours depending on the size of your turkey. Preparing the turkey for a slow cook on your grill is part of the trick to getting things just right. Basting the turkey and wrapping some bacon over the bird will ensure the meat is moist and you should work on about 20 to 25 minutes per pound when working out the cooking time. I stuff the cavity with apples to help keep it moist!

Preparation makes it easy

Preparation all round makes a makes the whole Christmas lunch on a BBQ a walk in the park. Remember everything is “oven baked” when cooking your lunch on your fire, no boiling but some sneaky parboiling of the vegetables can help with the cooking process. Roast potatoes on the BBQ taste amazing, if using charcoal and wood the food comes out with a nice smoky flavour that makes the entire lunch taste amazing and different. Yes, with some oil, onions and herbs sprouts can be BBQed too.

Much of the chef’s job when cooking Christmas turkey on the BBQ is to sit and wait. The turkey needs longer than the vegetables that typically take around an hour and thus it is a very relaxed way to make a Christmas lunch. If you have a second BBQ or grill you can cook some pre-lunch snacks or starters. Maybe some pork chipolatas in some mini rolls served as mini hotdogs or some small chicken kebabs just to whet the appetite. Alternatively, some marinated pork ribs make excellent nibbles before the main course.

BBQ Christmas Dessert

If you are having Christmas pudding for dessert you can easily warm the pudding through on the BBQ while you are eating. However, there are plenty of desserts you can make on the grill just to show off your BBQ skills. Grilled pineapple rings served with ice cream is a quick and easy favourite to add something tropical to your traditional Christmas lunch. Grilled or baked bananas with chocolate chips and marshmallows are a big favourite with the kids or doused in Irish Liqueur Cream for the adults and so easy to make and off course make the chef look like a pro.

Overall, cooking the complete Christmas lunch on the BBQ is entirely possible so why not give it a try!

Happy Christmas from Love British Food Ambassador Ben Bartlett and see you at a food festival in 2024!

Frank Fiore’s approach of sourcing local to provide best quality meals for the NHS patients

Tue, 24 Oct 2023 11:15:27 GMT

Since I joined the trust, we have changed the way in which we prepare food and design our menus. We try and use some of the traditional British favourites in our menus that are both heartwarming and tasty, sometimes they can bring a little nostalgia to our day. We work closely with our suppliers to ensure that the ingredients we cook with have originated from within the UK. We love British and are passionate about sourcing from within the UK.

The challenges are real, and the NHS framework can sometimes cause obstacles to get these local products in our hospitals. Since celebrating ‘Love British’ fortnight, we have made a lot of changes. We sourced a British ice cream manufacturer that makes ice-cream on their farm using their own milk.

We then moved away from a meat supplier over 200 miles away and sourced one more local. Our beef and pork are from farms in surrey, our lamb is reared in the west country, and our chicken is red tractor approved from farms in Shropshire. We continue to use this supplier and I am still looking for one even more local to Milton keynes.

Our greatest local supplier is our fruit and veg company, AB Fruits. Having worked locally when I was a chef, AB Fruits were always my go-to supplier, they buy local and supply local. We get cauliflowers from Sharnbrook, courgettes from Bromham, salad onions from Pershore lettuce, celery from Ely and potatoes from Suffolk. These products are all grown in the UK by British farmers, you can’t get much better than that.

We have now started to use seasonal local produce to make our daily special. We create the dish the day before, using what the land has to offer. We received squashes from Sharnbrook last week and they went on our menu in the form of a squash risotto topped with fresh rocket, parmesan and crispy bacon pieces.

I had a long and happy career as a Chef before my Catering Manager role here at MKUH. I have always been passionate about cooking tasty, amazing food with love and I pour my passion into trying to influence change in where we buy our food from. I also try and pass on my passion onto my Chef Team.

I am lucky to work in an organisation that is open to ideas and trying new things. With the backing of our Exec team at MKUH we introduced healthier food options to staff for a cheaper price than the unhealthier choices. For example, our fish at chips is £4.95 and our healthy noodle live cook is only £2.00. We encourage our team to make the healthier choice. We have received new restaurant counters and new equipment for our chefs to cook with. We are proud of what we offer, and I would love to now see other organisations do the same.

I would love the opportunity for British local farmers near my trust to come and approach local trust’s directly to buy what they picked yesterday, and I hope soon we could have someone in my position having the one-to-one relationship with the local farmers and flow their products straight to a patient’s plate.

My vision and aspirations for MKUH is to have a fresh cook kitchen for our patients and to be even more influential in what patients eat.

A very British supply chain partnership

Wed, 27 Sep 2023 12:02:51 GMT

When a Cornish potato grower visited a London wholesaler with their Lincolnshire marketing partner last week, we tagged along to find out what makes this very British supply chain relationship work so well.

Over the last couple of years, anyone who has spent any time in a British wholesale market, restaurant kitchens or independent retailers will almost certainly have spotted big blue bags of potatoes emblazoned with the smiling face of legendary chef Pierre Koffmann. What they perhaps wouldn’t realise though is that The Food Heroes (TFH), the Lincolnshire firm that markets both the Koffmann’s and Marco Pierre White fresh, processed and frozen potato brands, is also behind a growing stable of other British potato vegetables brands.

One of TFH’s key grower partnerships is with the exclusive grower of salad potato ‘Jazzy’ in the UK, The Little Spud Company, and during British Food Fortnight, TFH’s Farming Director Shaun Langley was at New Covent Garden Market in London with Jason Tanner, MD of The Menu Partners, and Jazzy growers father and son Phil and Harry Rogers, who run Pengelly Farms, in Helston, Cornwall.

Pengelly Farms Ltd is first to market with British grown salad potatoes, in early to mid-May each year. Since 2008, it has exclusively grown and marketed the Jazzy variety in the UK, predominantly in supermarkets, but for the last two years, the brand has been sold into the wholesale, catering and hospitality sectors around the country through its partnership with TFH.

The Menu Partners is also a close customer of TFH. The group includes Premier Foods Wholesale, which is one of The Food Heroes regional partners and is based at New Covent Garden Market. From that base in Nine Elms, on the south bank of the River Thames, it sells large volumes of the TFH brands of fresh and processed potatoes into its UK and international customer network and also exclusively distributes TFH frozen brands nationwide.

The Rogers family relationship with The Food Heroes is more friends reunited than a brand-new venture, as Phil had known Shaun and his fellow Directors Simon Martin and Claire Koffmann for years before they got reacquainted. “We first worked together around 30 years ago – we hadn’t lost touch, but when they came down to see me two years ago, we rekindled that relationship and decided the time was right to develop something new together,” says Phil.

“We trialled Jazzy when it was just a numbered variety almost 20 years ago and realised the potential it had. Its yields and hit rates are excellent – there are very few fails. And in terms of quality, it’s fantastic. We took the clamshell approach because we knew that if we let it be grown more widely, it would be detrimental to the brand. So, we applied for exclusivity.

Jazzy has quickly become an established year-round string to the TFH bow. Shaun says: “We have promoted the Jazzy brand through wholesale and put some proper structure behind that, which gives renewed identity to the variety. We’ve got another early variety in the pipeline for next season.”

Route to market

The venture has opened Phil’s eyes to a market he had largely ignored: “We’d found it difficult to find the right wholesale market partner, so we focused on retail,” he says, “but the wholesale and foodservice side of things have got very interesting and dynamic again – there’s so much potential. When you see the infrastructure that Jason has built in New Covent Garden Market and what he’s doing at that end of the chain, it just has to fill us with confidence.”

Phil’s father Simon began farming at Pengelly Barton in 1967, three years before Phil was born. A third generation of Rogers, Phil’s son Harry, is now in the business too. “With Harry coming in, we needed an injection of excitement and we’re all really looking forward to seeing where this will lead to. This relationship is giving smaller retailers and the whole catering industry access to top-quality product they wouldn’t have had before.”

The partnership between TFH and The Menu Partners and its wholesale arm Premier Foods Wholesale has also been mutually beneficial. “We’ve been working with Koffmann’s fresh and frozen products for three years now,” says Jason. “The frozen product has been distributed into the catering industry predominantly, while the fresh product has been sold to catering and also secondary wholesalers across the country.

“The TFH brands have become a big part of our business in a relatively short space of time,” he adds. “Initially, the Frozen and Fresh ranges predominantly included potatoes, carrots and parsnips, but new lines are being added on a regular basis - frozen Yorkshire peas and fresh English asparagus, for instance.

“It’s the service, the quality and the range that sets them apart for our customers and demand has grown quickly across the country. The fresh brands are very popular and the frozen brands have also been doing very well. Price does play its part, but I think the demand for frozen has being driven by the outstanding quality and consistency of the product we have to offer.

Stamp of approval

Shaun says the Koffmann stamp of approval has been crucial in building momentum behind the brands. “Because our brands are all built on quality and we’ve proved the consistency, they command a slightly higher price, which gives us the capacity to support our growers. Having Pierre with us has been huge – it’s one thing that we say the product is fantastic quality, but to have the endorsement of one of the country’s top chefs is a massive plus-point.”

Pierre adds his Michelin Starred chef’s eye and a vastly experienced understanding of culinary quality to proceedings. He’s heavily involved in the day-to-day operation, visiting growers, packhouses, customers, festivals etc… to constantly quality-check the product and get to know the supply chain and the people in it. “I look at it like a blue tick on Twitter (now X),” says Shaun. “If Pierre says it’s the best and he’d be happy with it, then that’s enough for me.”

TFH is a very hands-on, personal affair, which makes a real difference to Phil “That’s really, really important,” he says. “To have people like Pierre come down to see us in Cornwall is so rare. It feels like we’ve been welcomed into the family and it’s great that the people at the top are so involved with us. There’s a real energy and it feels like we’re all in this together, from the guy who plants the seeds, to the person who delivers the final product.”

That final person often hails from New Covent Garden Market, the country’s largest wholesale market, which is located in Nine Elms just south of the River Thames. The huge site is currently being redeveloped and The Menu Partners recently moved into extensive brand-new premises. A large part of the facilities is fully refrigerated and the firm has invested in state-of-the-art equipment both in its storage and handling depot and the offices above, which feature a magnificent development kitchen.

The Menu Partners also has sites in Brighton, Bicester, and Middleton, near Liverpool, but is firmly committed to its base. “The market is vital to what we do,” says Jason. “The reason we have invested so heavily in New Covent Garden Market is that this is the best place by far from which to serve London.”

Mutual gains

TFH’s market penetration has been swift and extensive and as the product range increases, so does the ambition, Shaun says. “In lots of kitchens, we can say we have 25% of the plate now and obviously we’re never going to be 100%. However, there’s no reason why we can’t aim to be 50% or more.

“The ethos has always been based on quality and consistency,” he adds. “No-one in this country is finding it easy at the moment and as part of the supply chain, we felt we had to find a way to make chefs’ lives easier and more predictable. Having product you can trust every time can make a big difference to your overheads.

“We never ask what’s in it for TFH. Last year was extremely tough for everyone in the British potato industry, for instance, and some people turned their backs on growers. We know loyalty matters and that this has to work for everyone. To be successful, we need a quality British grower base that shares our values and ambition and comes on the journey with us. Financially, it’s not about us and them; if we don’t both win then the whole thing fails.”

The Spirit of Jersey competition

Wed, 27 Sep 2023 10:08:56 GMT

We are looking for your personal take on the Royal Rizzle

The Royal Rizzle:

50ml Royal Mash Vodka

30ml orange juice

30ml pineapple juice

10ml simple syrup

Few dashes bitters ( optional )

Mix in a glass and top with ice.

How to enter :

Create a cocktail containing Royal Mash vodka.

Use your take on the remaining ingredients, the name, the method and how you serve it - let your imagination guide you.

Enter by emailing rdc@royalmash.com following the below:

Email subject : Spirit of Jersey 2023 - YOUR Name - YOUR cocktail name

Include in the email content and number as below:

Your full name
Address, mobile number and email
Job Title and place of work
Cocktail name
Cocktail ingredients and method - you must detail every step in full. (we remake every cocktail)
At least one photo of your cocktail, maximum of 5.
200 words maximum explaining why your version of the Royal Rizzle should win and any details you think are important.

Entries missing any of the above information will be automatically disqualified.

You must be of legal drinking age in your country of residence to enter.

Open to professionals and home enthusiasts.

By entering you give Royal Mash permission to use your recipe and photos, we will always credit you when we do this.

You can make multiple entries if you wish but each must be on a separate email.

When considering your version please bear in mind the original ingredients, you must include Royal Mash. Your drink can be anything, long, short... a shot, it’s up to you the same goes for the method. Use as many ingredients as you like, but sourcing of ingredients and replication of your version should be possible for another human!

Prizes :

1st Prize £400

2nd Prize £150

3rd Prize £50

3 x runners up get a swag bag

Opening date 16th September - closing date 1st October 2023.

Connection between Nature and Health

Wed, 20 Sep 2023 19:33:33 GMT

Nutrition can be confusing. The one thing we all agree on however, is that Ultraprocessed Foods, UPFs, are ruining our health. There is now also a thirst for a reconnect - to nature, to self and to others. This is fabulous news for our British farmers and food producers! The tide is turning - farmers are being appreciated for what they are - no longer seen as merely commodity producers, but the guardians of our land (as are all of us) and the food-makers that they have always been for us.

I work in an exciting, albeit niche space! That interface between what goes on in the soil in which our food grows, the animals which provide some of our food and how this impacts our health with our gut microbiome at the core. I’m immensely proud to support our farmers with communications on this - spreading awareness and sharing the real-life stories behind our food!

From my perspective, I’m seeing this knowledge and the thirst for it becoming more and more widespread - in schools, the workplace, slowly within our food system, families teaching their children - this year’s Open Farm Sunday seeing 257 farms across the nation welcome nearly 180,000 visitors!

This gradual change combined with an ever-increasing search by many for a new approach to ‘whole’ health (for people and planet) is something I find much hope in.

Love British Food is a precious part of this hope, ensuring that gradually, our high quality British produce is embedded in communities, reaching industry and the public sector - schools, hospitals, universities, prisons and, not least, our own shopping baskets.

When we reconnect - we discover a beautiful story of nature and our health - there’s an uncanny similarity between what goes on in our gut and what happens in healthy soils. Just as our precious and diverse gut microbes release nutrients from our food and also help our biology to thrive, soil microbes do the same for the crops that grow in it, and grazing animals have a vital role to play in restoring diversity to our soils. This system is an ancient one! Thankfully, the turning tide on prioritising biodiversity in nature and a quest for healthier food will allow this ‘ancient way’ to thrive once more.

So this Love British Food Fortnight, let’s strive to continue our journey towards sourcing quality British, seasonal food, with animal welfare standards among the highest in the world. With our support, our farmers can achieve the climate-friendly goals they’re striving for.

We just need to place real value on our food.

Farmison & Co eat better meat

alexiarobinson@lovebritishfood.co.uk (Alexia Robinson) — Mon, 18 Sep 2023 11:10:55 GMT

Our better meat is free-range, grass-fed and dry-aged, sourced from responsible British Farms.

Our breeds

The British Isles has some of the finest beef, pork and lamb breeds in the world, bred to perfection in the 18th and 19th centuries, to yield more marbling and fuller flavour as well as range freely in the great outdoors. These breeds became perilously close to extinction in the twentieth century with the onset of industrialised farming. Our mission is to return heritage breeds to the nation's table, with a founding principle of Farmison & Co being that the more we demand them, the more farmers will rear them.

Ethical farming

We source from a network of small, family farms, close to our Ripon base, primarily in the Yorkshire Dales and the North York Moors. Our farmers are specialists in raising heritage breeds on pasture the old-fashioned way, in balance with the environment. We are always free-range, and do not rush animals to market - our herds and flocks grow naturally at their own pace. We give our farmers a fair price they can rely on, to ensure their continued stewardship of the environment.

Our story

Farmison & Co. were founded in 2011 and is rooted in the heart of Ripon, North Yorkshire. An award-winning online butcher, they take pride in delivering hand-cut heritage breed meat to both home cooks and professional chefs.

Our quality

We are butchers by trade and artisans at our craft. We are experts at dry ageing, hanging our beef to ensure fuller flavour and succulence. Our range of both traditional and modern butchery cuts is constantly growing as we encourage home cooks to eat nose-to-tail and discover new dishes.

Our farms

North Yorkshire, we're fortunate enough to have access to some of the best in the world right on our doorstep.

Celebrating the great tastes of Dorset

Wed, 23 Aug 2023 10:00:00 GMT

Variety really is the spice of life in Dorset, and with a collection of some of the most varied landscapes in the country,comes a fantastic array of very distinctive local food and drink too.

Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) nestle alongside farms, villages, small towns, and soft rolling hills. Which, coupled with dramatic views of the coastline and terroir, making it an ideal place for growing grapes. With such a warm climate and good quality soil, it’s an ideal place for Dorset’s award-winning wineries and vineyards to flourish.

Dorset also offers visitors the chance to explore stunning beaches and curious coves and dig for dinosaurs and fossils at England’s only natural UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The land and its communities have been shaped by 8000 years of farming and fishing, raising, growing, and creating food and drink to feed their families. It is easy to see why this county is so proud of this heritage and continues to make, bake, brew, fish, and grow products that impress.

From the Geographically Important iconic Dorset Blue Vinny cheese to the famous Dorset Knobs.

A visit to Dorset wouldn’t be complete without a cream tea and slice of warm Apple Cake!

Dorset AONB set up Dorset Food & Drink initiative in 2011 and since then it has gone from strength to strength, by supporting the local food, drink and hospitality sector and bringing together a mouthwatering programme of food & drink events throughout the year.

Now a Community Interest Company (CIC not for profit) - Dorset Food & Drink has a membership of over 120 food and drink businesses based in Dorset who produce, serve, and sell great local products, as well those who celebrate their connection to this beautiful county.

Discover the great tastes of Dorset for yourself and take a delicious journey into our Dorset Food & Drink larder

Love British Food: The Best Produce To Enjoy Now

Mon, 19 Jun 2023 14:04:19 GMT

Eating seasonally has a host of benefits; you’ll be getting the freshest, most nutritious and delicious fruit and vegetables, rather than those that have been in cold storage for weeks. Out of season vegetables start to lose their nutrients straight after they are picked – so enjoy food whilst it is fresh! Buying in-season is also more environmentally friendly, as you’re relying on what’s grown locally in Britain, rather than jetted in from far-off locations; and it can be more economical too, as seasonal food markets and your local farm shops often have the best deals on produce.

What is in season now?

June and July is the time to buy asparagus, broccoli, beetroot, broad beans, carrots, cauliflower, cucumbers, kale, rocket, lettuce, peas, spinach, tomatoes, funnel, green beans, runner beans, spring onions, peppers, and aubergines. For fruit, look out for fresh strawberries, raspberries, rhubarb, gooseberries, cherries, apricots, blueberries, peaches and blackcurrants.

What to cook?

Take inspiration from these recipes showcasing brilliant British, in season produce whilst they’re at their finest. Not sure where to start? Read on to see two brilliantly fresh dishes selected from Love British Food ambassadors, and take a look at their social media pages for guides to eating and cooking seasonally in the early summer months.

Gillian Hudson’s Quinoa salad with baby watermelon, Greek feta, cucumber, red onion, chopped fresh basil, rapeseed oil mighty sees from Hillfarm Oils, and extra virgin olive oil.

Phillipa Davis’ dreamy smoked mackerel from Macneils Smokehouse, with crème fraiche, beetroot, coriander, garlic and sumac dressing.

For more inspiration from Philippa head to @philippadavis_food

Where to shop?

Check for food provenance labels in your local supermarket to see where fruit and vegetables were grown and try to support the farm-to-fork approach with produce which have low food miles (a mile over which a food item is transported during the journey from producer to consumer). If you’re in a rural community, there are often town food markets where local producers sell their locally-grown seasonal produce; a farmers market is a brilliant place to get fresh produce and support your local British farmers. Support your local butchers, our ambassadors HG Walter provide the very best meat with their focus on supporting quality, consistency and sustainable farming. There are many farm shops and pop-up shops serving a range of farm produce, like our ambassadors Gelston Lamb in Lincolnshire, who produce award winning lamb and mutton, alongside sourcing local free range pork and grass fed beef. If you’d prefer a selection of fresh produce delivered straight to your home, try Riverford Organic, Daylesford Organic, The Organic Pantry, or Oddbox.

Summer’s Here - Time For Beer!

Mon, 12 Jun 2023 11:12:04 GMT

Two extra special reasons for joy in June - the deliciousness of summer food and Beer Day Britain - national beer day on June 15 ^th . Combine them and it’s a double dose of joy!

Beer is one of the most diverse drinks with more than 150 defined styles, from ultra-light lagers to hefty imperial stouts. In the beer category there are sweet, sour, bitter, savoury and even salty iterations which means there is probably a beer for everyone. There is certainly a beer to match every season, every dish whether meat, fish, or vegan, and every type of cuisine on the menu. And this includes no and low alcohol beers too.

Although the received wisdom is that wine is the ‘proper’ match for food and beer is only good to accompany crisps and pizza ignore that because beer suits all versions of dining - fine and casual - it just depends on location, intention, and glassware.

When pairing beer with food this is a useful mantra to help choose the right match. Co-ordinate, Complement, Cut, or Contrast.

Co-ordinate: Match the beer with the texture and density of food.

Complement: Beer that complements the flavours of the food.

Cut: Choose a beer to cut through texture, flavour, richness, and fattiness of food.

Contrast: Choose a beer that is a complete contrast to the taste of the food. For example, bitter beer with sweet food.

Now we know the guidelines, here are my suggestions of the perfect beer for a selection of summer dishes.

Asparagus frittata: Wheat beer is a beautiful match for any egg dish because it has a complementary creaminess and is not bitter so it does not overwhelm the flavours of the food. Wheat beer matches for shellfish too.

Tomato tart: This savoury dish suits brown ale which has a subtle sweetness and balances the acidity of the tomatoes.

Cold poached salmon & tarragon mayonnaise: The oily texture of the fish and mayonnaise requires a dry palate beer to cut through the fish. The Saison style fits the bill.

Bacon and courgette risotto: match with a Scotch ale which has a juicy caramel character that complements the bacon.

Don’t ignore dessert because beer has never met one it did not enhance. Eton Mess is a revelation with a sour fruit beer Gose style which acts as a contrast to the sweetness of the meringue, a complement to the strawberries and with its acidity has a cutting action. Eton Mess and a sour fruit beer would be the star of any picnic.

If you are celebrating Beer Day Britain on June 15 ^th then please join the National Cheers To Beer at 7pm by raising a glass and saying ‘Cheers To Beer’, then posting a social media message with the hashtag #CheersToBeer. And while you’re at it, why not raise a glass to Britain’s beautiful food too!

+++++

Jane Peyton is a Love British Food ambassador. She is an accredited beer sommelier, drinks educator, author of The Philosophy of Beer , and founder of the School of Booze.

Inspiring example of Eco Ewe – a sustainable family farming business

alexiarobinson@lovebritishfood.co.uk (Alexia Robinson) — Mon, 15 May 2023 14:43:25 GMT

Eco Ewe in Norfolk is an example of an amazing family farming business that diversifies not just in producing food for all of us to enjoy, but also in sustainable production of our sheep with lovely woolly jumpers and rugs. Their luxury lifestyle range showcase their ethics and by being based around zero waste and they are thus, fully sustainable & quintessentially British.

The concept behind conserving this breed is to whole-heartedly share their values of producing traceable, sustainable products with zero waste, through positive regenerative impacts supporting their farm and British manufacturing all whilst raising the profile of their native, rare breed of Norfolk horns alongside their commercial flocks.

“We have had a problematic departure from nature and should be celebrating these native breeds which have evolved not just to survive but to thrive in their native landscapes, heritage breeds may take longer to mature, but they’re healthier creatures as a result. It’s the seasons that dictate the level of grazing and the taste of their meat is immeasurable in comparison to imported meats available in supermarkets.

Many UK farmers like us are creating Ecological food systems that function without degrading soils, land, water, or biodiversity. When you have a native breed, that have similar genotypic and phenotypic characteristics such as the Norfolk Horns, these features develop to become accustomed to a defined environment, making them the perfect agri-environmental example.”

Our Native breeds such as the Norfolk Horns were bred to thrive in farming systems, we had years ago with low environmental impact and low input. They’re a breed apart being one of the oldest in the UK however, though numbers now are healthier, there remains a decline in breeding dams and progeny.

Olivia Shave, Norfolk’s regional community supporter for Love British Food is a dynamic, innovative wealth of knowledge when it comes to food and supporting our British Farming Industry. Back in 2020, they were awarded by the Guild Of Fine Food for their outstanding lamb, featured in numerous Lifestyle magazines such as The British Fibre Art, Womans Own, The Countrymans Weekly, The Rural Life Magazine and many more.

Ecoewe became a 1:4 National Finalist for The Countryside Alliance Awards in the renowned & prestigious category of Clarissa Dickson, recognised for their campaigning, educating, and prioritising of slow food, taste, quality and support for other farmers and producers alike.

Olivia now has her own British Lifestyle column inside the UK’s largest agriculture magazine, Farming Monthly. She was a previous Lambassador for AHDB and featured in Farmers’ Weekly Podcast ‘ Over The Farm Gate’.

Not from a farming background, Olivia is passionate about education & food and will be appearing on the Cookery Theatre Stage at Aldburgh Food & Drink Festival in September (23 & 24 Sept 2023), with host Jenny Jefferies whom is a Food Hero with Love British Food, a member of The Guild of Food Writers .

Olivia is also a published contributor to Jenny’s stunning Cookery/story book ‘For The Love Of The Land’.

All this and she’s just started a new business in August 2022 creating the most delicious cheesecakes, attending events around the county!

Being part of Love British Food Campaign, celebrating all that our county of Norfolk has to offer is a privilege as it has a wealth of fine restaurants, cafes, pubs and around the country selling local fayre and many markets, shops, delicatessens, and artisans selling food local.

When you visit Norfolk your tastebuds will thank you for it by sampling delicious Cromer crabs, Brancaster mussels to Binham Blue Cheese to name but a few!

Sample fabulous Norfolk food from the world-famous Cromer crab, Brancaster mussels, and Norfolk turkey to Mrs Temples’ Binham Blue cheese, Norfolk shortcake and locally produced gin. There are far too many to list them all, so here are 10 of the best Norfolk foods to try when visiting the region.

How a new milk supplier that had not supplied the NHS before won the NHS Somerset Tender

Wed, 05 Apr 2023 15:52:15 GMT

About us

Established in 2002, School Milk Services were originally incorporated to supply milk solely to schools across the South West for children under 5. Over the years, we grew the business and started to supply children over 5 with milk, alongside serving businesses such as Hotels, Care Homes, Kitchens, Café’s and more.

Why we applied

We applied for the NHS Somerset tender as we wanted to expand our business and delivery areas. Prior to securing the contract, we primarily serviced the areas of Bristol, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire and Bath & North East Somerset.

Although we did not have high hopes for winning the tender, we wanted to apply so that we could gain experience from the application process to aid potential future applications.

How we knew about the tender

Due to other contracts we hold within the local area, we are registered with the ProContract system which notifies us of tenders that may be of interest to our business.

Why we won the tender

I believe that our in-depth research and dedication to the application supported our winning of the contract, alongside our commitment to customer service and family values.

We wanted the interview panel to understand how we would wholly dedicate our time and efforts into the contract, and would aim to work with them at every step of the process to ensure their needs were put first.

What our experience is now

Since starting the NHS Somerset contract in December 2022, we have developed a strong relationship with key members of NHS Staff. Winning the contract has allowed us to review and align some of our key business values and dedications with those of the NHS. For example, we have further extended our commitments to Net Zero and are looking to complete further business certifications, such as the ISO4001 (we currently hold the ISO9001:2015 certification).

By working closely as a team, we have had ongoing success and look forward to the upcoming months and years working with all of the sites we deliver to.

Lessons and tips for other suppliers thinking about supplying the NHS

Research before you consider applying for the tender – prior to completing the application, we drove around to every delivery site to ensure that, if we were successful, we could meet the requirements of the contract.
Aim to win, but if you don’t, learn from the experience!
Use all of the available resources provided when completing the tender – and do further research if possible
Pay attention to the weighting of specific questions as this is extremely important to ensuring your application progresses further

Welsh Veg for Primary Schools in Wales – how a new sustainable supply chain investment scheme could drive up agroecological veg production

Mon, 03 Apr 2023 08:29:31 GMT

Background

For the past 40 years, small scale horticulture has been under-resourced as farms under 5 hectares haven’t been eligible for much funding. The Welsh Government’s newly proposed Sustainable Farming Scheme includes dedicated horticulture support and a lower threshold of 3 hectares, but many small-scale vegetable farms still won’t be eligible. At the same time, Primary School children in Wales need to be eating more veg. These two factors were the key incentives to undertake this action research.

How would this work?

If the Welsh Government committed to every primary school meal containing 2 portions of veg in the next school year then they would have to supply 5331 tonnes of veg into schools. If this was agroecologically produced Welsh veg then this would generate a guaranteed market for agroecological producers in Wales of around £15m.

How would it help employment and food producers?

This would involve doubling the area growing field veg in Wales and would support nearly 100 businesses employing nearly 1000 people. It would also have the knock-on effect of developing a regionalised and resilient network of food producers able to supply veg into the heart of their communities.

The courgette pilot report

The pilot project saw courgettes from Blas Gwent, a Wales-based agroecological grower being delivered to schools in Cardiff via Wales-based wholesaler, Castell Howell with the support of the Sustainable Food Partnership, Food Cardiff.

This research pilot showed that Welsh agroecological veg supply into schools is possible. However, agroecological veg costs more than other and imported veg and if we are to invest in a sustainable supply chains, there is a cost. In this case, kindly paid for by the wholesaler, Castell Howell, it was 90p a kg or £900 a tonne. This was the cost of investing in agroecological supply chain (the difference between £2.50, the UK average organic wholesale price of courgette compared to the cheapest available wholesale price £1.60 = Plus 56%). This 56% increase in the price of the product was the price of investing in the local agroecological supply chain and needs to be covered if we want Welsh Production to be supported by public procurement.

Is it possible?

School meals provide an opportunity for agroecological veg producers and could stimulate investment in vegetable supply chains in Wales, a sustainable supply chain investment scheme is needed which specifically targets the gap between cheapest available veg and sustainably produced Welsh veg. This could also be applied across other sectors, such as beef and lamb, which also could benefit more from public procurement markets if the cost differential were bridged.

Future plans

There is the opportunity to build on the pilot study, so we can see how a bigger sustainable supply chain investment scheme could work, and if the Welsh Government will meet its commitment to increase the amount of locally produced food.

Katie Palmer, Programme Manager at Food Sense Wales who commissioned this pilot commented “We’re now hoping to pilot a second phase working with additional Food Partnerships in different areas across Wales; with more producers; more variety of produce; more schools and children and more engagement. The commitment to get Welsh veg onto children’s plates would stay the same but we could work with more producers – looking at different varieties of veg; arranging farm visits, creating a longer pilot study working with more schools, co-working with catering staff and involving children in recipe design.

“It was so heartening to see the children engage with their food; connecting with where their food comes from, enjoying and discovering locally produced veg. We’re now really looking forward to progressing this study and scaling up this important work.”

FRW Farrington & Son are enthusiastic to host a farm visit for NHS catering managers on the 4th April 2023

Fri, 10 Mar 2023 13:57:30 GMT

We are pleased to have been offered the opportunity to host a farm visit for NHS caterers, we often host farm tours and visits but to be approached by Love British Food with the NHS caterers who are keen to come and learn more about our products is somet hing we are very enthusiastic about.

The environment is at the heart of everything we do. We have always farmed sustainably to ensure the countryside around us and the soils we grow our crops in are nurtured and thrive. Our sustainable rapeseed oil is grown to LEAF Marque standards on our family farm in Northamptonshire, as well as other local LEAF Marque farmers. We are so proud to now be certified as Carbon Neutral and Plastic Neutral. Farrington’s Mellow Yellow Rapeseed Oil is the world’s first food product to be certified as both carbon and plastic neutral. If a small company of only 15 people in a sleepy Northamptonshire village can become a global leader in sustainability, I truly believe everyone can make a difference. By working together to change our habits, we can do this.

Why do you wish to supply the NHS?

We do sustainable farming and produce quality sustainable products, therefore it would be an honour to supply to the NHS. One of the reasons it is recommended to include a wide variety of fats and oils within your diet is because they all provide different nutritional properties. Some of the nutritional benefits of including cold pressed rapeseed oil are:

Ideal ratio of Omega 3 to Omega 6 for optimum bodily function.
It is a good source of vitamin E which plays a role in skin and eye health.
It contains a high level of unsaturated fats which is linked to improved cardiovascular health in line with adopting other beneficial health practices such as regular exercise and not smoking.
It is a good source of omega 3 fat which is also found in oily fish such as salmon and sardines. This type of fat has links to improved heart health and cognitive benefits too.
It contains a moderate level of vitamin K when compared with other oils which is important for bone development and blood clotting.
It is low in saturated fat which has links to a decreased risk of cardiovascular disease (2).
Naturally occurring plant sterols and carotenoids.

An interview with Simon Hare, the farmer at Cross Lanes Organics in County Durham

Mon, 06 Mar 2023 16:27:13 GMT

Cross lanes organics is an organic and pasture for life certified farm. They produce 100% grass fed beef by farming in a regenerative way to improve the land - working with nature, improving the biodiversity, ecosystems, and wildlife. Their organic restaurant serves quality homemade meals throughout the day, alongside the farm shop which supports local producers and boasts a range of homemade quality products made in-house.

Cross lanes has an impressive traditional butcher’s shop which sits within the farm shop. The organic grass-fed beef and organic lamb is sourced from Simon Hare, as pictured above on the neighbouring farm. Their aim is for their food miles to be virtually zero, giving a real focus on shortening supply chains from the farm gate to consumer.

Why are you enthusiastic to host a visit for NHS catering managers?

I'm enthusiastic to host the NHS catering managers, to be able show the quality of the product produced and by being raised in a natural way, eating their natural diet, how much more beneficial it can be for everyone's health.

The Pasture for Life Certification demands the animals only ever eat a natural diet of fresh or conserved pasture for their entire lives. It is important to us that customers understand the true system, the meat we use is produced ethically.

It will be great for the catering managers to experience the land and see first-hand how the cattle and nature are integrating together for the benefit of both - and then how this translates into a healthier product.

What do you know about public procurement already?

I don’t know much about public procurement currently but I’m eager to learn more when hosting the farm visit!

Why do you wish to supply to the NHS?

I think it would be great for the NHS to be using 100% grass fed beef, to be feeding the patients and staff a high-quality nutritious product I believe would aid in much better health, recovery and well-being.

Pasture for life beef is better for human health than grain-fed beef in many ways: Lower total fat levels than meat from grain-fed animals and is also lower in saturated fat content, the cholesterol content is also proven to be lower than conventionally fed animals. Grass fed beef also has higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids, good fats that can help fight disease and a lower, more balanced (and healthier) ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids.

Therefore, I believe that by supplying the NHS we would have a large positive impact on the health of patients.

Freddie Watson from The Organic Pantry in Tadcaster, Yorkshire tells us why he is enthusiastic to host a farm visit for NHS caterers

Mon, 27 Feb 2023 14:18:23 GMT

St Helens Farm is a 300 acre organic farm growing over 40 varieties of fruits and vegetables. Using organic principles and regenerative techniques the farm produces high quality vegetables which it supplies thorough the family business direct to the consumer as a veg box scheme, to shops, delis, cafes and to the public sector.

Why are you enthusiastic to host a visit for NHS catering managers?

It is exciting to learn that there is a desire from the NHS to source more local, regenerative products and to support local farmers and communities. We have our own cold supply chain and we are food hygiene certified to STS standards so we can supply the NHS directly, the issue for us has always been getting in front of the right people so getting the decision makers to the farm is very exciting. The best way for us to get across what we do and why we exist is to show them. There is also a misconception that organic food is always more expensive, for example we supply peeled potatoes to Nottinghamshire County Council schools and we price matched the conventional product they were using - so they switched at no extra cost. We are vertically integrated, we are growers, processors and we have a supply chain, so we are uniquely placed to cut out extra costs and deliver well priced organic food, especially to Yorkshire and the surrounding counties.

What do you know about public procurement already?

Our experience is that it is often the motivation of the decision maker, if they want to make it happen they can!. Organic accounts for 2% of the public sector spend in the UK, Germany is at 8% and the Nordic countries can be up to 50%+. The UK is behind the trend, I feel this is an exciting opportunity as when policy makers and decisions makers are more educated the demand will grow.

Why do you wish to supply the NHS?

A value of our business is that food is medicine. We would love to partner with the NHS to bring not only bring healthy quality fresh food to plates but food that had been grown in an environmentally friendly way, that looks after our soils, ecosystems and waterways. It is our belief that the public sector should be supporting it's local community, buying from local farmers such as us creates local jobs and puts money into the local economy. Purchasing from large faceless corporations moves money and opportunities away from the local area.

How a small social enterprise re-established cooked meals for Dorset schools

Sun, 05 Feb 2023 18:14:27 GMT

Local Food Links (LFL) was established in Bridport, Dorset in 2006 to reintroduce hot school meals to 8 primary schools in the local area. Hot school meals had almost disappeared in Dorset Primary Schools during the 1980s and most schools had packed lunches only. For students entitled to free school meals, these packed lunches appeared in neon coloured bags, were produced in Nottingham and transported to Dorset every day.

The organisation was formed as a social enterprise and worked with local independent suppliers and the Food for Life Partnership to create homecooked meals that children would enjoy and a service that schools would value. LFL has created a delivered in service that works for Dorset and schools can either receive cook chilled or delivered in hot meals. A few schools also require a dirty return service where no washing up facilities have been retained.

LFL has grown considerably over the past 17 years and now works with 55 schools and several nurseries out of 3 large kitchens located in Blandford Forum, Bridport and Weymouth. Approximately 4,300 meals are produced every day and delivered by a fleet of vans and drivers. LFL is proud of the strong relationships that have been built with local suppliers and works in partnership with its school communities.

What makes Local Food Links special?

LFL has created a school meals service that works for Dorset, supplying either cook chill or delivered in hot meals.

LFL has created a bespoke online meal order system for parents and schools. The latest version of the system was relaunched 2 years ago and is now very user friendly and compatible with mobile phones.

Schools can download daily and weekly reports from the online meal order system, showing which pupils have ordered meals, their choices and any allergies. The invoicing runs off the same system, so it is easy to check accuracy.

We cater for all pupils with medical allergies and have built a gluten free preparation room in our newest hub kitchen in Weymouth.

We respond directly to parent feedback and queries and are active on social media. Parents often approach us for recipes and we are happy to share them, in fact, to celebrate our 10th anniversary, we printed a recipe book and every child received one.

We organise Parent Surveys to ensure the entire community has a say in menu development and meal choices.

We organise lots of competitions for children to encourage engagement – “Design a Bookmark”, “Write a Short Story” (various themes for World Book Day), “Design a Cake for the Queen’s 90th Birthday, Summer Fun Quiz and Design the LFL Christmas Cards – a competition which has been running for many years.

We care about the quality of our food and encourage daily feedback, which is collated and shared with all kitchens. We organise regular school visits too, recognising that a friendly face makes a positive difference and ensures that lunchtime teams feel listened to.

We also offer support and training for lunchtime teams, including advice on meal service, allergies, portion control and hygiene.

We organise termly online meetings with all our schools in each kitchen area so that schools can provide direct feedback on the food and service.

Menus are bright, fun and child friendly; they are School Food Standards compliant and change every half term.

We have excellent relationships with our suppliers and have been working with some of them since we started. All our meat, dairy and eggs are locally sourced as well as a considerable percentage of our fruit and vegetables. “Local” is in our name and we truly believe in supporting local, British producers.

What do our suppliers and schools think about LFL?

"Local Food Links not only delivers us outstanding quality and service in school meal provision, they have built a partnership with us at The Prince of Wales School over many many years. Local Food Links have helped us to establish a rich, food and farming education programme that helps all children to understand where their food comes from and the healthy choices they can make when consuming food. Local Food Links are always open to new ideas and I look forward to building on our work together in the future".

Gary Spracklen, Headteacher, The Prince of Wales First School, Dorchester

“The Hunt’s Food Group have been food suppliers to Local Food Links for over 10 years and have seen them grow from strength to strength. Along with being a consistent and innovative business their ethics are second to none. Food standards are always high on the agenda and where other school suppliers may want to purchase budget products to maximise profits, LFL have always looked closely at quality, traceability and ingredients. As a Dorset company ourselves we are happy to work alongside them to achieve their goal of providing freshly prepared meals for local school children.”
Gareth James, Sales Director, Hunt’s Food Group, Sherborne

“We have worked with Caroline & the team at Local Food Links for over 10 years. As a small local firm ourselves, their ethos of using quality British produce sits perfectly with our own ideals and we are proud of our continued partnership in helping to deliver quality, nutritious meals to the local school community.”
Andrew & Lindsey Clark, Little Angus Butchers, Dorchester

What motivates you to do your job?

Feeding children well is a key motivator for those who work in school meals – and you have to really believe in this. The organisation has grown as more and more schools have approached us about working together. The fact that we are a social enterprise and can ensure that any surplus goes back into our work with schools is a positive too.

We have won a Taste of the West Award, been nominated as one of the Top 100 Social Enterprises and were area winners as Scale Up Business of the Year for the Federation of Small Businesses in 2019.

I am a member of the All Party Parliamentary Group on School Food and proud to be a member of the Love British Food Group too. School meals can be, and generally are, excellent and we need to ensure that the industry is properly invested in by government so that more pupils can rely on a good, nutritious meal every day.

How a farm visit organised by Love British Food resulted in a new supplier for an NHS Trust

Mon, 30 Jan 2023 14:46:39 GMT

The larks ascended from Urless farm in Dorset close to where Gabriel Oak’s sheep tumbled to their deaths from a ridge in Hardy’s Far from the Madding Crowd. A group of NHS catering managers admired the view. The farmer, Oliver Hemsley, was telling them about the hedges he has planted, the wildlife that has flourished and his herd of organic, dairy cows whose delicious Hollis Mead dairy products are produced in harmony with nature.

I had brought them here as part of the campaign Love British Food leads promoting the purchase of British food by the public sector. A £1.6bn opportunity for British farmers. It is not enough to ask caterers to buy British. They want the whole narrative. Which is why we were standing on a hill.

New government buying standards requiring “an aspiration that 50% of the public sector’s food expenditure is on food produced locally or to higher environmental production standards” have been on the table at Defra for a while. A worthy aim, but the word ‘local’ flummoxes NHS caterers; it is not possible for many Trusts. Much better to use the word ‘British’.

The war in Ukraine and other global factors have made supply chains dramatically less reliable. One manager attending the farm visit told how he had been forced to buy bags of salad from his local supermarket. Much better if he had a local supplier who he could rely on long term. Buying more products nationally will ensure security of supply.

Joyously one of the Trusts was about to issue a new milk tender. We discussed how local farmers may apply. The NHS buys one pint of milk per patient a day. It should be British dairy farmers’ best customer. Imagine farmers telling their children they have a contract to supply the local hospital. No fear of 3 ^rd generations getting out of farming.

One catering manager told how he got Purbeck ice cream on menus. Working with his dietician he proved that the higher nutritional content justified the increase in price over the bog standard ice cream they used to serve.

We discussed price. I have been told by senior NHS managers that money is not the problem. There is money in the system. The issue is how it is allocated. CEOs of NHS Trusts do not have food on their agenda. And if it is, the urgency of other current priorities will soon sweep it off.

One manager talked about how he put venison on his menus even though it costs a bit more. He achieves this by doing his budget over a 14 day period, not a daily one. He balances his books by putting a seasonal vegetable stir fry on another day.

When we gathered for a working lunch in the barn after, I learned that changes in purchasing need to be made in gritty detail to enable the NHS to buy more British food. Dieticians and catering teams sit in Soft Facilities Management. Sustainability Officers in Estates. Procurement Teams elsewhere. All need to work together to achieve new supply chains. It is not easy. It requires NHS staff, often one bold, determined individual, to make it happen. The new dairy tender that we discussed was issued with a renewed intention for local farmers to apply. But it had to be recalled as it was written in a way that precluded SMEs applying. It needed breaking down into lots but the Procurement Team had not understood this.

Farming also needs time to gear up to meet this potential demand. For too many years the major farming marketing budgets have focused on retail and neglected food service. But if reliable, constant demand is there, farmers will have the confidence to plan and invest to meet it.

Love British Food is doing similar work in schools through its Love British Food Education Working Group. For many children the school meal is not just their only hot meal of the day it is their only meal. It is so important that it is fresh, seasonal, nutritious. Talk to Julie Donaldson in Edinburgh, Tony Mulgrew in Halifax, Derek Wright in Blackpool. These are the real heroes, the true celebrity chefs. It is they who should be on Breakfast TV. All have great relationships with local suppliers.

If I told you I had a romantic dream of food produced in harmony with nature, that was more nutritious as a result, that was given to patients to aid their recovery thereby freeing up hospital beds quicker and relieving pressure on social services you may think me batty. On that hill in Dorset, it was a reality.

Alexia is the Founder of Love British Food and runs British Food Fortnight 16 ^th September – 1 ^st October. Many NHS Trusts take part.

As a direct result of this farm visit and discussions that took place after it, Somerset NHS Foundation Trust re-wrote their tender for a new milk and bread supplier. The catering team worked with the procurement team to break the tender into lots so that it was possible for local suppliers to respond. Somerset hospitals now have a new local supplier for dairy and bread, all achieved with a seamless transition and ongoing support. Excitingly, it is the supplier’s first healthcare contract.

Hayley Stafford, Business Growth & Development Manager for Lancashire Catering Services gives an overview of how they support British Food

Wed, 21 Dec 2022 15:49:36 GMT

What is your role and responsibility within Lancashire catering services?

I am responsible for the growth and development of specific business areas, objectives and strategies including the production and presentation of competitive tenders and business services to existing and new customers. My role leads a team of technical professionals who are engaged in the development of food, skills, standards and quality management systems. I Develop business and marketing plans and implement marketing and sales strategies aimed at controlling food and direct labour, to achieve service targets.

In terms of schools, we have 488 primary schools (including specials), 26 secondary schools, 16 residential care homes and 5 day care centres, so 535 in total. We have traded on a commercial footing with Lancashire schools since delegation of the authority function in 2001. We allow external organisations to assess and scrutinise our business and standards so that our customers can be absolutely confident that we deliver exactly what we say we will. We are a moral and ethical public sector caterer that always considers where the food on our plates comes from, how it is made and the standards it is made, grown or reared to.

What catering facilities do you have at the schools you cater for?

More than 90% of school customers have their own production kitchen onsite, with the remaining receiving a transported service from a neighbouring mother kitchen. Dining facilities are varied, with primary schools serving from multi-use halls and secondary schools having fixed dining rooms and a mix of eternal service pods, fixed and mobile service

points.

Do you focus on using British produce and how do you support local producers? Which suppliers do you use for meat and veg?

Yes we focus on using British produce. Our fruit and vegetables are supplied by Ralph Livesey, who are also our appointed distribution hub and they contract with Booths supermarket for our fresh meats, Ann Forshaw for yogurts, Dewlay for cheese - so that gives an indication of the standards we purchase too. 100% of our contracted food suppliers are classed as local (within 35 mile radius of Preston) and 75% of our total food purchases are produced in the UK, over 75% of which are classed as local produce or local supply (equating to over 50% of total annual spend on Lancashire produce).

We purchase over £11.5m of food produce and ingredients, £9m of which was spent on food and ingredients required to meet FFL Silver Award. Due to our size, we are able to tender individual product lots (eggs, milk, cheese, yogurts, fresh meat, frozen fish etc.) which allows us to better focus our procurement activity around UK and more so local food producers. Furthermore, we have a tendered distribution hub which removes barriers for SME's being able to tender for product lots – they don't have to worry about the distribution element and this is a significant limiting factor for SME's. We also produce bespoke food specifications which are aimed at lowering/limiting/removing undesirable content such as fat, saturated fat, salt, sugar and additives – this creates opportunities for SME's and local producers who see our volumes as a suitable catalyst for producing specifically for us.

What is the budget per head?

Unfortunately, this is commercially sensitive and cannot be shared. Suffice to say, we are like every other educational caterer who has to contend with fixed and variable costs which have to be reflected within our customer charges. However, unlike many educational caterers, we place increased emphasis on buying and producing food to the highest standards and this requires a resilient and flexible supplier base who can work with us to achieve our aims on an ongoing basis.

How are menus written and promoted?

Our Menu Development Officer will Liaise with manufacturers and suppliers as appropriate and conduct tests on new and existing recipes and products. The role requires commitment to ongoing research to create new menu's, innovative ideas and marketable food products for use across the organisation.

Menu promotion:

Visible through the service website, social media and the production of menu leaflets offered to all schools in Lancashire for children to take home. The service is committed to a promotional calendar to increase pupil uptake, the promotions often take the form of theme days, focusing on characters from great British literature and cultural events relating

to the national curriculum. Connecting food through the development process, exciting learning through vision and taste. Our experienced team work directly with schools to create innovative ideas, assisting the marketing team and setting clear objectives to promote:

Increased meal numbers
A happy, healthy, positive eating experience
To offer new food choices, with welcomed feedback
12 planned and promoted theme days throughout the year
Each of our communications is designed to promote at least one of our six key messages: fresh, quality, tasty, healthy, education, and ethical.

What tips do you have for other school caterers?

Lancashire catering request regular attendance at pupil council meetings in order to engage with pupils' feedback on the catering service, to discuss and address any service-related comments and concerns and to agree to requests for additional products. Pupil council meetings are also an opportunity to discuss healthy eating and how the correct menu choices can support this. Pupil satisfaction surveys are carried out randomly with small to medium focus groups of pupils or year groups, the results of which are measured as part of senior manager's Key Performance Indicators. Pupils are asked to score a range of simple questions which cover food quality, food service, staff friendliness and customer service (questionnaire pictured below)

We provide a range of practical and knowledge-based cookery courses for primary school children as well as providing basic food hygiene for year 5 and 6 pupils. Communicating this exciting new offering through the website and social media has created an awareness resulting in high levels of interest.

Targeted support is identified through several channels not least our comprehensive audit programme which assesses potential training requirements for service improvement. The audit programme includes lunchtime audits to assess compliance to standards, full, lunchtime or critical audit are a result of the feedback given on the headteacher questionnaires, these are issued at least once a year to each school. Also there are menu planning groups from different service areas – primary, secondary and care, they all meet twice a year to discuss future menus and offer suggestions based on customer demand and feedback.

A final note from Hayley

I hope that the information provided gives you an overview of Lancashire Catering Service, please visit our website for additional information or alternatively if there is anything specific that you would like to know please be in touch in the new year. https://www.lancashire.gov.uk/catering/

Simon Cutter, Director of Pasture for life and Farmers Weekly beef farmer of the year 2022

Thu, 08 Dec 2022 15:56:07 GMT

Tell us about Pasture For Life, what are you working to achieve?

Overall, we are working to implement positive change in our food and farming systems, and demonstrate the benefits of 100% pasture fed.

A lot of my personal influence came from the Weston A. Price foundation, with the dietary guidelines focusing on eating whole, unprocessed foods and organic fresh fruits and vegetables. This source of information on nutrition and health is based on the original research collected by Dr Weston A. price whose findings show that before the industrialization of agriculture, superior quality produce was farmed based on a pasture diet. In these times cancer and heart disease was rare, but nowadays allergies and autoimmune problems are common, le ading to the conclusion that poor quality produce is one of the causes for the upsurge of diseases in the modern day.

People often start to do their research into nutrition after they seek out a nutritionist who then may advise them to source 100% grass-fed produce, as it has more nutrients and the correct balance of omega 3s to omega 6s. As one Pasture for Life Farmers says...“100% grass fed beef, it’s the new mackerel”! due to it being a rich source of nutrients.

Scientific research has shown that animals fed on pasture live a longer healthier life than those which are grain fed, so not only is it a better option for humans to be sourcing pasture fed meat but the animals benefit too.

What does a farmer need to do to be able to advertise under the pasture for life brand?

The process is overall simple and not costly, there are several steps to go through from self-assessment to the farm inspection and the farm must meet the certification standards (high animal welfare, natural diet, wildlife friendly fields). Currently the PFLA has 900 members of which 150 farms are Pasture For Life Certified and therefore the Pasture For Life logo is on their products in the shops, as well as the members having full access to all marketing initiatives and promotional schemes. There is also a QR code system so that customers can trace every animal back to the farm which is a huge advancement in traceability.

Raising livestock on a pasture-based system will not be suitable for every farm or set of circumstances. However, for those farmers that can, Pasture for Life provides an important distinction over food produced by more intensive methods.

Do you think awareness is increasing amongst consumers about the difference between dairy and meat produced pasture fed from other farming systems?

I think that awareness increases when consumers listen to the advice of a nutritionist who points them down the 100% grass-fed route. As a fact, grass fed beef contains as much as three times more Omega-3 than grain fed beef. With this having large effect on the prevention of depression and cancer, as well as lowering blood pressure, it is not uncommon that a lot of people find themselves purchasing grain free after speaking with a nutritionist. There still needs to be more awareness but this is achieved by education, and there are lots of useful nutritional guides out there.

Do you think it’s clear enough on the supermarket shelf?

Meat marketed as ‘grass fed’ is in fact misleading. The important missing factor here is that the products labelled grass fed are not necessarily 100% grass fed. For consumers looking for 100% grass-fed meat, they can rest assured when products are certified with the Pasture For Life logo on them. They know that the welfare of the animal is top priority and that the farmland is managed in a regenerative way. I do believe that more can be done to make it clearer in the supermarkets, people need to understand the difference between certified meats and others labelled grass fed.

There are nutritional advantages of milk from a pasture-based system, can you tell us about them?

A lot of research has been done by Newcastle university and is accessible to the public. The benefits of the pasture-based system are that milk can be manipulated by management practices; increasing forage in dairy diets raises omega-3 in milk, therefore having further health benefits. Research explored the nutritional differences between different types of milk, finding that Pasture For Life certified milk is a further improvement from the benefits of organic milk, with the higher concentration of beneficial fatty acids along with Omega 3. I think it is especially important for the health service, if they incorporate milk and other products with a higher nutritional value into patients’ meals it would impact patients health in a big way.

I think that sourcing pasture fed products would save the NHS a lot of time and money, with the health benefits as already discussed, people need to do their research into how consuming the right fats can lower the risks of a variety of common cancers – these findings are leading to large advancements in prevention and treatment, therefore it is so important that we place further attention onto our diets.

Do you think farmers are unfamiliar with the opportunities of supplying the public sector?

I think farmers have trouble as a lot of us are poor marketeers, and some are very isolated so don’t see the opportunities. Pasture For Life farmers are much more cooperatively minded and better placed to form groups to supply specific markets.

As for marketing the products to the public sector and representing the value of them, this is not something that all farmers are familiar with or know where to start. Also, I think it is a huge task to try and get caterers who don’t already use pasture fed meat, to switch their sourcing especially with the immense pressure that caterers are already under, it is understandable that it is hard for them to cope with additional changes. Hopefully we can work towards this for the future.

For further information and advice head to the Pasture For Life website: https://www.pastureforlife.org

Keep a look out for Pasture For Life certified meat on the supermarket shelves:

Megan Longworth, Director of Nutrition and Sustainability tells us how Chartwells celebrated British Food Fortnight

Thu, 01 Dec 2022 21:08:53 GMT

What did you do for British Food Fortnight?

We included British Food Fortnight in the marketing calendar and pre-delivered marketing assets for our schools, so the posters and artwork was readily available. All of our schools celebrated from the 17 ^th September to the 2 ^nd October and we briefed the operators and school teams on the purpose of the event, as well as provided food menu templates and digital marketing assets to create excitement throughout the schools. Everyone was really engaged with the celebration.

We followed this by running an internal challenge for our schools to share images of their schools with the British fortnight branding, which provided us with many fantastic images as shown below:

What worked well this year, and what can be improved for 2023?

We need to do more activities to get excitement across our schools and get more uptake through regularly promoting on our social media channels, as well as offering more competitions to get our schools to really shout about this. Getting workshops together with nutrition teams will further educate our schools on the benefits of celebrating British food, and hopefully in 2023 we will gather even more content to share.

Any tips you have for other schools wishing to take part?

Build excitement and create interesting competitions to build the most engagement.

Milton Keynes hospital gets involved with British Food Fortnight

Thu, 01 Dec 2022 20:44:38 GMT

The staff at Milton Keynes University Hospital were all eager to get involved with the celebrations for British Food Fortnight. Two weeks’ worth of traditional themed British meals were prepared, along with a special “cook to order” Yorkshire pudding wrap on the live cook station which was very popular.

What are your plans for next year’s British Food Fortnight?

Francesco Fiore, catering manager commented

“We aim to do similar thing next year with a few added ideas, such as having some suppliers visit the trust with a live, in-house fruit and veg stall. We are very much looking forward to taking part again next year, and I think we may even add a live cooking demonstration!”

Why should other hospital trusts take part?

“I would encourage other trusts to take part as it is a great way to celebrate some of our favourite meals and work closely with suppliers to use British farmed foods.”

A couple of highlights from the British food menu:

Monday –Broccoli and stilton quiche served with locally produced vegetables.

Thursday – Cottage pie served with vegetables and salad.

Nottingham NHS trust celebrates British Food Fortnight

Tue, 22 Nov 2022 14:33:01 GMT

Why is sourcing British Food important to you?

We are proud to work closely with local farms and food suppliers to ensure that patients and visitors alike get to enjoy the freshest seasonal produce. We’ve been finalists in the national Love British Food competition and are very proud to dedicate our time to sourcing locally grown produce which ensures that we are providing our patients with the best, good quality nutrition.

What did you do for British Food Fortnight?

Internal promotions to teams about the catering service so they gained an understanding of where the produce / ingredients they use comes from, along with how much we use and why we use particular local suppliers. This is a great way of getting the message across to patients and staff, along with inside the patient menu booklet there is a map (pictured below) showing how much of our food is sourced within the area.

Washingborough Academy in Lincolnshire celebrates British Food Fortnight

Tue, 22 Nov 2022 14:24:08 GMT

Washingborough Academy incorporates food education lessons into the children’s timetable, and the British Food Fortnight was a time to highlight how the school supports local producers all year round.

Food Fortnight menu

Roast leg of pork, supplied by from Redhill farm in Gainsborough

Gammon and other meat supplied by the local butchers Andersons in Hainton.

The majority of vegetables used were grown in the school’s kitchen garden, where the children get involved with the growing and collecting process. Heirloom varieties are grown from seeds handed down from the previous plant - this way, children can get involved with seed saving and growing a wide variety of vegetables at the school. Any additional vegetables used were still sourced locally within Lincolnshire.

What was the focus during the fortnight?

The fortnight was a chance to highlight and promote local produce, in addition to the children’s food education lessons which are already part of their timetable. Pupils are able to grow vegetables that you wouldn’t see in your average supermarket which gives them a first handed experience of what it is like to produce high quality, fresh food, in your own garden. This gives them a sense of why sourcing local food from other growers is important.

Tips for other schools to engage children in local food production

PPA (planning preparation and assessment) time for teachers away from their classroom is necessary, and other professionals should be brought in who can educate the children on something different, such as a local farmer or producer. This will start to get the children interested and engaged in something away from their usual lesson routine.

How Stockport NHS trust celebrated British Food Fortnight

Mon, 14 Nov 2022 14:51:55 GMT

Special British dishes were added to the patient menu

Stockport NHS trust supported British Food Fortnight with the chefs creating special dishes which were added to the patient menus using all British produce. As pictured below, the patient menu on the 28 ^th September highlighted minted pea and watercress soup, steak and ale pie and lemon posset with Scottish raspberries.

Earlier in the week, the patient menu featured a Venison pie supplied by Highland Game, with handmade chips, roast parsnips and broccoli supplied by Livesey fruit and veg merchant in Lancashire. For dessert they made a treacle pie with Scottish raspberries and clotted cream.

Duncan ONeill, catering services manager gives tips for other NHS trusts looking to take part

Contact your suppliers to establish what products are British or can be sourced British and form a working group with the chefs to create a workable menu. Try to involve other site stakeholders which in our case are Hydration and Nutrition steering group, this helps to highlight and promote the work. Use social media to promote the menu and work – we posted our menus onto social media and tagged Love British Food.

David Smyth, Catering production manager in Antrim Area hospital, Norther Ireland

Mon, 14 Nov 2022 14:20:57 GMT

What they did

With it being the first year celebrating Love British Food Fortnight / Love Northern Irish food – things were taken in small bite size. We picked 3 dishes – A creamy leak and potato soup, a traditional steak pie with champ and carrots and a apple crumble with crea m – all of the ingredients for these dishes were sourced locally.

The same menu choice were run on three separate days (21 ^st -23 ^rd September)

Creamy Potato and leek soup with wheaten bread. All vegetables were from a local vegetable farmer, and the cream was from Dale Farm, along with the bread from a local Northern Ireland bakery.
Traditional steak pie served with champ and roasted baton carrots. The beef was from Newry and supplied by Tommy meats. Shortcrust pastry was made in-house with local ingredients.
Apple crumble and fresh cream. Apples supplied by local vegetable farmer and again crumble mix was made in-house using local ingredients. The fresh cream was supplied by Dale Farm.

Was it a success?

Great support was received from all catering representatives who were all keen to push for local produce.

“When you choose to buy locally grown food you are supporting a diverse food economy; keeping more money in the local economy as well as supporting jobs in farming and food production. More and more people want to know where their food comes from and the farming practices of the farmers that grow and produce it.”

David Smyth.

What will be improved next year?

Hopefully next year the British Food dishes will be incorporated into the patient menus alongside the restaurants.

The Royal Agricultural University celebrates British Food Fortnight

Fri, 11 Nov 2022 13:24:05 GMT

Ryan Hanson, Head of catering and retail at the Royal Agricultural University explains how they celebrated British Food Fortnight

What did you do for British Food Fortnight?

Promotional material from the Love British Food website was displayed at the entrance points to the dining hall and in the main queue area to highlight the celebration, and alterations were made to the menu; a switch from bananas and oranges to British plums supplied by the RAU estate, and pears which were supplied by Total Produce.

The kitchen chefs made classic British dishes during the evening: Shepherds pie and sausage and mash being a couple, along with traditional British deserts such as pear crumble. The meat we used was from Creed family butchers, high welfare Red Tractor British beef sourced from prime agricultural land.

Tips for other universities looking to take part

In terms of tips, it’s really about embracing the seasonality and availability of the fresh produce and combining that with the existing food chain to bring the menu and dishes together.

Catering Services Manager for Blackpool Council, Derek Wright tells us how British Food Fortnight was celebrated this year

Fri, 11 Nov 2022 12:55:09 GMT

How did you celebrate this year?

Love British Food Fortnight this year fell into a strange period, a few weeks earlier we gained a new Prime Minister and lost our beloved Queen. As there had already been so much uncertainty and disruption to the lives of young people due to the earlier events that month, we decided to celebrate the fortnight with two of our most loved British dishes: Roast Dinner and Fish and Chips, both of which are popular with pupils across our schools.

Which suppliers did you use?

Our suppliers are local to the Blackpool and Lancashire area, Trevor’s being on our doorstep in Blackpool and Ribble Farm Fare based in Longridge.

What we plan to improve on next year

We will ensure that we work with the kitchens and SLT teams in the schools in the summer term to prepare for British Food Fortnight the following September, meaning those first few transition weeks for schools can go ahead, with schools knowing that exciting preparations are in place ready to integrate Love British Food Fortnight into their curriculum.

Tips for other schools wanting to take part

As Love British Food Fortnight often falls around Harvest Festival when younger children to learn about Harvest, it is an idea to extend the topic area to cover this too – it’s an excellent opportunity for school communities to get together and share their love for British Food.

How British Food Fortnight was celebrated at Quinton House School, Northampton

Fri, 11 Nov 2022 11:53:45 GMT

What they did for British Food Fortnight

The autumn term menu at Quinton House already incorporated a range of British Produce, as the school feels it is important to support British producers all year round – however British Food Fortnight was a time to focus on the celebration of British food, with the school chefs cooking up special dishes within the two-week period.

Was it a success?

The dining rooms were decorated with Love British Food material, and the event as a whole was enjoyed by both staff and pupils. The food was very popular, and everyone was keen to support the concept of incorporating more British produce into the meals we eat. Everything worked really well and went very smoothly as we are used to organising Theme Day Menus and promotions.

Tips for other schools

As suggested by Dawn McCue, the catering manager at Quinton House,

“My tips for other schools would be to be as organised as possibl e with menus and marketing information, ensuring everyone is aware of the promotion and are on board with everything”

Chipping Campden school celebrates British Food Fortnight with a Local Food Workshop

Fri, 11 Nov 2022 10:50:54 GMT

How was British Food Fortnight 2022 celebrated?

This year’s event was organised by Laura Naughton, Head of Food and Nutrition, joint by a local farmer and parent Jenny Shaylor. The school gymnasium was transformed into a ‘British Food Hub’ in which the year 7 pupils rotated around to meet local Cotswold producers.

The workshop had a strong focus on sustainable food production and regenerative agriculture, allowing the pupils to gain a true insight into the "Field to Fork" process, learning about growing and producing food and then tasting the end products too!

What was achieved?

Local producers spoke to the children about food production to broaden their understanding of why supporting local British producers is important, and why the food is of higher quality.

Local dairy, Gorsehill Abbey Farm covered how versatile and nutritious dairy is, and provided interactive learning for the children with their fun milk dispensing machine.

Lower Clopton Farm Shop explained step by step about what happens on their mixed farm, from lambing in spring to rearing turkeys for Christmas.

Old farm explained the benefits of using regenerative principles to grow their crops.

Wildfarmed, who provides the local Mor Bakery with their flour, talked about how healthy soil grows tasty and nutritious ingredients which makes the bakery’s bread better than your average supermarket loaf.

Feedback on the event

The pupils thoroughly enjoyed the event, and every pupil took home their own goody bag containing recipe ideas, wildflower seeds from Merry May honey, and information leaflets from the producers. This has been a great way to promote discussion within families and has definitely promoted the array of brilliant Cotswold producers.

Overall, the feedback from school staff, pupils and parents was excellent. The event has definitely benefitted the children’s understanding to support local producers, and pupils commented on how much they enjoyed the interactive learning.

Local Food Links is proud to support British Food Fortnight

Fri, 11 Nov 2022 10:42:06 GMT

Local Food Links is a social enterprise founded in 2006 to bring hot school meals back to Dorset. Sourcing local food has always been the main aim and they have many wonderful suppliers and farmers in Dorset. The British Food Fortnight is an important celebration to showcase their brilliant local products.

How did you celebrate British Food Fortnight?

Local Food Links was invited into the Prince of Wales First School in Dorchester to do a taster event. The school was celebrating its own “Food, Faith and Farming Fortnight’ which coincided with British Food Fortnight and the taster took place on the final Friday when parents were invited in to taste some school meals samples as well as smoothies and meatballs that had been prepared by the pupils in class.

The meal samples and where they were supplied from are as follows:

Cheese & Onion Quiche with Foots Eggs from Sherborne in Dorset, and Wyke Cheddar from Bruton in Somerset.
Sausages from Crediton in Devon
Cheese from Bruton in Somerset
Cottage Pie using British beef as always sourced from the local butcher Colin Clark, in Dorchester
Apple Cake with Elwell Farm apples from Bridport in Dorset
A selection of Heritage Apples from Elwell Fruit Farm in Bridport, Dorset

What was achieved?

Overall, the event was a success. British Food Fortnight was an opportunity for the children to learn about locally sourced foods, and for them to try some British meal samples. The event was made fun for the children as they were able to get involved with the taster session and interactive learning by making their own smoothies and meatballs using the British ingredients provided to present to the parents.

Somerset FT British Food Fortnight 2022

Thu, 20 Oct 2022 13:04:35 GMT

British Food Fortnight, which is the biggest national celebration of British food on the nation’s calendar, took place between September and October. As part of the campaign, together with YDH, we promoted the many British products already on our menus.

We currently have food companies that supply products for the patient and colleague meal service, who kindly supported us during the celebration. Our facilities department, that includes the catering team, is passionate about the support and there were displays in our main reception areas promoting the British food we currently buy in from our suppliers.

We looked at highlighting products on our menus and other local events throughout the fortnight. While supporting and buying British produce, we are ensuring local sustainability, reducing the carbon footprint, and working towards our trusts' Green Plan - we are building strong relationships with our local suppliers.

“Choosing British food means enjoying the diverse and delicious food that our varied countryside and seasonal climate produces. It is a way of rejoicing in the food that is grown on our doorsteps, tasting a part of Britain’s heritage, supporting farmers who maintain our beautiful countryside.”

www.lovebritishfood.co.uk

Quotes from our colleagues over the fortnight

Stacy Oliver, our facilities team leader at Minehead Hospital, said:

"We were proud to support British Food Fortnight. When our facilities team offers the menus to our patients, we can promote British food because over half the products we purchase and offer to the patients are British.”

Alli Stone, our facilities team leader at Burnham-on-Sea Hospital, said:

"We have enjoyed promoting the British Food Fortnight engaging with colleagues and patients.”

Dora Czubat, our head of catering at Wincanton Hospital, said:

"We all love to eat tasty and delicious food! There are so many varieties of food, recipes available in UK using the British products. Love British food fortnight helps to promote it and recognise it."

Gillian Parry, our facilities team leader at Williton Hospital, said:

"The Love British Food event has been an opportunity to open discussions regarding the origins of the food that is being served within the hospital. Patients and colleagues have aired opinions on the benefits of using British produce with regards to freshness and on the effects transportation of goods globally has on the environment. For many patients it has been an opportunity to reminisce on how farming was done previously in Britain to how it is done now. A patient questioned whether the food really was British or packaged to say it is."

Chris Latham, our facilities team leader at Frome Hospital, said:

"At Frome Hospital we aim to help with sourcing local produce from the local area and help with sustainability for the future by using less fuel on transportation and even less packaging.”

Avril Zebedee, our facilities team leader at Crewkerne Hospital, said:

"To celebrate British Food Fortnight, we displayed a stand showing the companies that supply us with British food. When patients are choosing the meal they can see next to each product some have a flag this is showing them the product is British."

How ISS is taking part in British Food Fortnight

Tue, 20 Sep 2022 13:43:42 GMT

ISS Food Services has a special offe r for British Food Fortnight on all their school menus.

There will be taster dishes (or option to change menu and serve) of the recipe we cooked at LACA and we also have information posters in our schools. In addition there will be a live Chef/Nutritionist session being held in one of our schools which will be live streamed to all other schools wishing to take part.

At the same time we are also launching our new Health & Wellbeing programme – ‘Roots to the Future’.

As part of this we have decided to hold a food education day in one of our Redbridge Schools on Thursday 22nd and have purposefully ensured that we coincide the launch of the programme with British Food Fortnight so that we can include relevant messages etc in all our sessions. The day will be attended by approximately 72 children in total (36 in the morning and 36 in the afternoon). We will be setting up several ‘workstations’ and children in groups of 6 will move around each of the workstations.

These include:

NCB (our meat, fruit & veg supplier) demonstrating some great British veg and talking about the history of it (think beetroot, red carrots etc) – children will be able to look, feel, touch, taste etc (unfortunately we can’t add meat to this due to being able to manage food safety).

Chris Collins (ex Blue Peter gardener) will run a session showing children how to grow their own veg – children will take away the pots they plant so they can watch them grow afterwards

Chefs will run a bread making session but will top with British produce so they can talk all about it. We will also give away recipe cards.

Nutritionists will run a selection of sessions but these will mostly be focussed around nutrition (reducing sugar, eat well plate etc).

We are inviting the Chair of Governors and someone from the local authority to attend.

Love British Food bunting and stickers will be used on site and we will have Love British Food messages on pull up banners.

Herefords fit the bill for meat wholesaler

Tue, 06 Sep 2022 15:49:29 GMT

Now shifting 40 to 50 Hereford hindquarters each week, we catch up with James Ludgate at his family’s meat wholesale business to find out how their premium beef offering has developed.

With a family history steeped in the poultry and feather supply business, Thame, Oxfordshire-based meat wholesaler TW Ludgate and son prides itself on provenance and quality in everything it does.

As such, and with a customer base of butchers, farm shops and other high-end outlets across the home counties, the company has developed a keen focus on premium brands, particularly in the beef it sells.

The most recent of these, is the firm’s three year old TWL Hereford Prime range of both hanging beef and boned-out cuts.

Since launching the brand in 2017 the Ludgate family has seen demand for its premium Hereford beef range rocket, with about 40 per cent of its beef customers choosing the TWL Hereford range over other beef, explains James Ludgate.

“The last few years have seen a dramatic shift in the beef trade, with both major retailers and high street butchers switching to lighter carcase weights which in turn lead to smaller cuts. This has been driven by a number of factors, but most notably a demand from consumers for smaller joints and a more consistent eating experience,” he explains.

Allied to this switch to smaller cuts and lighter carcases is a drive towards beef with higher levels of marbling, to provide high quality meat which delivers the eating experience consumers are looking for.

“We had established a premium range based on heavier continental cattle some 15 to 20 years ago, selling that as TWL Prime. But the market has since shifted and we saw an opportunity to capitalise on that and provide a product with greater provenance.

“As Hereford breeders ourselves we knew the quality of the product would be right, so we chose that as the basis for the premium range,” says James.

“We do pride ourselves on supplying a quality end product, so the number one criteria for the TWL Premium Hereford range is marbling, nothing comes above that for this range and it delivers every time for our customers.”

James explains that in establishing the new range, the family firm worked with meat processors Dunbia at Cardington and continues to do so today.

“They understood what we were trying to achieve and have enabled us to develop the range of both hanging beef and pre-packed primals and joints.”

Where hanging beef is required it is sourced as pistola hindquarters, a standard hindquarter with the ribs left on. To maintain consistency and quality, all beef for the range comes from carcases weighing between 300kg and 360kg, grading O+4L to R4L and sired by registered Hereford bulls.

“It doesn’t matter if the beef is dairy-bred or from suckler herds, so long as it is well-marbled, as we know it will deliver the taste and tenderness we require. Having started with 12 hindquarters a week, we now source about 40 to 50 hindquarters a week from Dunbia, which are then aged and boned out to make boxed beef.”

All beef for the range is matured for 12 days on the bone, with further maturation taking place in vacuum packs according to customer requirements.

“Every pack carries our Hereford premium labelling and is fully traceable back to the beast it came from,” he adds.

“We pay a 15p/kg premium over the standard grid price for all the Hereford sired beef we purchase for the range and in turn charge a premium price to our customers to reflect the high quality of the product and the assurance it offers them.”

And while historically other breeds have been favoured for premium ranges, James says the Hereford range supplied under the TWL Hereford Premium label is well regarded by both butchers and their customers.

“Hereford may not be the first choice for some consumers, but it comes with a great story and is a little different to the usual premium offerings. After all, you can buy Aberdeen Angus anywhere.”

Working alongside his father, Michael, mother, Annette and brother, Sam, as well as a staff of about 20, James says 2020 has been a year of ups and downs in the meat wholesale business.

“Covid-19 has seen unprecedented demand from many of our customers as they have seen a surge in trade due to the first lockdown and customers looking for premium meat to eat at home instead of eating out.

“As we don’t deal with any catering trade we have been insulated from the ups and downs in that sector. Demand, particularly early in the first lockdown, was akin to Christmas week every week and it has been great to see the butchers and farm shops we supply reap the rewards for the service and quality produce they offer.”

Indeed, such has been the surge in sales through independent outlets in 2020 that James says the family have gained a number of new customers during the course of the year as other wholesalers haven’t been able to maintain either volume or quality of supply.

On the other end of the supply chain James says outside of its Hereford range which is sourced exclusively from Dunbia, Cardington, the firm deals with a range of beef suppliers across the UK, each best placed to supply specific cuts or primals and on a weekly basis moves about 15 tonnes of beef per week and just shy of 1,000 tonnes a year.

“Different suppliers and even different abattoirs within a group tend to have specialisms and we source beef from across the UK to suit the needs of our customers and the range they want to offer in their shops.”

Away from the meat business the family also farms 200 acres at Scotsgrove Farm in Thame in its own right. Here they keep a 40 cow herd of pedigree Herefords alongside recipients for embryo work and both pedigree and commercial sheep, with James taking a leading role in these enterprises. The herd is run alongside another passion of James’, pedigree Beltex sheep, of which the farm is home to 100 ewes.

“We’ve been breeding Herefords for about 15 years now and have sold to a high of 7,000gns for Rempstone 1 Even Money back in 2018 at the society’s main spring show and sale.”

Recent years have also seen the herd support the Designer Genes sale at Shrewsbury, offering top drawer consignments since the sale’s inception five years ago.

In the main though bulls tend to be sold from home, with about 12 sold each year to both dairy and suckler herds in the locality, with the trade predominantly to suckler herds as the number of dairy herds has declined in the area.

“The herd is split across spring and autumn calving to give a spread of ages in the bulls available for sale. Many might suggest that calving a herd our size in one season would be more efficient, but that would mean we may not have any bulls available at some points in the year and we could lose customers as a result,” he explains.

A respected judge and stockman in his own right, James had the honour of judging the National Show in Denmark, as well as other UK-based shows and was a member of the UK Hereford Youth team at the World Hereford Conference, New Zealand in March 2020.

“Being part of both these international events was a great honour and opened my eyes to the potential of Herefords and Hereford beef across the world. The New Zealand visit was a particular eye opener and one that enabled me to bring home many ideas for both the farm and butchery businesses,” adds James.

With an eye firmly on the future of both his own pedigree herd and the meat business James says the breed is well placed for the future so long as breeders pay close attention to the messages coming from the processing and retailing sector.

The beef industry is changing and while carcase size has reduced in recent years, James believes it is likely to reduce again in the coming years.

He says: “We must all be aware of what the market wants. Personal preferences and fashion are great, but they won’t always help produce the correct end product for the consumer. Lighter carcases with increased marbling will be the future of the sector for a good while to come.

“Eating quality must be maintained and even improved, with more consistency needed across the industry to ensure consumers keep coming back for more. Beef is regarded as a premium product so when you’re producing the top end it has to be faultless.”

James says breeders must continue to focus on easy fleshing cattle with the softness of flesh the breed is renowned for.

Looking to the future he has aspirations of installing a dry aging chiller at the family’s wholesale unit to add more value to the range on offer.

“The aim is to increase the product range on offer and add more premium products to help our customers and ourselves remain at the forefront of the sector.”

But he is cautions against thinking premium ranges can be conjured up for every sector.

“Without a doubt beef is the outright leader in premium ranges and other sectors struggle to replicate this success. Pork and chicken can do it to an extent, but it is coming from a low base, so the premium is always limited. Conversely, lamb is seen by many as an expensive protein already, so premium ranges tend to put it beyond the reach of many consumers,” he adds.

BOX - General facts:

Launched the TWL Hereford range in 2017 and now represents 40 per cent of beef sales
Number one criteria for Hereford beef range is marbling
Runs 40 pedigree Hereford cows under the Rempstone prefix
Supplies 1,000 tonnes of beef a year across all beef ranges

Hereford Cattle enjoy summer grass and winter forage. They are easily managed, low maintenance and have no additives or growth hormones in their diet. That’s why our Hereford Beef is the best of British.
Hereford Cattle are unmistakable with their characteristic rusty red and white markings. Their red colour can vary from a deep cherry to a lighter orange. Docile, friendly, and an excellent breed for grass-fed meat. They’re a joy for our producers to rear.
Grass-fed Hereford Beef is so much better than your average steak. It’s packed full of Omega 3, contains more vitamins and minerals and has fewer unhealthy fats.
Grass-fed, Hereford Beef is an excellent source of healthy fats and vitamins. It’s packed full of Omega 3, CLA, and antioxidants too. By buying grass-fed, you also contribute to a better environment. The UK’s meadows and pastures are one of our largest carbon sinks. What’s good for us should be good for the planet.
The Hereford breed thrives on a grass-fed diet, which allows them to enhance and improve the environment by increasing organic matter, microbial activity and biodiversity while sequestering carbon in the soil - making Hereford Beef some of the most sustainable in the world. It’s Hereford Cattle’s appetite for grass which makes Hereford Beef tender and flavoursome while providing health benefits such as higher levels of omega-3.
Hereford Cattle are one of the oldest and greatest breeds in Britain. Known for a variety of tender and succulent cuts, Hereford Beef lends itself to a myriad of dishes for every day of the week.
One of the key visual cues that tells you your steak is good is the marbling. Something Hereford Beef is famous for. We believe marbled beef is superior because of its succulence, flavour and rich taste. The fat makes the meat softer and easier to chew, as there is simply less muscle fibre and collagen per unit volume of meat. This decreases the amount of chewing required, leading to a more rapid breakdown of the food, and greater flavour release.
Hereford Beef is highly sought after by chefs and home cooks worldwide due to the high quality it offers. To maintain these standards of flavour and tenderness, our farmers rear their

Why our apples have been loving the sunny weather

Tue, 06 Sep 2022 15:10:37 GMT

As harvest begins, our apples have b een loving the sunny weather!

Even though the hot sun may not have been to everyone’s liking, it has definitely been the perfect diet for our cider apples.

With the sun ripening the apples and helping boost the fruit’s natural sugar levels, the recent rain has also been feeding the trees and giving them much needed nourishment. Importantly, the warmth of the sun helps develop the tannins in our bittersweet varieties, giving depth and body to our ciders.

Thatchers has apple orchards throughout the West Country, producing apples for our range of Somerset ciders. We are one of the few cider makers to have a regular orchard planting programme, having planted some 15,000 trees every year for the last decade – more than any other British cider maker.

Richard Johnson, Thatchers Head Cider Maker, says, “Whilst us humans have been enjoying a pint of refreshing cider during the heatwave, the apples too have been benefitting from the warmth.”

Thanks to the weather, and the deep, rich West Country soil, the prospects for a healthy harvest for our apple orchards here in the West Country are looking good. Starting this year with a cold snap in later winter/early spring, followed by a mix of sun and rain, it all adds up to the perfect recipe for cider apples.

Richard continues, “Harvest has just started with our early ripening apple varieties, such as Katy. As the season develops, we see different varieties of both dessert and bittersweet apples arrive, depending on their ripening times. One of the important things we look at when we plant new trees is when they fruit, to make sure that the arrival of apples is spread out throughout the season. We press our apples as soon as they arrive at the farm to capture them at their freshest – we don’t want them hanging around and losing flavour.”

With the weather conditions in Somerset providing a perfect climate for apple growing, it’s not surprising that the county is widely regarded as the home of cider making.

Richard adds, “A good pollination in the spring was helped by the warm conditions, perfect for the bees to fly. The blossom stayed on the trees for some time, giving the bees plenty of time to do their vital work. We have bee-hives in our orchards, cared for by local beekeepers, and we also plant wildflowers in the orchards providing a valuable food source for the bees throughout the summer."

”Whilst we’ve had plenty of sunshine, we did have less rain than normal earlier in the year, and again now in summer. This has meant that the first apples will be slightly smaller in size – but that simply results in all the flavour packed into a smaller fruit! Fruit being harvested later into September and October will benefit from the rain we’re now getting, giving our trees the nourishment they need to thrive.”

Thatchers is a fourth-generation cider maker, and we have over 500 acres of our own orchard in Somerset, where we grow apples including Katy, Somerset Redstreak, Tremlett’s Bitter and Jonagold. Planting new trees each year to meet the increasing demand for our ciders, we also work with apple growers throughout the region who provide specific apple varieties under long term partnerships.

For further information, please contact:

Penny Adair

Penny.adair@thatcherscider.co.uk

Tel: 07967 047464

Notes to editors

We are a family run cidermaker with our home in Sandford, Somerset. Our ciders, all full of natural apple character, are crafted here at Myrtle Farm. Pride in our heritage – we’ve been making cider for four generations - is at the heart of everything we do. Our knowledge and passion for apples is reflected in our ciders: authentic, full of flavour and with a distinct character that reflects Somerset cidermaking at its best.

We craft a range of ciders – including Thatchers Gold, Thatchers Haze, Thatchers Bloo d Orange and Thatchers Cloudy Lemon, but whichever you choose, you can be sure they have all been made with the same care, attention and hands-on experience.

Back to our roots

Fri, 26 Aug 2022 14:15:57 GMT

Windy Arbour Farm shop re-engages with British Food Fortnight to remind customers old and new what the business is about and what drives them.

Windy Arbour Farm shop is almost 50 years old. Established by Granny Turner selling eggs and potatoes from her back door after a great growing season in 1974, the family business went from strength to strength throughout the 1970s and 80s supplying countless chip shops and schools alongside a farm shop at a time where potatoes were on the menu in most homes every night. The 90s and early 2000s were more challenging with the growth in supermarkets but the shop endured and in 2009 passed to its 3 ^rd generation (the 6 ^th on the farm) in the form of Rachel Rigby (previously Turner) and her husband Geoff.

With youth and enthusiasm, they hugely expanded the ranges to begin to offer as much as possible for the weekly shop alongside the local fresh produce for which the shop had always been famous. In 2011 Windy Arbour took part in British Food Fortnight for the first time, decorating the shop with Union flags and running pop-up stalls and meet the grower events to highlight everything that was good and new about the new era.

For some reason, that was the Last time the shop took part. Such was the growth of the business that there probably wasn’t time to indulge in such events again. But over the decade since then, Windy Arbour has navigated the growth in the cheap supermarket, increase in popularity of online ordering and menu boxes, and of course a pandemic where for 6 months, like many local retailers they were the heroes.

But times change, costs rise, and life is tough for small business and consumers alike. So in 2022 we’ve decided to go back to our roots and re-engage with British Food Fortnight. Our push at the moment is to remind customers old and new what we’re about and what drives us. BFF offers the perfect vehicle to do that, and we’re looking forward to making a great British fuss this September!

Somerset Foundation NHS Trust and Love British Food

Fri, 05 Aug 2022 15:19:01 GMT

Somerset NHS Foundation Trust (FT) runs community services, mental health and learning disability services across Somerset, as well as acute hospital services from both Musgrove Park and Yeovil Hospitals, and a quarter of Somerset’s GP practices.

The trust employs over 11,000 colleagues who provide or support patient services. From therapists to nurses, doctors, researchers, scientists, porters, cleaners, kitchen colleagues, accountants, those who teach the next generation of clinicians and the receptionists who welcome patients - the contribution of all their colleagues is invaluable.

As a foundation trust, Somerset FT benefits from the support and dedication of a team of volunteers, a Council of Governors, Leagues of Friends, charities and partners.

In 2022 Somerset FT launched a Green Plan, which sets out plans across the next three years on how it will reduce its carbon footprint. It aims to tackle the climate emergency and sets out how it will reduce its environmental impact, while also delivering in three key areas: improving patient care, saving lives and reducing costs and waste.

Actions will include reducing reliance on single use plastics, improving biodiversity on hospital sites, and seeking to improve resilience for climate related weather events, such as heat waves.

The Green Plan has a section that focuses on catering services, with a key objective to increase sourcing food from local suppliers.

The trust’s community catering service is run by facilities managers with a combined service of over 100 years between them. Anna Warman is the facilities manager, alongside Jane Wills as deputy facilities manager, and Amanda Vickery, who works across community services and one of the acute hospitals as Catering Operations Manager for Inpatients and Retail.

All three began their careers in the NHS as catering assistants and diet chefs, and have transitioned through catering teams in various roles as chefs, team leaders and supervisors, and then into managerial roles. They bring a whole wealth of skills, knowledge and experience, and it’s clear to see that they work well together and make a strong team.

A Love British Food Hospital working group site visit they all attended, at Hollis Mead Organic Dairy Farm in West Dorset, inspired Anna, Jane and Amanda to take steps to become more sustainable and look to local suppliers for the trust’s produce.

Wholesome, old school, natural tasting dairy is our religion. From our wild, organic farm in the beating heart of Dorset, we’ve created a creamy cult to worship non-industrial, eco-friendly, low volume, high taste and guilt-free dairy production. Our ethos is simple: milk just once a day, and feed our cows purely grass and wild flowers grown on our farm. The proof is all in the taste. Hollis Mead.

Anna explains: “Our visit to Hollis Mead was hugely inspiring and left a huge impact on us all. As our NHS trust has grown, we’ve become reliant on larger suppliers, but seeing the benefit that sourcing local procedure has on both the environment and our patients, has motivated and given us the appetite to push forward with securing more local produce where we can.”

First on their list to review was how they could procure dairy and bread products in a more sustainable way. Working with the trust’s sustainability lead, they developed a new tender specification that put local suppliers higher up in the weighting criteria – also setting a precedent for future tenders.

The challenge for the trust is that with a total of 36 sites requiring these products, there are logistical difficulties with distribution of goods to each site, with some of the smaller units only requiring small quantities, and cost of fuel being an obvious concern.

A number of organisations applied as part of the tender process, which were then followed with presentations from each supplier. Jane and Anna both found it hugely beneficial to meet each supplier, allowing time for detailed conversations about the products and the requirements for the trust.

Following a competitive tender process, the contract was awarded to a local supplier based in Weston-Super-Mare, which is new to the healthcare industry, but has experience in managing contracts within education. The new supplier has already shown a positive commitment to the environment by ensuring that all deliveries are free of plastic wrapping.

Anna and Jane have nothing but praise for their new supplier. Anna said: “The contract started in December and has been seamless, with fantastic communication and service throughout. The managing director even stepped in over the festive period to ensure all the deliveries were made with no interruptions, showing their commitment to the trust and the contract.”

Anna adds: “We’re really pleased with the feedback that drivers have received from colleagues at the trust who have commented on how professional, friendly and efficient the service is. It has clearly made a huge difference across our many sites, both for our colleagues and patients.

“Key to our success in changing how we work was the way our sustainability manager, procurement team and lead dietitian worked together to find the best solution.

“We’re looking forward to exploring our next challenge to go local – fruit and vegeta bles.”

Iain Robertson on promoting British produce in the NHS

Thu, 23 Jun 2022 13:01:02 GMT

Iain's impressive track record of sourcing British - flexibility, engagement and a collective approach

Iain comes with a wealth of knowledge and experience of NHS catering, after leaving the armed forces where he initially trained as a chef; Iain took up what was meant to be a temporary position in a NHS hospital catering team. 23years later, Iain has worked in various roles in NHS catering gathering knowledge and skills which has supported him in successfully being in his current position as the Catering Manager at Solent NHS trust for the last 2.5 years.

Solent NHS Trust is a community and mental health trust delivering health services in Southampton, Portsmouth and parts of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. Iain has responsibility for five in-patient sites.

Alongside the day job, Iain is an active member of the Hospital Caterers Association and is the Branch Director for Wessex branch. Iain is also a member of the Hospital Food Review’s Expert Panel, working for NHS England and Improvement co-chairing the suppliers group. This puts Iain in a great position to support the ethos of using more British produce with open networks to many of the suppliers into the NHS. Iain has a comprehensive knowledge of all the different service styles in hospitals and understands the importance of working with food suppliers whether large or small to drive the use of British food in hospitals.

Iain very much believes in a collective influence with caterers working together regionally to promote and use British. Engaging with suppliers to work together in securing British produce and influencing suppliers buying methods. Iain suggests that using the word local could be restrictive and add some unnecessary barriers, but by simply using British this widens the area you could purchase from whilst still using British and local produce.

Iain’s catering service for patients is provided by an external company, purchasing meals that are then regenerated at ward level. The supplier of these meals supports SME businesses and the provenance of food. In the trusts retail areas, these are all in house operations that Iain’s team produce. It includes two restaurants; one seating 98 and the second seating 60. The restaurants are very much chef lead, with the team fully involved in menu planning and purchasing the produce.

A drive for this year in the retail areas is to further promote the use of British produce and to show and understand where the food actually comes from, whilst also making steps in its target to become zero carbon. Iain does use some local suppliers close to the Trust, including Pensworth, Medina Foods, Harvest Fine Foods and County foods. Iain explains how during the height of Covid “as we reacted to fast changing situations we on boarded new and local suppliers quickly and with ease. Many of these suppliers are not framework suppliers, proving that it is easy for Trusts to operate outside of the restraints of frameworks. As long as you do your due diligence by checking accreditations and site visits if necessary, it can be a very simple process”

Nationally, Iain’s Hospital Caterers Association branch has now added Love British Food as a regular agenda item to their branch meetings. Thus allowing a regular open channel of information sharing between Trusts.

Cheers To Beer – Beer Day Britain June 15th 2022

Tue, 07 Jun 2022 16:21:50 GMT

Get ready for June 15th and Beer Day Britain, the UK’s annual day to celebrate the national alcoholic drink. I instigated Beer Day Britain in 2015 and chose June 15th to share the date with the anniversary of Magna Carta being sealed in 1215. The great charter mentions ale (beer) in Article 35.

‘Let there be throughout our kingdom a single measure for wine and a single measure for ale and a single measure for corn…..’

Ale was so important in England in 1215 that it was cited in one of the most significant legal documents in history. Today beer and pubs are still central to British life and seven out of 10 drinks sold in a pub are beer. Most beer brewed in Britain is made from barley grown and malted in the UK. Thanks to this country’s climate and soils, the barley is amongst the best in the world for brewing beer and distilling whisky. Additionally many brewers use British grown hops, which owe their delicacy and complexity to our maritime climate and soils.

More styles of beer first brewed in Britain are now brewed overseas than those of any other brewing nation. Here is a brief description of some of those styles.

Barley Wine: Amber to copper in colour. Malty, toasty, fruity, bittersweet, high alcohol, full bodied.

Barley Wines are big complex beers where the alcohol is immediately apparent. They are highly aromatic with a combination of intense fruitiness and hops.

Food match: Cheese - especially strong English, crème brûlée, lasagne, macaroni cheese, ploughman's lunch, sausage & mash, shepherd's pie, Sunday roast.

Bitter: Pale golden to dark amber in colour. Well hopped biscuity malt, often with caramel, citrus, or floral aroma, medium to high bitterness.

Cask conditioned (aka real ale) Bitter is the classic style that most personifies traditional British pubs.

Food match: Barbequed food, burgers, cheese dishes, classic pub grub - pies, sausage & mash, fish & chips, lasagne, macaroni cheese, Ploughman's lunch, sandwiches, shepherd's pie, Sunday roast.

Blonde Ale: Pale straw to golden in colour. Crisp, bready, lightly fruity, medium bitterness. These are usually light bodied, easy drinking beers with a biscuity malt undertone.

Food match: Fish & chips, grilled chicken, grilled white fish, haloumi, hummus, pizza, Ploughman's lunch.

Brown Ale: Copper to mahogany in colour. Toffee, coffee, nutty flavour, sweetish, low bitterness.

Food match: Barbeque, burgers, full English breakfast, hummus, kebabs, nuts, Ploughman's Lunch, roasted chicken, satay chicken or vegetables, sausage & mash, shepherd's pie (also works with vegetarian version), stew, tomato pasta dishes.

Golden Ale: Rich golden in colour. Zesty, biscuit, fruity, floral, dry, medium to high bitterness.

Food match: Avocado, chicken, creamy cheese, falafel, fish & chips, Indian (spicy), satay, grilled or smoked salmon, sushi.

India Pale Ale (IPA): Golden to amber in colour. Aromatic grapefruit, herbal, highly hopped, bitter, dry, refreshing.

This style of beer was rebranded as India Ale about forty years after it had first been exported in the mid-18th century from London’s East India dock to the sub-continent. It is now the most widely brewed style of ale in the world and has inspired several iterations including low alcohol Session IPA, Black IPA, New England IPA Double IPA (DIPA) aka Imperial IPA

Food match: Avocado, burgers, chili con carne, creamy cheese, falafel, fish & chips, satay, grilled or smoked salmon, Thai, Vietnamese.

Porter: Mahogany in colour. Rich chocolate, coffee, caramel, nutty, savoury, roasted, dry, medium bitterness.

Named after the street and river porters of London who enthusiastically drank this dark beer, the style originated in the early 18th century.

Food Match: Apple crumble, anything chocolatey, barbecue, crème brûlée, Shepherd's Pie, steak, Stilton cheese.

Stout: Mahogany to black in colour. Rich, roasted, charred, treacle, coffee, licorice, bitter.

Originally the name 'stout' referred to any strong English beer regardless of colour so it is possible to have stout pale ales. When Porter beers grew in popularity in the 19th century, stout became a moniker most associated with dark beers. Today there are several styles of Stout but what they have in common is the colour - pitch black and a roasted flavour.

Food Match: Apple crumble, banana dishes, chocolate desserts, crème brûlée, ice cream, Mexican, shepherd's pie, strongly flavoured cheese such as Stilton, tiramisu.

Beer tastes much better when consumed with friends, and even better with friends in a pub. On Beer Day Britain I will be participating in the National Cheers To Beer at 7pm (19.00h) as millions of people across the country raise a glass and say ‘Cheers to Beer’ then post a message on social media with the hashtag #CheersToBeer . I hope you’ll be able to join in too and salute the UK’s many brilliant brewers, barley farmers and hop growers!

Overcoming challenges - a case study from Northern Ireland

Fri, 20 May 2022 10:17:59 GMT

The Northern Trust is one of five health and social care trusts in Northern Ireland. The Trust provides a range of health and social care services to a population of approximately 479,000 people across a geographical area of 1,733 square miles, making it the largest geographical trust in Northern Ireland.

The Trust also provides services to Rathlin, the only inhabited island off the coast of Northern Ireland. Services are delivered from over 150 facilities including two major general hospital sites, a mental health hospital, local community hospitals, health centres, social services, and a significant network of community services as well as provision of care in the home.

Antrim Area Hospital is one of the busiest hospitals for unscheduled care services in Northern Ireland. The Hospital has 366 beds for acute care. In addition, it offers obstetrics, neonatal services, paediatrics, palliative care and renal dialysis, as well as a specialist dental unit.

David is the Catering Production Manager at Antrim Area Hospital; he has been in this role for two years, prior to this David worked for the trust as a catering supervisor then an assistant manager, totalling four years now for the trust.

David is responsible for the patient meal services but more recently has also been managing the retail areas to cover absences in the team. This has given David a great insight to both retail and patient feeding and an opportunity to see what offers could be used in both areas.

The patient food production area has changed a few times over the last few years, originally a cook chill freeze operation which moved to a plated system, which is in the process of changing again, to a hot line bulk service operation.

David’s challenges are familiar story to other trusts, with staffing levels and recruitment being an ongoing challenge.

Despite these challenges David and his team have maintained the 5 star environmental health food hygiene rating, and have been successful in winning a Customer Service Excellence Award (CSE).

The Customer Service Excellence standard tests in great depth those areas that research has indicated are a priority for customers, with particular focus on delivery, timeliness, information, professionalism and staff attitude. There is also emphasis placed on developing customer insight, understanding the user’s experience and robust measurement of service satisfaction.

Customer Service Excellence is designed to operate on three distinct levels

As a driver of continuous improvement. By allowing organisations to self assess their capability, in relation to customer focused service delivery, they are able to address areas and methods for improvement.
As a skills development tool. By allowing individuals and teams to explore and acquire new skills in the area of customer focus and customer engagement, they can build their capacity for delivering improved services;
As an independent validation of achievement. By allowing organisations to seek formal accreditation to the Customer Service Excellence standard, they can demonstrate their competence, identify key areas for improvement and celebrate their success.

This year also saw the team winning a Hospital Caterers Association (HCA) award at the annual Leadership and Development Forum.

The patient catering service located in Antrim Area Hospital feeds approximately 700 patients three times per day. Antrim also produces all meals for Whiteabbey Hospital and the Moyle Hospital. The menu runs on a two week cycle, examples of lunch and evening meal menus are provided below:

Lunch Menu

Evening Menu

All patient meal orders are took via electronic devices by the ward team, which has helped improve reductions in waste levels and ensures the patients get what they ordered.

David is supported with the power of three ethos, with support from the clinical teams including Dietetics and Speech and Language Therapy. The kitchen runs with four chefs and a team of food production assistants catering for all differing dietary needs for patients including renal and modified texture meals. All wards have their own ward pantries so patients can be offered items and snacks outside of the mealtime with snack bags available to order out of hours too. Hot meals and snack packs are also available to patients in the emergency department.

David is keen to overcome obstacles in the supply chain and framework, with so much farmland and produce around the hospital; David would like to source more of his ingredients closer to the hospital where possible and get to know and work with the local farmers and suppliers, putting back into the community and economy. This is something that isn’t working as well as David would like to at the moment. David is passionate about the service he and his team provide for patients, with an interest to engage and learn from others and work through the challenges faced to be able to source food of the provenance of the area.

Given Northern Irelands sensitive past it is important that as an organisation we ensure neutrality and remain mindful and respectful of its past, to ensure inclusion of all sections of the community. Therefore, David would suggest that any branding in relation to Northern Ireland should omit the word ‘British’ and be replaced with ‘Love Northern Irish Produce/Food’.

G.W Price Limited - a story of the 3rd biggest supplier to NHS England

Fri, 20 May 2022 09:27:37 GMT

GW Price Ltd has come a long way since its humble beginnings in 1901, when the business was founded by the current owners grandfather, George William Price.

The company today remains family owned, with quality and customer service still at the heart of the business values.

George William Price was born in Dudley, in the West Midlands in 1862. At nine years of age he moved to Eckington in Derbyshire to take up employment in the mines. This budding entrepreneur was not satisfied with colliery life however, and each Thursday he would take a train from Eckington to the Lincolnshire countryside. There, he would cycle around the farming community, purchasing fresh produce.

John Plant MBE, Chairman and owner of G.W.Price Ltd and has been here since he was 14 years old and now is 74 years old, and still very much involved with the company. John has taken the company from 5 vehicles to 50 vehicles and has grown the company to be one of the leading fresh fruit and vegetable firms in the Country. John is the fourth generation owner, and the business still holds the same family values. John’s son Richard is the managing director, and Johns daughter Stella works with the sales team. Johns wife is still also involved managing the accounts. John’s third child Amy, also has links to food with initially being a registered dietitian in the NHS, Amy now works for Sheffield council in the Childrens services team.

Chatting with John he has some fascinating stories to tell, having been going to the warehouse since he was 10 until he started there officially at the age of 14. John talks about how he has supplied Nottingham City Hospital for many decades now and remembers the hospital when it was a lot smaller and you could see berry bushes growing on the sight and all being used. At the age of 74 John still goes to work every day but for much less hours now, and his love for the industry is still as strong.

The business supplies to 80 hospitals, care homes, schools, universities, supermarkets, and to the hotel and restaurant industry, and is the third biggest supplier to the NHS in England.

Talking to John, he has a very strong positive ethos and outlook with the business and life; surviving many challenges over the years, but also quick to learn and adapt to change and overcome whatever hurdles are faced. With a particular passion and pride for serving the NHS and care home industry acknowledging and understanding how important these areas are and how his produce directly affects patient’s recovery. His service to school is also something he talks about with pride helping children to grow by providing fresh produce to the schools with over 10,730 deliveries just last week.

The pandemic brought the most recent challenge for the business, supplying to the food industry meant that business shut immediately and not requiring any produce from G.W Price. The business was quick to adapt and started doing home deliveries to the public, starting with just five customers in the first week but very quickly then growing to 800 deliveries a week, this has since reduced in time with changes to life and the pandemic but the service is still delivering to those who wish to use it. The business has always operated from the same premises for over 100 years, with a new site opening in 2020 mid pandemic, again a brave move in difficult times. Staffing continues to be a challenge but incentives have been added such as bonuses and wage increases. Brexit also brought its own challenges but the business has now adapted to these new changes and again quick thinking of the family ensured deliveries from abroad where flown in when ferry crossings where a challenge. John does not get disheartened by the challenges and is admirable in his approach to work, his love for the job is evident. With staff furloughed at the height of the pandemic, but John has recently been able to voluntarily pay back a quarter of a million to the government.

The biggest thing John is proud to talk about is local produce; he is passionate about supporting local communities and works closely with all the farmers he buys from with the majority of his stock being from local farms. The local produce comes mainly from Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire, Yorkshire, Staffordshire and Derbyshire depending on the seasons. The team also ensure they match up the closest location of produce to their customers, for example, the carrots used at Nottingham University Hospitals are grown just three miles away from the City campus hospital site.

John knows exactly where his produce comes from like the back of his hand, potatoes from Worksop. Broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower from just outside Mansfield, and sometimes strawberries and apples from just outside Nottingham!

John has close working relationships with all his farms and often takes his clients out to meet the farmers and see exactly where the ingredients are being grown, show-casing farm to fork. John explains how the tender process is extremely detailed and this can often be difficult for some farmers to do, often investment is needed to have the correct facilities on the farms, such as chilled distribution units and vehicles. But John strongly believes that local produce is the best way forward and should be celebrated. Handling 5 million pieces of fruit a week is a phenomenal amount of stock and with the majority of it being local produce is even more impressive.

Below is a copy of the newsletter that is sent out to customers each month, valuable information on where the produce is coming from along with opening words from John.

ISS’s record of delivery on sourcing local, seasonal & British in schools

Mon, 16 May 2022 12:41:42 GMT

An insider perspective on how ISS sources local, seasonal and British produce for hundreds of schools across England

Steve Kemp is the Sector Director for the UK ISS Education Catering team. He leads the operational and support teams and is responsible for both the people working within the ISS Education team, the development and growth of the education business, and ensuring that we deliver wholesome fresh food in welcoming and engaging environments every day, in every dining room.

Linda Cregan is the Food Services Director for the ISS UK&I Food Operations Performance team. She supports the operational teams and is responsible for the food development and nutrition strategy for the Education business, as well as leading well-being strategy across all ISS food service sectors, Education, B&I and Healthcare Retail.

Both Steve and Linda sit on the new Love British Food Schools Working Group.

Role and responsibilities

Steve

I have worked for ISS Education for over 10 years. Having initially trained as a Chef working with Michel Roux at the Waterside Inn in Bray, I moved into a Head Chef role with Sutcliffe catering and ultimately into the management arena where I now head up the ISS Education team as Sector Director.

Following a variety of roles supporting healthcare, business and industry and local government establishments I ventured into the Education sector joining Castle View in the mid 1990’s, which was then acquired by Compass Group in 2002 where I spent a further 10 years within the Chartwells Education team leading both Operations and Business Excellence functions.

I love working for ISS and within the school meal industry because it affords me the opportunity to influence, for the better, how and what our future generations eat. With so many challenges today around Obesity, Diabetes, Allergens etc… it is now more important than ever to guide and nurture our young customers on making healthy choices and developing a healthy lifestyle. ISS is very aware of this and supports and underpins these ethos’s to help ensure our culture is focused on the health & wellbeing not only of our customers, but of our colleagues, friends, and family to.

Linda

I have worked for ISS Education for 4 years. Having started my career working in restaurants in London’s West End, I moved across to school catering in 1999 initially with private contractors and then to Enfield Local Authority as Head of Service for Catering & Hospitality. In 2007, shortly after the Jamie Oliver TV programmes I was offered a position with the newly set up Government Quango, the School Food Trust, becoming CEO in 2013 when it became the Children’s Food Trust. I supported the development of School food standards and other Obesity and healthy food policies and legislation, was a member of the School Food Plan expert panel and Co-Chaired the School Food Plan Alliance.

Having spent many years campaigning for better food for all children, I was really excited to have the opportunity to move to ISS in 2018 when the Trust closed. They were an organisation I had worked closely with on several projects, and like me, believe that it is every child’s right, not privilege, to be able to eat a lunch that is freshly prepared every day using quality, fresh and seasonal ingredients.

How many schools are you responsible for and how do you work with them? Tell us about the schools: number of pupils / sites etc. What catering facilities do you have to support you?

ISS currently partner with around 450 primary schools and 50 secondary schools across England. They are a mixture of academies, local authority, and stand-alone schools, large and small, old, and new. We serve approximately 100,000 Food for Life served here accredited meals every day.

But we see our jobs as much wider than serving nutritious and healthy meals. Just as importantly, we support our schools to take a whole school approach to food, offering educational activities such as farm visits at our supply partner farms, cooking and nutrition sessions with our in-house Development Chefs and Nutritionists, and growing classes such as the Big Grow and Green Fingers which we deliver with Celebrity TV Gardener, Chris Collins. We also work in local school communities delivering bespoke and impactful social value activities and projects.

We want school food to become a true part of the school day; the nineth lesson, because working together in partnership with our schools, we know we can help shape our future generation on the path to achieve their full potential.

What is your budget per head?

Funding is agreed on a school-by-school basis. Currently, the Government allowance for UIFSM is £2.34 but like most caterers we do not necessarily receive that full funding. This funding has only increased once (by 4p) since the introduction of the policy in 2013. This of course brings challenges, particularly at the moment with inflationary and other cost increases that all catering providers are facing.

What is your farming hinterland and availability of produce in your area?

We use national supply partners Bidfood and NCB who work with a network of local producers, growers, and farmers to help us purchase and source local, seasonal, and British food from farms around the country. Having these supply partners helps us maintain a level of supply whilst reducing our food miles.

What was the catalyst for you looking to source British?

We are proud to have led the way as an early adopter of the Food for Life programme and were the first caterer to set the minimum standard of bronze food for life served here menus in all our schools. Mark Davies (who was MD of Education Catering at ISS until recently) also sat on the Food for Life Advisory Board for many years, so being able to offer fresh and sustainable meals to all our customers has always been a priority.

What have you achieved?

Home baked is always our first choice. At least 75% of our meals are cooked from scratch - that includes everything from sauces to desserts and tray bakes, from bread baskets to freshly prepared salads and healthy snacks. The food we serve in our schools is nutritionally balanced and compliant with the School Food Standards. We make healthier eating easier by reducing salt and sugar in our recipes, using more pulses and vegetables and whole grain ingredients as often as we can, and we don't use any undesirable additives, trans fats or GM ingredients.

As part of the For our Planet commitment in our health and wellbeing strategy, we have also aligned our food procurement policies across our business to the purchasing of certified ingredients with the highest ethical provenance to make sure we get great ingredients on the plate every time, so for example all our eggs are free range, our meat is sourced from UK farms with the highest welfare standards, and we are also a company partner with the marine conservation society.

Our extensive recipe database has a variety of dishes and concepts to suit lots of different tastes and cultures, and we photograph every dish so that we can show our teams in the kitchens just what the dish should look like.

We run an inclusive service and want every child to be able to eat a meal with us if possible. So, we take every step necessary to make sure all pupils are safe and have any specialist requirements they need catered for, whether that be providing easily accessible allergen information in our secondary schools or holding our younger customers by the hand and designing bespoke special diet menus for them.

Having all of this in place means that when it comes to designing our menus, we can give the flexibility to have something that works for every school.

What lessons and hot tips would you like to share with other school caterers?

Collaboration and partnership are key – with our producers, our farmers, our suppliers and most importantly our schools, their pupils, and their communities.

Schools are at the heart of their local community and our dining halls are an intrinsic part of that. If we can support our schools with a whole school approach to healthy eating, food education and sustainability, this enriches the lives of local families, and the impact is felt way beyond the dining hall.

But equally, we know that there is no nutrition in a meal that isn’t eaten, so being able to balance, climate, health and nature with affordability and popular options that children will want to eat is vital. Getting regular feedback from pupils and parents and then acting upon that feedback is vital. We hold regular tasting sessions and recipe and concept development sessions, and then use that to keep our offer fresh and innovative. A great example of this is our ‘Feed Your Eco’ offer in secondary schools that was developed as a result of pupil workshops to develop more plant-based recipes.

And finally, don’t forget about the experience. If you think about a restaurant environment, a great food offer will get us through the door, but it is the experience we have that makes the difference whether we go back. A school dining room is no different than any other restaurant. Now, more than ever, those experiences matter. Pupils and students have already missed far too many opportunities to learn those vital social and life skills during the pandemic and we have one of the best opportunities ever now to use food and our dining experience to help pupils and students reconnect with their friends and get back to normal school life. Supporting social skills, mental and physical well-being and encouraging children to eat a healthier diet has never been more important.

Any suppliers you would like to highlight?

As mentioned, we work very closely with Bidfood and NCB because they are bought into our philosophy on the importance of being able to balance climate, health, and nature, and they are equally committed to working alongside us and local producers and farmers to help us achieve and maintain our food for life served here status.

Both Bidfood and NCB have been tremendous during the pandemic in supporting us to make sure we continued to get healthy meals to children and their families, and we could not have done it without them.

Rob Chambers on how Hampton College sources local and seasonal

Fri, 13 May 2022 08:37:17 GMT

Rob Chambers is Executive Chef for H ampton College, Peterborough

My role and responsibilities

I have worked here for 2 years having previously worked in the events and wedding catering business. I am employed by Impact Food as Hampton College is a Cucina site and Cucina is part of Impact. Cucina has had the contract here for 5 or 6 years. Cucina’s commitment to fresh produce is the reason they won the contract.

We serve food to 1,300 pupils here but we are a part of a Trust of 4 schools so I work across all sites: 2 Secondary schools and 2 Primary schools.

What facilities do you have

Every site has its own kitchen and own team. So every school is self-operating.

At Hampton College we have an open kitchen that looks out on to the dining area which is great as I get lots of interaction with the kids.

How has your move been from the private to the public sector?

When I started work at Hampton College I was surprised by how good the food was and was surprised as to what was offered, being honest. Everything is home-made and fresh. There are wonderfully colourful salads and so much effort is put into getting as much veg as possible into all the dishes.

Impact Food takes its British sourcing very seriously. The majority of the food I get through them is British, we only use free range eggs, all our meat comes from assured farms, We only use sustainable sourced fish and we buy seasonal and British produce to reduce our food miles.

How does the ordering process work?

We have a 3 weekly menu which I must put out, but then have free reign to pop specials out. So, Mondays are classic favourites, Tuesdays are eastern (my favourite day) , Wednesday is roast dinner day, Thursday is Southern style and Friday, obviously, is fish and chips! I can run specials within these themes and develop my own recipes around them.

I make a particular point of including seasonal veg options to give colour to the menus and try and get kids to eat veg.

IFG are in the process of starting a ‘Veg of the month’ activity where we take 1 veg a month and create 5 different ideas highlighting that veg and rolling the recipes out to our company. This is a great way of sharing ideas and creating new recipes, and promoting different ways veg can be used whether in mains, handheld or even desserts.

How are menus written and promoted?

We have clip boards with posters of where the veg comes from, posters saying that all the meat is British. These are dotted around on wall frames and on posters. Being honest, most children are mainly interested in eating the food, not learning where it is from but some of the children do take note and are interested.

Do you have tips to share with other school caterers?

Make everything colourful and full of seasonality so salad bars look really enticing.

Offer tastings and samples: if we do anything new we always offer samples. If I introduce a new soup on the menu, I offer a little cup of soup for the children to try. This is a great way to get them interested in eating different things. If I offer them things for free I then hope they will then try that dish.

Involve children and staff in the menu planning: we have a foodie group that meets once a term, or sometimes once every half term, to run menu ideas through the school council. The head teacher is involved plus pupils from each year group. We get feedback from them of what they want to see more on the menus.

There is so much you can do with your salad bar: you can incorporate really fun quirky ideas. We give the children a pot that they can fill up with whatever they want from the salad bar. For example, protein pots with chicken and feta or tuna mayonnaise and then the children can top this up from the salad bar. We always have 5 or 6 types of salad they can choose from so they can build their own salad.

Use puddings as a way of getting lots of fruit into the menu: we offer a hot pudding a day: steamed puddings, crumbles etc. And cakes and biscuits and muffins are all on the menu too. We do lots of fruit based puddings to get the fruit intake up: we use beetroot in all our brownies, I particularly like using sweet potato in our chocolate muffins.

Do the same with veg: I use courgettes and carrots in our pizza base so that we can get more veg into the children’s diet.

Impact Food group will be taking part in British Food Fortnight this year. It is a great opportunity to promote different things. We can dress up the counters will lots of seasonal produce, display fun posters and really get the children to take an interest in where their food comes from.

Tim Radcliffe on sourcing local in the NHS

Fri, 13 May 2022 08:21:59 GMT

My name is Tim Radcliffe.

I've worked in the NHS for seven years, prior to that I worked in the private sector mainly in hotels and restaurants.

Currently I am Facilities Manager at East Lancashire Hospitals, which consists of 5 hospitals in the Northwest of England, Royal Blackburn Hospital, Burnley General Hospital, Accrington Victoria Hospital, Pendle Community Hospital and Clitheroe Community Hospital.

In total we have over 1200 beds with over 10,000 staff, Located in Lancashire in the heart of the Northwest with Bolton & Manchester to the south, Preston to the west, the Pennines to the east and Cumbria to the north.

Our population is approx. 650,000 this includes patients who live in some of the most socially deprived areas of England.

In 2015, I was offered the opportunity to unlock the potential of an under-performing catering service based at Blackburn hospital.

It had many challenges

We Only had 9 chefs. With a varied skill set producing 15,000 meals a week leading inevitably to only 49% of food freshly cooked on site.

There were no recipes, so every chef was producing their version of the dish leading to incredible differences and waste.

I was surprised, how so much of our produce was just bought from catalogues without any understanding of exactly how it got there and how little produce was sourced from local and even British suppliers.

Before entering the world of NHS catering all my experience has been in the private sector including managing hotels and restaurants.

To me when buying your produce, you should be looking for the best quality at a reasonable price, making certain you know as much as you can about that produce, engaging with local suppliers understanding how they have grown the potatoes or how the cattle has been bred and reared this enables you to have far more understanding of the quality of food you're putting on the plate for your patient. The relationship built between supplier and customer is so important.

We needed to reinvigorate the creative juices of our chefs enabling them to utilise their skills we recruited 3 more chefs working closely with local colleges and our education team to get 2 apprentice chefs. Using the princes trust and step into health programmes we supplemented our workforce whilst also supporting our local community this gave us a more cohesive and engaged workforce investing in staff is just as important as investing in equipment.

With this as our guiding principle we put Cook-fresh at the core of our changes.

Taking the whole trust on a journey.

We had 3 key elements

1. Procurement

Making Cost not the starting point

I met with all suppliers to emphasise the need for quality.

I said to all I don’t want your best price; it has to be a relationship …. the supplier has to make money the service that they provide is vital.

We wanted to ensure that our suppliers understood our project and that all our produce had to meet our exacting standards. We made a conscious decision for local and seasonal produce.

2. Menu Design…with recipes!!

We worked directly with dieticians in designing our food offer ensuring that it met all the required guidelines but was also appetising and appealing. We made the patients menu available in the staff and visitors restaurant.

All staff were involved in this putting forward dishes and making suggestions.

We produced a recipe book and gave every chef copies so they could refer to it at all times.

Our menu is creative and descriptive: encouraging people to choose options with attractively named dishes Patients expectation have changed, It does matter where food comes from.

Our use of Local Venison is an example of putting sustainability at the heart of our offer. Sustainability is key for us, if you can buy high quality ingredients within 20 miles of your hospital why would you want to consider imported produce.

We entered a collaboration with Forestry England to source our venison from the Forest of Bowland, previously it came from the borders of Scotland. Using a more local product and highlighting it on our menus has seen an increase in patient uptake of 15% from 33-48%.

It Is very popular in the staff restaurant and is one of the top selling meal deals.

3. Raise awareness

Share your recipes and your message - hospital food can be delicious, healthy, affordable, and produced with care for the environment and the people who produce it.

We Offered tasting sessions taking the food to the wards and allowing the ward staff to try the new dishes Communicating the rationale for menu changes.

Afterall it those staff who interact with the patient they need to have confidence in the offer.

We held cookery demonstrations, for hospital staff.

With this as a benchmark we moved in 2 years to 91% freshly prepared on site Putting British produce at the heart of our offer Local farmers and supplier are at the heart of the catering industry. They provide high quality and environmentally sustainable and fresh produce. Helping to maintain local employment and supporting the economy also links into wider trust values, as these are key indicators linked to public health. Buying locally gives us control over the quality of food we serve to patients and our suppliers take great pride in the quality of produce we receive.

What advice can I give ?

When beginning to Engage and challenge senior stakeholders take into account Which battles are winnable.

Provide evidence-based arguments.

Stay true to your principles- sometimes it is a bumpy road.

Be consistent.

Maximise natural opportunities for open, positive and daily interaction- be accessible -patient food in the restaurant.

Staff food surveys – monthly dine with the Chief exec.

Embed the service and yourself into the Trust.

Become the ‘go-to’ subject expert.

YES it takes time. YES it takes perseverance, AND YES it takes courage.

But the rewards are enormous.

Chefs always enjoy working with fresh seasonal locally sourced ingredients. Patients and staff appreciate this as much as the suppliers. We have much more confidence producing food when we can visit the supplier in person and observe all stages of their preparation and production.

Our philosophy has been rewarded with several awards including NHS Chef 2021.

A nutritionist’s view of the school food industry

Wed, 11 May 2022 18:52:32 GMT

Meg is a registered nutritionist, qualified in Food Nutrition and Public Health Nutrition. Since graduating from university in 2012, Meg has worked in the school food industry supporting children from nursery through to university life. She is recognised as an expert in young people’s nutrition and wellbeing; Meg is a member of the school food advisory board and a former trustee for the Children’s Food Trust.

What is your role?

I started my nutrition career with Chartwells as a graduate and have worked there ever since. I have been lucky enough to have been given the opportunity to progress through the organisation and now lead the nutrition, allergens and sustainability strategies for the organisation.

How many schools do you support?

Chartwells operates in over 2000 schools, feeding children from 4-18 years old. We operate a mixture of primary schools, secondary schools and independent day and boarding schools.

What is your key role when working with schools?

It’s a mixture. My team and I always aim to put annual plans in place with schools to drive their health and wellbeing agenda. We make mutual commitments around food and nutrition education delivery, the food offer, pupil and parent engagement and offer market leading support with allergens.

I receive requests for sustainability road maps more now than ever, which is excellent!

Of course, feeding pupils nutritious and delicious food is the primary focus of Chartwells and my team and I ensure the offer is inclusive and nutritionally sound. In addition to the food served on the plate, we reach thousands of pupils and engage hundreds of parents every month through our award-winning Beyond The Chartwells Kitchen programme. Our educational sessions link directly to the curriculum and are focused around nutrition; mental and physical wellbeing; health; food; and sustainability.

Do you think food education is important in schools?

One in three children leave primary school overweight or obese and although the food industry has a huge part to play in terms of reformulation, education is extremely important. Children and young adults are faced with choice every day, whether that’s at schools, at home, in their packed lunches or on the high street. Our education sessions help to encourage children to appreciate the long-term health benefits of consuming a balanced diet from a young age.

What do you love most about your job?

It’s simple; every day I can make a difference. I work closely with thousands of children every year and quite often connect with families too. Being able to provide nutrition and recipe advice to families and children knowing it’ll make a big difference is a huge privilege. I am also extremely lucky to work alongside fantastic chefs; we’ve developed over 100 cook-a-long videos aimed at young children as part of our mission to get children and families cooking more at home!

Do you deliver training to catering teams to support them in their day job?

Ensuring all team members are well trained is paramount; not just for nutrition and allergens but we pride ourselves on amazing health and safety training as well as food safety and culinary training. However, we do have some extremely talented and passionate cooks and catering managers in our school kitchens….they often teach me a thing or two!

Do you encourage schools to buy British?

I am a huge advocate of sourcing British produce and a supporter of the Food For Life scheme that has been implemented in many schools across the country. I also recognise the environmental impact that #BuyingBritish can have in terms of food miles, welfare standards and quality assurance.

Where did your interest in food come from?

Food is not just functional, it creates memories and stories in the minds of young people. Educating young people on how and where food is grown and produced has become increasingly important to me over the years, initiated by the fact that I grew up in a family fruit and vegetable business, proud to have sourced British produce wherever possible.

Washingborough Academy's guide on sourcing local

Wed, 11 May 2022 18:40:46 GMT

Washingborough Academy is dedicated to providing an environment that promotes healthy eating and enabling pupils to make informed choices about the food they eat.

Catering Facilities

The school has held the ‘Food for Life Gold Served Here’ Gold Standard award since 2015.

When I became the school chef in 2016, the school already had a fully equipped modern kitchen. My aim was to continue to keep the standard up and increase the percentage of children eating a cooked lunch as opposed to packed lunches. This I achieved during the six years I have been with the school.

Our lunchtime arrangements are made up of 3 sittings, serving over 280 children. Foundation Stage 2, KS1 and then followed by KS2. Our Foundation Stage 1 meals are delivered to the children in their setting.

We have since introduced ice-cream machine, making a milk-based ice cream with fruit from our garden. We also make fresh jam such as crab apple jelly and other fruits taken from the orchard, these are sold to the parents of the school to raise funds for the school.

The school was recently introduced to a food dehydrator which will provide us with the facility to offer the children a different texture of food from the garden.

Food focus meetings are held twice a term for all age groups and we discuss what fruit and vegetables will be planted in the garden for my menu planning and the children are given the opportunity to discuss their likes and dislikes, which is reflected in the menu planning.

I meet with parents of any child with a food allergy to discuss the menu with them to provide advice and reassurance and also offer alternatives that we can incorporate.

In September we are introducing plant food to the menu 3 days a week, Monday, Wednesday and Friday and introducing more fresh fruit instead of hot puddings.

What was the catalyst of sourcing locally?

We are in the ‘Breadbasket of England’ and have so many fantastic food producers on our doorstep. The move to use local produce was not one of just convenience but also of sustainability. We also wanted to increase our offer of organic produce as well. This also reinforces the criteria that is required for the Soil Association’s ‘Food for Life Gold Served Here’ Award that we hold (the only in-house school caterer to be awarded this prestigious accolade). This does, at times, prove difficult trying to source locally as not all of farmers in the area provide organic produce, this can also reflect on the cost.

To further support this, we use fresh fruit and vegetables from our 300m² school garden, polytunnel, Lincolnshire Heritage Orchard and honey from our own apiary. A local butcher in the next village and suppliers us with meat that is Red Tractor assured. Our Lincolnshire sausages and free-range pork is provided locally from Redhill Farm. The organic meat comes from Derbyshire, organic flour comes from Shipton Mill, and any additional fruit and vegetables come from Boston. However we now provide 25% of our fruit from our school grounds and last September made a saving of over £350 by the children harvesting fruit and vegetables from our own gardens.

Budget

£0.85 food costs per pupil per lunch, however I am hoping that this will be increase in September to at least £0.95 as the rising cost of food is having an impact.

This budget can be challenging to maintain per child, but I create my weekly menus to balance the costs per week making everything fresh and maintaining portion control, following the school food standard recommendations. This is also supported with my strong working relationship with our school gardener and regularly meeting with our SNAG group (children form across the school who meet regularly to discuss food matters). We can plan our menus far in advance and then ensure the children are involved in planting the fruit and vegetables we need for the meals.

Cost out example:

Roast chicken dinner (per portion)

Roast Red Tractor Chicken fillet - £0.64

Mixture of veg (e.g carrots, cabbage, leeks) - £0.04

Potatoes - £0.06

Gravy - - £0.02

Fresh fruit salad - £0.15

Of course the vegetable costs are negligible when we harvest from our own school grounds.

Menus

Michael serves 2-3 mostly school grown organic vegetables a day:

The school’s menu offer includes:

Home-made fish fingers which are certified sustainable cod fillets covered in school-made dried breadcrumbs and baked in the oven
Free-range honey pulled pork wrap (with honey from our own hives)
Home-made wholemeal bread
Lincolnshire Hash Pie made from Lincolnshire sausage meat, organic minced beef, school-made baked beans and Lincolnshire Potato mash
Always an offer of fresh fruit salad made daily
Dehydrated fruits to snack on

Future plans:

Our menu from September 2022 will be around 50% plant based with three days having just plant-based options. The children are spearheading this initiative as they are very aware of the impact their food choices can have on the environment. We have calculated the carbon footprint of our current menus and are looking to reduce this with the menu we offer for the next academic year.

We are also partners in an Erasmus project ( http://learn4earth.eu/learn4earth/ ) where we are working on reducing our food waste from our lunchtimes. In partnership with The University of Gastronomic Sciences (UNISG) our ‘Guardians of the Earth’ committee are sharing ways for the children to eat foods that they would normally throw away such as potato skins.

Lessons learnt and top tips

Essential to train your staff on all aspects of the school food standards
Work with your local suppliers
Listen to the children as their suggestions are really insightful
Be open to suggestions
Need have flexibility to change menus
Being involved in different food focus groups, such as TastEd Lincolnshire Food Partnership and Food for Life

A final word from Michael

I always look forward to the children coming up to the hotplate with enthusiasm and excitement and their willingness to try the different options we have available. It is also great to see how the school’s Food Education lessons have such a positive impact on the children’s willingness to expand their palates and try different vegetables that they may not be exposed to at home.

It was a honour to set our kitchen up as a community resource during the pandemic lockdowns where we were provided over 60+ roast dinners to the self-isolating over 70s I the three neighbouring villages. These were delivered by volunteers and ensured tat the older residents did not only get a healthy meal but also much needed social interaction. It was humbling to be awarded the Community Award from High Sheriff from Lincolnshire for my work in this project.

Supplying Blackpool schools fruit and veg from Ribble Farm Fare

Wed, 11 May 2022 09:21:39 GMT

How a family run company supplies hundreds of schools in Blackpool with fresh fruit and vegetables.

About Ribble Farm Fare

We’re a family run company that is 60 years old, with 200 staff, and 70 refrigerated vehicles. We provide Blackpool with fresh vegetables and fruit, and supply before school clubs as well.

Most of the vegetables we supply are UK vegetables, although fruit is imported at this time of year (early spring). We have potatoes and carrots all year round locally within the county. During summer all the salad products, iceberg lettuce and tomatoes, etc. are from the county.

How do you supply Blackpool council?

We supply approximately 600-700 local schools, some of these come through the Council procurement, some of them have opted to manage their own procurement with Foodservice Options. We were already supplying the area, when we were approached directly by the council, as they were having problems with previous incumbents. We were invited to tender and won the contract.

We distribute directly to the schools, but sometimes through Trevors , if this is what the council prefer. Blackpool Council are great to work with. There is good communication and we have built a close relationship with procurement.

What would you say to other suppliers interested in supplying schools?

My advice is that you need to have due diligence in place and the accreditation required to enter the tender process, such as BRC or SDS. If you have these, people will know you are reputable without the need for further checking, which takes time and effort on their part.

Trevors Food Service - a supplier's perspective for Blackpool Council

Wed, 11 May 2022 09:08:56 GMT

Trevors Food Service is the largest wholesaler in Blackpool who supplies Blackpool council.

About Trevors Food Service

We’re a family run food service wholesaler that started originally as a supermarket offering service to hospitality. We are currently the largest wholesaler in Blackpool, with 16 multi-temperature vehicles. We get our meat from local butchers Choice Meats (Blackpool-based) and another one in Lancashire, who both get animals from Manchester and Lancashire. Our fruit and veg are sourced from Ribble Farm Fare , who supplies a range far longer than I would like to read out! They also let us know where they are sourcing it from, and you can ask for the provenance on request. Additionally, we have a variety of local cheeses we can offer, such as Lancashire Blue.

How do you supply Blackpool council?

We work very closely with them, and there’s a strong mutual understanding. We supply 34 local schools, which are all within 5 miles of our depot. During the height of the pandemic we set up an emergency outlet, distributing just over 500,000 meals and within 2 days’ time we had 18 palettes of food ingredients (long-shelf life) going out to a central hub for the council to send out to the less fortunate. Blackpool is one of the most deprived areas in the country, and the council was sending out nutritional hamper packs. That’s the kind of speed of response you can only really get from working with local suppliers like us. The fact we can offer flexibility on deliveries due to being local is one of the reasons we have won the tender for the council contract, when it comes up each time.

Blackpool Council also support us as a business. We know their procurement officers well and they point us in the direction of new opportunities to supply as they come up within the council. Blackpool Council is a fantastic partner for us and we hope to continue with them for many years.

What would you say to other suppliers interested in supplying schools?

You have to start from the bottom up and work with the community. It is important to work with the people of your home town and build a reputation of looking after your own. Social values are very important too. They are looking at what you give back to your own community. It’s also helpful to build a reputation with the private sector first. We were the first supermarket in Blackpool so we already had a strong local reputation and we’re locals ourselves. The office next to me is my aunty and the office behind is my dad – we are family owned and run, and that sets us apart, which the council takes into account. It is a service we provide that the national providers can’t – they know that in the worst case scenario I’ll be coming to them with stock in my car!

The importance of British Food Fortnight 2022 for schools

Mon, 09 May 2022 12:01:39 GMT

Jeanette Orrey MBE explains why British Food Fortnight 2022 is so important for schools up and down the country:

British Food Fortnight begins on September 17 ^th until October 2 ^nd 2022, last year over 1 million children were fed at school, fresh local food from farmers and producers across the four nations this year we want to make another record.

Schools and Caterers all across the Country will be receiving information about this year’s event and the Love British Food Schools working group would love for as many schools as possible to take part.

Many years ago now when I first started changing the food and how we purchased that food in our smallish school (over 200 children) I found I had to get in my car and go and talk to the farmers and producers explaining what my idea was some thought it was a good idea, some thought who was this mad women, but eventually it did take off and now thanks to those farmers and producers, campaigners, Food for Life, School meals caterers many schools are using fresh, local food to make school meals from scratch but we need more to join us.

Children and families are now more reliant on school meals than ever before.

We now more than ever need to support our farmers and producers across the Country, we need to support our school meals service and importantly we need to feed our children and what better way than using seasonal, fresh, local food that we have here in this beautiful Country of ours.

What better way to showcase what the schools meals service catering teams do every day than supporting Love British Food not only during British Food Fortnight but throughout the year.

We look forward to hearing about your fantastic ideas and stories.

Stockport NHSFT's passion for local sourcing

Sat, 07 May 2022 14:22:39 GMT

Here is how Stockport NHSFT sources local - support patients, staff, visitors and local farmers/producers

My name is Duncan O`Neill and I`m the Catering lead for Stockport NHSFT.

I have worked in the NHS for 37 years originally starting as an apprentice chef and subsequently working my way through the various departmental positions to my current post.

I have previous experience working via agencies in commercial restaurant and hotel establishments which added to my skills and knowledge.

We are a 700 bedded acute site which covers a full range of patients including Maternity, Mental Health, Surgical, Medical and a Specialist Stroke Unit and ED. We prepare and serve around 2100 meals per day for patients with an additional 700 hot meals and snacks for staff.

We operate a cook serve operation with the vast majority of our patients (550) receiving their meal on an individual tray the remainder are served from a hot bulk trolley on the respective ward the operation is fast paced challenging but also very rewarding.

In September 2020 via social media we here in Stockport became aware of the British Food Fortnight event in September and reached out to our suppliers to establish provenance of products they supply stating they must be British grown produced goods.

Based upon this information we created a 3 course menu using British sourced ingredients:

Cauliflower and chive soup
Beef Wellington
Seasonal Vegetable Risotto with fresh garden herbs
Heritage Carrots
Parsnip Puree
Raspberry/ Vanilla Panacotta

The event was promoted via our twitter feed and social media accounts and created a good news story for the department raised our profile and showcased what we could do.

As a result of the success of 2020 we took part again in 2021 using the same criteria British products sourced from our suppliers and came up with another 3 course menu:

Curried Parsnip Soup
Lancashire Hot Pot
Red Cabbage, Cauliflower Cheese
Roast Herb Potatoes
Chilled Plum Crumble

One again this achieved widespread recognition around the site and local press raising our profile and once again showcasing the staff and service in a positive light.

The staff really enjoy taking part in the concept and producing different dishes this also triggers a wider conversation in the department around menu composition and change which is really productive.

We plan to make 2022 bigger and better than previous years by having two different days of British themed menus rather than the one day in previous years.

Recent world events have put increasing pressure on international supply chains and has brought into sharp focus the need to support and purchase from British growers and producers to ensure the continuity of good quality produce.

We here at Stockport NHS Foundation Trust feel strongly about purchasing and supporting our Farmers and growers going forward and ensuring as much of the food we can purchase is British.

Sheffield Teaching Hospitals Case Study

Thu, 05 May 2022 15:36:38 GMT

Sheffield Teaching Hospitals (STH) comprises 5 adult acute hospitals and a full range of community services in Sheffield. STH is one of the largest employers in the region with around 18000 staff.

The Catering Department, managed by a team of dedicated professionals is responsible for providing safe, nutritious and healthy meals to all patients, staff and visitors in line with public health requirements.

We do this through operation of our main cook chill production facility (CPU) which produces in excess of 38,000 meals weekly and is based on site at Northern General Hospital, supported by a number of finishing kitchens, ward meal regeneration, Trust operated dining rooms and coffee shops.

STH Catering has been consistently accredited to the Soil Association Food For Life Served Here (FFLSH) Bronze Standard since 2015 for the provision of patient meals and main meals in dining rooms. Based on their principles, 76% of the patient menu in 2020 was freshly produced. Meals produced are made using fresh, local and UK sourced ingredients where possible.

The following examples illustrate our commitment to the key principles of the FFLSH standard and the ‘Love British Food’ campaign, which bring multiple benefits to the local community and UK economy as a whole, whilst building on the quality and sustainability of services provided.

Animal welfare and food provenance

STH spends in excess of £500,000 annually on meat which carries the Red Tractor and Farm Assured standards. British welfare standards are some of the highest, preventing certain adverse practices in livestock farming which is still legal elsewhere. This means a high quality of meat is used in our recipes.

Savoury Minced Beef with Homemade Cheese Cobbler, a popular choice on our patient and retail menu includes British beef and Henderson’s Relish made in Sheffield.

Local supply and local suppliers

All beef, chicken, gammon, turkey, pork and lamb used in our recipes are sourced from J W Young based in Sheffield who has supplied STH for over 25 years. Prior to obtaining FFLSH the price of product was a key consideration in choosing components of a menu and meat in many cases was not UK sourced.

STH has been working in partnership with JW Young for 7 years to provide regional and UK sourced meat and there is a noticeable positive difference in the quality and flavour of meat used. Whilst UK farm assured sourced meat is more expensive than none-UK sourced, we have observed less wastage since choosing British due to improvements in the yield within dishes.

Catering for a large population such as a hospital has become an opportunity to source British products from nearby suppliers. This supports the local economy, reduces food miles and allows for quicker response times to delivery. Building relationships with small scale suppliers is a key step, ensuring that the supplier feels valued. They should recognise and be recognised for supporting the feeding of patients, staff and visitors in their local hospitals. Taking the time to source nearby products can also be beneficial during uncertain times of food supply, when food producers often rely heavily on imported goods from abroad. It is likely that the availability and supply of food is more assured when sourcing products nearby.

Mike Maloney's Country Butchers & Bakers in Newark is located about 30 miles from the CPU. They supply Red Tractor Assured pork pies, sausage rolls and scotch eggs to the hospital, which are offered to patients as nourishing snacks. Traditional products like these are likely to be produced to the best standards by suppliers in Britain. Maloney’s source their pork from nearby farms in Doncaster, Wolverhampton and Chesterfield. Both the flour and butter used in the pastry products are also UK sourced.

Brook Bakery, located just 2 miles from the CPU, bake fresh pre-packed goods for the dining rooms and café bars. Staff and visitors are offered a variety of sweet treats, such as teacakes, scones and lemon drizzle cake. Dining rooms also offer freshly prepared deli style sandwiches, made using Brook Bakery products.

Supporting established food producers from the local area such as Maloney’s and Brook Bakery also increases the awareness of brands which consumers at STH may have not known are on their doorstep. This further contributes to the local economy and supports the community.

Seasonality

At STH a 2 week rotating patient menu is designed twice a year, for Autumn/Winter and Spring/Summer. Developing new menus with the seasons allows for seasonal produce to be used in the recipes. This is when the product is at its finest quality, availability and price. The Spring/Summer 2022 menus feature Moroccan Lamb Tagine, utilising British spring lamb, and Courgette & Potato Frittata, when courgettes are at their optimum taste and texture in the Summer.

Eggs from free range hens

All eggs used to make the Courgette & Potato Frittata described above and all other egg based dishes featured on our menus are British Free Range.

Patient Satisfaction

Patient satisfaction rate has increased year on year after obtaining the Soil Association award in 2015. Over a 3 year period the patient satisfaction rate increased by 5%. Swapping to more British products is likely to have been a contributing factor to this increase. Analysing the views of the consumers after significant changes to the catering production can be a useful tool, such as when moving to more British products. Surveys and questionnaires form a key part of the quality agenda at STH. Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, limited exposure on wards has resulted in difficulties carrying out surveys with patients over the last 2 years. A key quality objective for STH Catering department is to re-establish surveys and questionnaires.

‘Great Food, Good Health’

From a dietetic point of view, including British produce in the production of hospital meals and showcasing it on menus for patients, staff and visitors is beneficial in multiple ways. Featuring seasonal British produce on menus can be an educational tool for consumers about what to purchase when, whether from supermarkets or farm shops. The vitamin and mineral content of certain foods, such as vitamin C in fruit and vegetables, can degrade over time. If food has not had to travel as far, it is likely to be consumed quicker, and therefore the micronutrient content will be better. Lastly, the food offered in hospitals should provide ideas and inspiration to patients, staff and visitors on how to have a healthy, balanced diet. British products such as milk, meat, fruit and vegetables, are all quality products which are recommended as part of the Eatwell Guide.

Public health campaigns like consuming less but better quality meat means that recipes have been adapted by the Food Production Manager and Head Chef, to reduce the proportion of meat and increase the vegetable content. An example of this is the Butternut Squash and Chicken Curry available on our Spring/Summer menus.

Future Planning

STH are constantly striving to improve the provision of healthy, sustainable meals using British produce. Work has started on upgrading the plant based options for the patient and retail menus, which will include plant based products from Wiltshire based supplier Devils Kitchen. A game pilot is also underway, which will feature lean, high protein meat such as venison from England and Scotland.

Lessons from The City of Edinburgh Council on sourcing local produce in schools

Sat, 30 Apr 2022 10:42:41 GMT

Julie Donaldson, Menu Analyst and a member of the Love British Schools Working Group

Responsibilities

I am the menu analyst for both the primary and secondary school menus across the city to ensure that they meet the Food and Drink in Schools (Scotland) Regulations 2020 Act standards. My duties include menu planning, special diets, the online parent booking system, web publication of the menus, food safety, as well as some business support. We hold the Food for Life Bronze award in all our schools and work with the Early Years settings on the ‘Setting the Table’ model.

How many schools do you provide catering services for?

We provide over 22000 meals every day across 97 schools in the city. This is made up of 77 primary schools, 8 special schools and 12 high schools. As well as this, we provide lunches to 95 Early Years settings, of which 6 are Forest Kindergartens. We also have 2 commercial buildings and provide lunches to some lunch clubs across the city.

Facilities

We don’t have any central production kitchens in Edinburgh however, this is something we are exploring as this will ease the pressure from some of the larger/high numbered production kitchens who can on a busy day, transport out over 500 meals.

Of the 77 primary schools, 41 of them are production kitchens with full facilities on site with the remaining 36 being dining centres which have their lunches transported in from one of the production kitchens daily. All Early Years meals, including the 6 Forest Kindergartens are also transported in from a production kitchen which as you can imagine, can have some logistical difficulties.

Edinburgh is a very large, busy and difficult city to drive around. To try and help minimise the transportation time between a production kitchen and dining centre and/or early years settings, the catering department is divided in to 4 different localities. Over the last 5 years we have invested in new technology to aid the quality and freshness of these meals.

Farming hinterland and availability of local produce

We try to use local produce where possible. Our fruit and veg suppliers, George Anderson’s and Sons are very local to us and delivered to us from their farm and distribution centre in East Lothian. Throughout the Veg Power campaign we worked closely with Andersons and seen an increase of 11% in consumption of veg over the 5-week program. We use Campbells as our fresh meat supplier who are based in Linlithgow, and we use milk from Muller whose distribution centre is located in Mid Lothian, and we only use Scottish milk. We use a local baker, breadwinner who is just 10 miles from every school.

When we must source products nationally or through our main distributors, we ensure all red meat is QMS (Quality Assured Scotland), all our meat and poultry is British (Red Tractor) and our fish is MSC certified.

How long have the local supply chains been a priority?

Local supply chain has been a priority for many years, and we work closely with out procurement department to try and incorporate as many local supply chains as possible. We worked with the larger national suppliers to provide the “wheels” for some smaller suppliers who may have difficulties distributing.

Logistics and distributions

We don’t tend to have any problems getting food delivered to our schools by our main distributors. For the delivery of school meals, we work closely with a transportation company who collects the meals from the production kitchen and distributes them to the dining centres and Early Years settings. Traffic, roadworks and just navigating through Edinburgh in general can be difficult to say the least, but the meals are delivered in plenty of time. The Forest Kindergartens can throw up some curve balls as they tend to be off grid but working closely with our transportation company has made this a relatively easy process to deliver.

Budget per head

Due to the challenging economic times we are facing, there huge are fluctuations in the cost of raw ingredients. This makes it challenging to give a detailed cost per head. Our menu is balanced over a 4-week period. There are some days which are cost effective, but this is balanced out by days where a more expensive provision is offered.

Lessons learned and top tips

Good working relationship with your suppliers

Working closely with our suppliers and staying in regular contact with them has helped to minimise stock shortages and to organise substitute products at very short notice throughout the covid pandemic, allowing us to still safely deliver over 20000 meals per day.

We also try and visit local suppliers regularly and promote opportunities for our staff to visit distribution centres, farms etc.

Maintain good communication with your staff

We have and continue to have a great communication stream with our staff. Keeping them in the loop on all covid related guidance as well as the availability of stocks has helped keep the service moving and minimised any disruption.

Supplying Blackpool Council - A Baker’s Perspective

Sat, 30 Apr 2022 09:52:30 GMT

Morris Quality Bakers is a supplier to Blackpool County Council

Tell me about what you do?

Morris Quality Bakers are a family owned and run business that supplied fresh bread and morning goods to a wide variety of customers in the North West, Cumbria & West Yorkshire areas using owned vehicles and all employed staff. Our bakery is accredited to BRC level “A grade” for quality, compliance and hygiene. We are a one stop shop for customers to have products supplied to them and we have about 200 difference products on offer. A customer can have the choice of our entire selection of products or have a tailored selection of items that all their individual premises can select from in order to control cost, menu compliance, allergens etc. Our bakery has dedicated account managers that personally manage, communicate and report on matters to customers as well as having face to face meetings as and when required.

How do you supply Blackpool council?

Our bakery makes deliveries to Blackpool Council schools and breakfast clubs on a daily basis using multiple vehicles that start early in the morning to make deliveries in order that customers have their bread and morning goods in time for the start of the school day. Making fresh deliveries this way ensures the customer has the freshest of product as early in the day for their needs as possible. Blackpool Council schools place their orders directly with our bakery giving the required time needed to manufacture and buy in the correct products ordered.

What would you say to other suppliers interested in supplying schools?

First and foremost, food compliant food needs to be supplied to schools. Aside from this schools require a flexible, reliable and supportive supplier of food who is open to ideas and working closely to provide the right food for school needs.

Lessons from Devon - driving excellence in school meals

Tue, 15 Mar 2022 10:22:10 GMT

Sam Ward has worked in school catering since 2006 and is recognised as a leader in providing quality school meals sourced from local suppliers. She is passionate about sourcing British food and has many tips to share. She is a member of the Love British Food Schools Working Group.

Sam holds a BSc (hons) in Hotel, Catering and Institutional Management and has worked for over 15 years in educational catering. During this time, Sam also freelanced with Focus on Food giving practical advice and support on implementing food education in the primary curriculum. Following an early career in hotel and events catering Sam entered the school food industry in 2006, initially taking on the challenge of moving Collaton St Mary Primary Schools meals service in house. Sam also supported other schools locally on a consultancy basis taking their school meal provision.

Tell us about your role & achievements?

I started at Collaton St Mary Primary school in 2006 as a kitchen manager, and now I am part of the Central Services Team for the Academies for Character and Excellence (ACE). I manage the catering service across ACE and currently oversee 5 in-house provisions, a transported service and 1 external contract. Life is never dull! ACE is a growing Trust, which will compromise of 8 schools in April.

It is extremely exciting that all schools within the Trust are enrolled onto the Food For Life Programme and working towards the next stage in their Food for Life journey.

I am passionate about school food, feeding our pupils well, food education and community partnerships. I love the diversity of my role, both the challenges and achievements it brings; whether it be setting strategic direction, supporting food lessons or working on community projects.

I was a proud member of Jeanette Orrey's national Food for Life Cooks Network and some of my achievements include:

Food for Life Gold Award- First Gold School in the South West
Taste of the West Award – best local school food – championing local food – several years running
Devon Life – School cook of the year
Educatering of Excellence – In-house Primary caterer of the year
HITS – Health in Torbay schools award
BBC Food and Farming finalist
Elected to represent the school food industry cooking in the houses of parliament during national school meals week with LACA
Won the Food For Life Peter Melchett Award at Totnes St Johns Primary for excellence in the whole school approach.

School Meal Excellence

At ACE we recognise that our schools are on the frontline of efforts to improve childhood nutrition and our collective health. Improving the meals that our pupils eat in schools is an important step to achieve that goal.

We pride ourselves on a high-quality in-house catering provision working closely with local suppliers to ensure we use as much local, seasonal, British and organic produce where we can. We see this as an important investment in our children and their future health and well-being.

Our meal costs on average £1.10, but with rising food prices, services and staff costs the government do need to look at and increase the UIFSM amount to schools.

Our talented ACE Catering teams work together to achieve positive outcomes for our pupils and collaborate with their local communities. Through improving school meals, we are not only providing important nutritional assistance, but are also helping pupils to be better equipped to feed their minds.

Is sustainability important?

We are making positive steps to manage energy, water and waste. Through the Trusts sustainable catering charter we are actively increasing local and seasonal produce.

The launch of our ‘planet plate meals’ went down really well with pupils and families. I worked closely with our local butcher MC Kelly to produce a ‘planet plate mix’ where we use local meat from local ‘Farm Wilder’ farms which have higher welfare standards and farm regeneratively to improve biodiversity and the environment. We reduce the meat content in favour of quality plant protein and pulses. In doing this we help combat climate change by reducing carbon emissions and global warming. They are tasty too!

My aspirational aim is to transform school food culture across the academies for Character and Excellence by becoming a nationally recognised sustainable school catering service. We would achieve this by offering fresh, tasty, healthy meals prepared by exceptional teams. We will also add value to our schools through operating community projects, teaching practical life skills thereby creating healthy communities.

Why did you agree to sit on the new Love British Food Schools Working Group?

I am thrilled to be a part of this group as I passionately support our local British Farming industry and local producers and suppliers. All our in-house school kitchens across the Academies for Character and Excellence enjoy preparing tasty school meals using British, local and seasonal produce. Higher welfare standards, quality assurances, less food miles and supporting our local economy are some of the reasons we are proud to #BuyBritish. It is important to us as a catering service and an important part of our sustainable school meals food charter.

As an educational Trust, we align ourselves with the ethos of 'Love British Food'. We want our pupils to believe they can make a positive difference to themselves and others. We educate our pupils about where their food comes from, the importance of buying and cooking seasonally and locally. We endeavour to reconnect them with their environment and nature through regular farm visits.

Collaboration and partnerships

Collaboration and Partnerships are important to us, and I am passionate about championing local producers across the South West. A key part of this is working together and communicating regularly so my suppliers understand our needs and we work together to get the price and product right.

More recently, I have had conversations with The South West Food Hub –this is an organisation supporting the region’s food network to buy and sell locally, establishing shorter and more sustainable supply chains.

Devon has such a wealth of amazing producers due to its lush farming grasslands, moorland and coastal waters. Aside from tasting better, using local produce is better for the environment as it cuts down on our food miles - so everyone is a winner!

LOCAL IS BEST – highlighting suppliers

Savona Southwest - Savona Foodservice Southwest is based in Ilfracombe North Devon

They aspire to procure as much regional produce as possible to offer our customers locally supported ranges with our carbon footprint always at the forefront of our minds. They are members of the Soil Association and are regularly audited to ensure product integrity and they offer a wide range of locally sourced organic produce.

McKelly – based in Crediton

M C Kelly Ltd have worked with ACE to develop the planet plate mix. It is an ongoing opportunity to understand the direction school food is going in.

“ACE, I believe are ahead of the curve with healthy school meals and we have learnt a lot during this collaboration. We embrace the concept of “less and better” with meat. Children; in the main; love meat and using the flavour of top-quality regenerative meats to carry the vegetable element of these dishes is a great way to promote genuinely healthy balanced diets and respecting the meats we supply.”

Andy Gray – Director, MCKelly ltd, Crediton, Devon

Total Produce – based in Devon

Total Produce believe in supporting local farmers and using as much local produce as possible when available.

“We are in regular communications with Sam and her team, ensuring we highlight produce that is seasonal, local and British. It is important with us that we work with schools in this way as appreciate budgets are tight”.

Justin Yeates – Branch Manager Total Produce Devon

Brixham Seafish

Brixham Seafish totally believe in supporting the local community and using what they can from the local fishing fleet.

“We are pleased Sam and her team are committed to use local fish. At Brixham Seafish we have recently been given MSC approval and the local Hake fishing boats are also MSC accredited therefore when buying from these boats we are ensuring a conscious effort is being made.”

Josh Perkes – Director Brixham Seafish

Sam’s Top Tips

Work actively with suppliers and ask what produce they sell that is local, seasonal and British. Often local or seasonal is cheaper!

Add wording ‘local seasonal veg’ to menus so your kitchen managers have the autonomy to liaise with their veg supplier.

Engaging pupils and parents is key – ensure you let them know where the food comes from, what local produce you are using and be proud of it!

Provide taster tables for pupils so they can try things first – we did this with our planet plate meals and even got the children involved in making dishes!

Create a fun themed yearly food calender so pupils look forward to themes and can learn at the same time. This helps pupils to expand palates, encourage new flavours and try new foods.

Draw up a sustainable charter so you make a point of encouraging less waste. Constantly think of clever ways to re-use ingredients.

Treat lunchtime as another lesson in the school day - label and name seasonal veg on display.

Engage with your growing club or teachers to ensure that your school-grown produce finds its way to the kitchen! I love the joy on pupils’ faces when they see what they have grown!

How ACE helped Devon schools take part in British Food Fortnight 2022

ACE British Food Fortnight Recipe Book

Delivering school food by drones - everything is possible in Argyll and Bute!

Fri, 11 Mar 2022 14:06:41 GMT

Argyll and Bute is at the forefront of putting local food on school menus and no challenge is too great. Here, Christine Boyle, Catering Officer and member of the Love British Food Schools Working Group, explains how they achieve it.

Responsibilities

I am the Catering and Cleaning Officer but I concentrate mostly on catering. My main duties are food safety, procurement of food and equipment, menu planning, sourcing ingredients, special diets and anything else in relation to the catering provision that comes up. The menu planning process takes so much into account, as well as the nutritional guidelines we have to consider special diets, Food for Life compliance which we are part of, Early Years setting the table guidance and of course cost. Menu planning is much more difficult than when I started 13 years ago. Special diets have a huge impact on our menu planning.

I absolutely love my job. It is what has kept me in Scotland!

How many schools do you provide catering services for

80 schools in Argyll and Bute. Some schools only have 2 – 3 pupils! We want to make sure that all the schools get the same service and quality. 35% of our schools are 30 and under. It can be difficult to ensure all settings are getting the same service, as supplies can sometimes be an issue for the smaller settings. It is a logistical challenge.

Facilities

We do not have a central kitchen but we are looking into having one. We have just completed a pilot of cook-freeze, with food being prepared in Park Primary in Oban, frozen and delivered to one of our smaller island schools on a weekly basis. We are hoping to role this out further to help ensure all schools are getting the same high quality meals. The plan is to use Park Primary as a central production kitchen.

We have 15 dining centres where hot food is delivered from a nearby larger school.

In addition, because of our location and logistics one of the things we do really well is how we work with other public owned facilities. e.g. On the island of Bute, we work with Thomson’s Court Care Home, a local authority care home, and they provide the food for the Partner provider Early Years settings on the island. It is great for Thomson’s too as it gives them an income. We also do this in Campbeltown where the local hospital provides Early Years meals to Partner Provider settings in the area.. And it is great for the hospital as it keeps the production kitchen going and an income. We always think out of the box!

Farming hinterland and availability of local produce

Local purchasing logistics and distribution from local producers is a big issue. We tend to look at a local area or an island, for e.g. the island of Bute and Isla where we buy our milk and beef on the islands. We don’t always manage to buy locally and sometimes have to work off national contracts. We used to buy Cambeltown cheese and delivered it to all schools but sadly that dairy has closed; it was a great income stream for them while it lasted.

Our main fruit and veg supplier is Breckenridge and they do a lot of local purchasing themselves and work with us to ensure there are promotions on items they have available.

We are restricted with our nutritional guidelines but we do as much as we can to support local. The nutritional guidelines mean that the menu is what it is and so we can’t always make changes to it. If I change something on the menu, I need to analyse its impact. We have to measure our menus daily, for example the energy value, so any small change can affect that so menu changes are not always simple to do.

When we source nationally, we absolutely prioritise British and ideally Scottish. e.g. All our red meat is assured Quality Meat Scotland. All our meat and poultry is British. But there are huge supply issues with chicken at the moment in the UK so we have to source through Brakes or Campbell Prime Meats and a small contract with Campbell’s Brothers.

How long have local supply chains been a priority?

I started in 2009 and there was a pilot on the island of Bute that had been running a couple of years. At the time all the other schools were under national contracts. There was a push from the schools and a local food group that encouraged us to source local across all our schools. I remember there was a supplier who brought a cow to a school to talk through the different cuts of meat!

In 2013 – 14, we did a lot of work to bring in more local supplies from the main islands. The main issue we faced was logistics and distribution. There is a little bit of work going on at the moment who will focus on helping local producers get into their local schools. This is in the early stages.

Logistics and distribution

There have been occasions where we have used a postman to deliver! But we now put different solutions in place to make sure the chill chain is protected. We have had weird and wonderful ways in the past! Brakes Bros. use a local distributor as a sub-contractor for the delivery of goods to many of our schools, so this is something we will be able to take advantage of as we look to procure more local produce and also to help us with the delivery of our Cook-freeze meals to the smaller schools and islands.

Budget per head

Cost per head between different schools is like night and day because of where some of our schools are. We are now trying to find solutions that we can work with local distributors to get meals to some of the far away islands. We want to provide the best possible service to all our pupils not just the ones on the mainland.

What have you achieved?

The ability to keep producing the meals and to give the service we are giving across such a variety of schools. We manage to put quality food on a plate for all the pupils even if there are logistical challenges. This is so satisfying.

Currently I am involved in a project looking at how to deliver school meals to schools on remote islands that have no service at the moment. We are looking at using a drone! We are piloting it in June to see if the drone can take the weight and ensure the temperature can be managed. During the pandemic, drones were used to deliver medical supplies to the island of Mull and this was the inspiration.

With universal school meals we need to find a solution so that every child gets a school meal.

Lessons learnt and top tips

Use your colleagues in other Local Authorities. Mingle! The ability to lift the phone and talk to other caterers about ideas and issues we may have and solutions. We work so closely with other Local Authorities. Make sure you touch base with colleagues in other authorities to get their knowledge, pick their brains. I would not be where I am and know what I know if I had not taken advantage of that.

In Scotland we are so good at sharing ideas between Local Authorities. We are really good at this. We have group emails for the menu planners in every authority and we regularly send round emails to others asking for advice, particularly on special needs menus or changes to service. The whole of Scotland is developing a recipe book at the moment so that everyone can share recipes that are compliant with the new guidelines. Collaborative working is the way forward. We will be able to amend the order codes on it so each LA can make it individual to their own schools.

Don’t take things to heart. W e do a difficult job and there have been times when you just have to sit back and not take things personally.

Think outside the box with your suppliers: T hink of a solution that means you can use their product and get it to where you need to get it to. Work with other areas of your LA, your procurement team, to find a solution. Sometimes we find a solution to something that is a bit out of the box but our procurement team allow us to implement it and then they put a neat box around it afterwards so that it is within the rules.

Why is Scotland so much better at this than other areas of the UK?

ASSIST being the overall group is brilliant at keeping everyone together. Most schools in Scotland have in house catering facilities run by a Catering Department within the Local Authority. The schools are managed by this department and have to follow the approved menus and stick to the purchasing that have been provided. So we have that control, but we are also a centre point of support and information and support our schools to ensure compliance. In Scotland we have 32 LAs and the majority of our schools are run by these. Within the 32 LA are the central Catering Team, and as I explained, we all speak to one another and support each other with the challenges that go along with providing a school meal service. In England, it’s different. Individual schools catering is not all is run by the LA. There are a lot of private providers in England. In England, within the LAs you also have the contracted out catering which is different.

Tips for Cider & Food Matching

Tue, 08 Mar 2022 15:00:01 GMT

Jane Peyton is Love British Food’s drinks ambassador. She is the UK’s first accredited cider sommelier, and founder of the School of Booze. Jane’s online courses for cider, beer, and wine knowledge offer excellent introductory education.

When I suggest to people that cider matches well with food many often agree that apples and pork complement each other but then ask what other foods to consider. My answer is that with wine we do not muse about what food goes with grapes and it is the same with cider and apples. Think instead about the acidity, tannins, sweetness and texture of the cider, the way we use those same properties to choose a wine to go with our meal. Cider is a versatile drink that comes in a number of iterations such as single varieties, blends, still, sparkling, tannic, acidic, dry, sweet, and ultra-sweet. There is a proviso though, when choosing a cider to match successfully with food, the ones made from freshly pressed apple juice, rather than the mainstream brands made from concentrate with added sweeteners, and other additives because the latter do not have the necessary tools for a really sublime match.

Tannins are compounds derived from plant material that add structure and texture to cider. They register in the mouth as dryness. Think of the drying nature of a cup of black tea – that is caused by tannins. Tannins have a very useful ability to attract fats and proteins in food. This means that tannins help to cut through the texture of dense and/or fatty food and refresh the mouth. Cider made from cider apples will contains higher levels tannins, whereas cider made from eating or cooking apples will have lower amounts of tannins, and instead acidity will be dominant. Acidity cuts through texture and the richness of food, and balances flavours. It also cleanses the palate. Sweetness acts as a contrast to savoury and salty food, calms down spiciness, and complements desserts. Carbonation is very useful too as it clears the palate and cuts through the texture and richness of food, making the mouth ready for another morsel.

Here are some guidelines on cider and food matching. The mantra is:

Co-ordinate: Think about the texture and density of food and match the cider accordingly, for instance, lighter foods with a light bodied cider.

Cut: Choose cider with either tannins and acidity, or both, to cut through texture, flavour, richness, and fattiness.

Complement: Cider that complements the flavours of the food. For instance, savoury cider with an umami rich cheese.

Contrast: Choose a cider that is a complete contrast to the food. For example, sweet cider with salty food such as anchovy.

Matching Tips

Match flavour intensity - delicate cider with delicate food, big cider with big foods.

Consider the texture of the food when choosing the cider - light texture such as sushi with lighter bodied ciders, the more solid the food, such as game, the bigger the body the more tannins are required.

Match the cider with the main part of the dish rather than the accompaniments unless it is a dish where sauce is a major component, in which case think about the flavours and intensity of the sauce.

Alcohol is a flavour enhancer so higher ABV ciders will intensify flavours in the food and can make them unbalanced. Avoid high alcohol ciders with spicy food.

Salty foods can make cider taste bitter and can take away the fruitiness. Salt clashes with tannins but works well with acidity.

Bitter foods – avoid tannic cider, it will increase the bitterness of the food.

Spicy foods – avoid tannic cider as the tannins are bitter and bitterness increases spiciness.

Acidic foods – pair with an acidic cider. If the cider is less acidic than the food then the cider will taste bland.

Sweet foods – the cider should be sweeter than the food otherwise the cider will taste bitter.

Cider goes equally well with fine or casual dining. And one further thing to consider for the dining table. No pint glasses. Ever. Nature did not grow those exquisite apples only for the cider to be served in the equivalent of a bucket. Wassail!

Game on hospital menus

Fri, 04 Mar 2022 15:11:35 GMT

There is a newcomer on hospital menus. British game. Pheasant, partridge and venison are being snapped up by hospital caterers as a nutritious and affordable addition to patient meals.

How did this project come about?

It originally started prior to the pandemic, and for obvious reasons was put on the back burner.

The British Game Alliance has brought Assurance to British Feathered Game. We have been working with various organisations to promote this healthy, sustainable, protein, and the NHS was a natural fit.

How many hospitals now have Game on their menu?

There are 5 hospitals that are currently preparing to trial game and their menus will be up and running in a couple of weeks.

Sheffield Teaching Hospital

Ashford and St Peters

Northern Care Alliance

Royal Free Hospital

Stockport NHS Foundation Trust

Darlington Memorial Hospital

Why is game a great meat for patients?

Game meat is sustainable and compared to the equivalent other meats, nutritionally better, higher in selenium, also in tests, was easy for Dysphagia patients.

What has been the reaction from hospital catering managers and patients?

There has been a positive and ambitious response to integrate on to staff and patient menus.

When is the game season?

The season starts 1st September, and concludes on 31st January, however game is available all year round.

How do you manage the supply chain?

Our Assurance scheme covers game farms that produce the Eggs and Poults, shoots which are audited. We work with chosen Game dealers to maintain around the country.

What plans for the future?

To continue developing the public's knowledge of the benefits of British Assured Game, continue to develop a range of recipes and products that show the benefits of BGA Assured game. working with organisations such as the NHS and Ministry of Defence.

How much you can achieve when you have the support of the Head Teacher

Fri, 04 Mar 2022 14:55:29 GMT

Victoria Buob-Aldorf was Head Chef at Bartholomew School from Sept 2020 to Feb 2022. She was the joint winner of Love British Food's competition in 2021.

I was Head Chef at Bartholomew school in Eynsham in Oxfordshire from September 2020 to February 2022, working for the wonderful Head Teacher Mr C Thomas.

Bartholomew school is an Eynsham Academy Partnership School. There are 1300 pupils. Let me tell you what I achieved during my time there and how.

Catering facilities

The school has a large welcoming food hall that leads to the kitchen. There are two service counters where we operate a two-way service counter for our unique hot main focusing on seasonal British, well cooked, nutritious food, paired with an interesting snack option. The kitchen is quite well equipped but with growing student numbers the equipment will need to be looked at soon.

As well as a hot main meal, we offer the pupils fresh daily made sandwiches, wraps, baguettes, rolls, and a super selection of salad boxes, fresh fruit pots which have become increasingly popular in my time as Head Chef at the school.

I have been able to write my own menus weekly, allowing creativity and seasonality.

Here are some menu examples:

British classics: British Beef three ways, Roast British beef, Cottage Pie with Root Mash topping, Beef Casserole with Smoked Mash, Seasonal British Veg, Leek & Cheddar Pie.

Street food style:

Chilli loaded Hot Dogs

Seasonal Spicy Slaw (celeriac, white/red cabbage, carrot, savoy cabbage, beetroot)

Homemade British potato paprika wedges.

Middle eastern style preserved lemon Chicken Tagine

British Beef Kofta

Cauliflower Shawarma (showcasing British Cauliflower)

Couscous

Homemade falafel

Baba Ganoush

Hummus

British white cabbage, pomegranate, sumac salad

Budget per head

The hot main course is sold at £2.50

Some of the suppliers I have loved working with

My greatest locally sourced product is R-Oil a completely amazing natural extra virgin cold pressed rapeseed oil. Naturally grown on the farm in the Cotswolds. Tasty and versatile with a lovely amber colour, light nutty flavour it tastes great.

R-Oil is a family business based in the Cotswolds that specialises in the production of this sensational extra virgin cold pressed rape seed oil. The oil is extremely versatile and high quality, it can be used in a variety of ways from deep frying to salad dressings, marinades to roasting.

My meat is all British and is sourced from Barnstable, North Devon as it is supplied by my bigger suppliers at the moment.

There is room to now push forward and try and source more local meat, dairy, and eggs in the future.

My achievements in my time as head chef include:

Taking the catering department to another level making it a unique selling point for the school.

Planning & creating successful daily seasonal, well cooked, nutritious hot food (using British seasonal ingredients wherever possible).

I have increased the numbers of students choosing my hot main meal by 50%.

I have increased the vegetarian option take up by 60%.

I have renamed the old canteen to the much more modern & exciting 'Food Hall', authorized by the head teacher where students can come and experience a foodie journey of flavours, tastes, cultures, and fun allowing them to enjoy and look forward to their food breaks.

Daily interacting with the students while serving their hot food, explaining the ingredients in dishes and allowing them to adventure and experience new ingredients and tastes.

Training the team to excite the students in the Love British Food ethos every week, every month, not just for British Food Fortnight, that is so important to shout about.

From school to outside of work, I am busy working on Love British Food cookery school classes (classes of 10) to be run for children in my village hall on some Saturdays during the year.

Lessons learnt and hot tips while Head Chef at the school

Create a weekly menu of a balance of British classics and food from around the world

Make sure your team are well briefed on ingredients & seasonal food, so they can educate the students too.

Have small taster dishes at front of counter now Covid is not so prominent to encourage students to try new tastes and foods.

Do not waste any left-over foods, constantly think of clever ways to re-use ingredients. Dont be lazy, think, think, all the time.

Work with suppliers to help create great weekly menus with any seasonal British special offers

Engage with all school staff as have had some brilliant, home grown herbs, vegetables from peoples allotments to include into my menus.

My head teacher has played a massive role in my achievements with his positive attitude and support in everything I wanted to roll out and achieve while I was Head Chef at Bartholomew School, so communication with senior management is very important so you can work together in delivering the best possible lunch time service to the students.

Be positive, creative, dynamic with a can-do attitude, plus respectful which will become addictive and will rub off onto students and staff in an awesome way.

Display baskets of seasonal vegetables that are in menus and place in prominent place near counters as this creates a student talking point for discussions and education at mealtimes.

Advice for other school chefs putting British on the menu

Before I came to Bartholomew school as Head Chef the school was not so passionate about incorporating British seasonal food themed dishes into the weekly hot menus. This is how I achieved a change.

Get your head teacher on board and excited about Love British Food ethos and using departments to help you promote your menus.
Speak to your suppliers, both big and more local about products, seasonality and British.
Keep your team involved and well briefed on your menu ideas, aims and ambitions.
Visit local farm shops to fire up creativity and seasonality plus talking to producers about products and possible sales.

How Nottingham City Council puts British first on school menus

Mon, 28 Feb 2022 09:54:55 GMT

Jacquie Blake is the Commercial Operations Manager for Nottingham City Council and Chair of LACA, the School Food People. She sits on the new Love British Food Schools Working Group.

My role and responsibilities

I have worked for Nottingham City Council for 31 years. I started my professional life doing a BSC in Hotel and Catering studies and then worked for Unilever. From there I went to Sodexo where I worked in staff restaurants around London. When my husband and I moved to Nottinghamshire I joined the school meal service there and then moved to Nottingham City Council. It was something I felt I wanted to do. I could see that I had an opportunity to make a real difference. It has been really rewarding to see how much we have achieved as a result of the changes we have made.

How many schools are you responsible for and how do you work with them?

62 schools mostly primary.

Most of the secondary schools in the city are either part of an Academy chain contract and some of them cater in-house.

Interestingly, part of my role is on business development. As well as making sure we retain existing contracts we also now offer our services to schools outside our area. So we now provide catering services for some schools in Derby City which is 30 minutes away as they do not have an in-house catering service. This helps us keep our volumes up; it makes business sense. It is something that has grown since we won the first contract and from that other schools have contacted us, asking us to do their catering.

My view of what we do is that, as well as seeing our work in technical terms of providing a catering contract, most importantly we view it as a partnership with the school. I always say that lunch time is the 9 ^th lesson of the day. It is another opportunity for learning. If we give children free maths and English lessons, why not free food too? Food should be part of their education. And our role is to nudge, encourage and expose children to new tastes and flavours. There are high levels of deprivation in our city and so for many children, school lunch is their only hot meal of the day.

It is a responsibility I take very seriously. We have established a Midday Supervisor training course, training school lunchtime supervisors about allergens and how to engage with the children so that they encourage them to eat. It is about changing the way the staff view themselves; it is the same as if they are front of house in a restaurant and we play an active part in helping them perform that role.

There is such a great opportunity with school meals. If every child was allowed to have a free meal it would create such a level playing field. Once children move into Key Stage 2 I notice how many stop having meals every day, our surveys show that this is due to the financial implications for families.

Nottingham is one of the teams involved in the pilot to establish a new monitoring system for the School Food Standards, through the FSA, which is a good thing. It’s important that all schools meet the Government school food standards.

What catering facilities do you have?

The majority of our schools have a kitchen which is really key to enable us to cook fresh on site. However good the quality of food you provide, you need the right equipment and facilities to help you provide a great service, for e.g. to do batch cooking.

What is the farming and producer hinterland around you?

Being a city, Nottingham does not have local food as such. But we are surrounded by a really good area for farming throughout surrounding Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire. I am not hung up about local. For me it is about sourcing British. A prime example is that all our meat is British, supplied from our butcher and much of it comes from Nottinghamshire. Another lovely example is our eggs that come from an organic farm in Newark up the road. It is all about working with what you have available; but it has to be British.

What was the catalyst for sourcing fresh British food?

Since I joined 31 years ago money and budgets have become the main driver. However we always tried to provide fresh produce. There was a movement from head teachers saying that we really need to feed the children well. The head teachers were a big drive behind us moving to an increase in fresh food.

We linked up with the Food for Life Scheme to help schools adopt a whole school approach to food. And now we peg all our standards as Silver Food for Life, this is affordable.

Other things I have done have included introducing salad bars to encourage more children to try a wider variety of fresh fruit and vegetables.

When LACA launched the workforce standards, I took the idea of embedding this across all levels of our workforce. It created the basis of measuring capabilities and from there we developed a comprehensive training programme. It is vital that the teams have the skills to be able to deliver the standards required. You can have the ideas but you need the team around you to make it happen. We have a fantastic team in Nottingham City. I have the ambition but they help me achieve it.

Nottingham City has made a commitment to be carbon neutral by 2028 so we have an important role to play in helping to achieve this. This means buying British, reducing air miles, grass fed meat and plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables etc.

Training is key

We also looked at our work force and saw that not everyone was in the same space. So we used the LACA work force standards, did a skills audits of all staff and put together a 12 week training programme for all our chef supervisors and assistants, which includes cooking skills, allergen training, customer service etc

We have a commercial arm too with a staff restaurant at Head Office so we gave everyone the chance to work there and see how a commercial restaurant works. We put everyone through allergen training also. Basically we upskilled our staff. This is what you have to do if you want to serve fresh quality food.

We have also created the post of Food Development chef. They support new schools and new contracts and ensure they have the skills to meet our standards, provide refresher training, have tasting sessions and also focus on recipe development and testing.

You can buy fabulous produce but you have to invest in your staff so they have the skills to cook it.

I always remember that at the time I joined the council, I had 2 young boys and my youngest came home from school one day (from his school that was actually in the next door county council) and he said that he had told the school dinner lady he wasn’t happy. She asked him what he was unhappy about and he told her that all day he had been looking forward to a roast dinner but all there was on the menu was a vegetarian sausage.

This gave me the idea of introducing a pre-ordering system; and we now have electronic system that supports this. Parents and children can place their orders for the whole week. This helps reduce waste and helps with pre ordering. Not all schools want the system but we are pushing more to take it up. Also it really helps with allergens because once a parent has registered their child’s allergens, the system automatically blocks that option out. It is brilliant in this respect.

With regard to funding, I do think it should be ring-fenced by central government and that everyone is encouraged to fund caterers with the full allowance, ensuring the same standards. This is particularly important with the current increases in food , labour and equipment costs.

What is your budget?

It is on a school by school basis depending on the funding they receive and choose to pass on to us.

Currently the funding is £2.34 for UIFSM.

But the majority of caterers do not get that. Schools do not pass on the full funding.

This is going to become a big issue as there is a huge challenge at the moment with prices rocketing.

My thoughts on school puddings

We reduce the sugar across our meals so we see puddings as an opportunity to get children to eat fruit. There may be a small short bread biscuit with the fruit for eg, but the pudding will be mainly fruit. It is all about getting them to eat what is there. Reducing your plate waste and making sure they are enjoying what they are eating.

My thoughts on meat free dishes

We put some meat free dishes on. And we work with pro-veg organisations. But it is all about the messages. A dish may not have any meat in it but we highlight what is in it, not what is not in it. It is about less meat, not no meat. It is about balance and encouraging children to make some positive changes in their diet as a whole..

Suppliers

Everyone wants to buy British but it is about making sure the infrastructure is there for farmers to provide the volume that the public sector needs and at the right price.

So it all comes back to funding so we can achieve this.

The key is to consider this properly when you write your tenders. It is about what you put in your specification. You must write in the quality as standard. We have organised a suppliers day and invited SMEs in. You have to bare in mind that many small companies are not familiar with writing a tender submission. So we have had sessions to support SMEs and we have broken the tender down into smaller lots making it possible for smaller suppliers to be part of it. For example we offer them the chance to supply to just one part of the city, for example Clifton only, which is an area within Nottingham. This has meant that the smaller suppliers can be part of what we do.

It is all about seasonality and flexible menus. We write ‘vegetable medley’ on our menus so we have flexibility to provide fresh and seasonal choices .

It is all about working with your supplier.

All our meat comes from Maloneys Butcher: as a general overview we specify British Red Tractor as the minimum standard. We do taste testing with them.

Lessons learnt and hot tips

Make the tender process easy for suppliers to respond to: First and foremost, in a Local Authority you have the advantage of scale so it is all about starting with your procurement, contracts and specifications and what you put in them. Getting this right. Doing the research. It often only takes a phone call to a potential supplier. Don’t just put your tender out on a portal and expect people to respond to it. Ring round local suppliers and invite them to respond.

Train your staff: Once you have good produce it comes down to your team and menus. They need to be trained and refreshed and kept up to date with trends.

Your relationship with schools is key: having a strong relationship with the senior management team in each school is so important. Where we have high uptake is where we have senior management who see lunch as an important part of the school day. When you have that relationship you can have fun doing things like creating themed events around menus to stimulate pupils’ interest in food. Often, if I have an idea I want to run with I find a couple of head teachers I can run it past and then I find the grapevine works and other schools soon come on board wanting to adopt it too. You need a hook for senior management teams. Think: “What does it mean to them? What is in it for them?”.

My secret

I can do the Cha-cha-cha, waltz and foxtrot!

How Blackpool Council puts local food on school menus

Thu, 17 Feb 2022 16:30:28 GMT

Derek Wright is the Catering Services Manager for Blackpool Council. He sits on the Love British Food Schools Working Group. His team won the Public Sector Catering Awards Team of the Year in 2021 and in 2020 they were awarded Bronze Food for Life; they are aiming for silver now!

Why did you agree to sit on the new Love British Food Schools Working Group?

The Love British Food Schools Working Group is a brilliant initiative. It gets to the core of the business. It is refreshing that those in the group are from the food industry. When you hear the likes of Jamie Oliver talking about school meals, which is so far distanced from what is happening within the school environment, it's incredibly disheartening, so it is great to have a campaign that is at the heart of the industry. Even the levelling up paper is far away from the sector's reality; however, it's a start at tackling school food issues.

My responsibilities at Blackpool Catering Services

I have worked with the team at Blackpool Catering Services since 2015 and became Catering Services Manager in late 2019. As a service, we are very proud of our changes to the catering operation whilst working in partnership with Blackpool schools. During this time, we have gone from operating 11 sites to 34.(in meals numbers, this is from less than 30,000 meals a month to over 135,000 meals a month across 32 school sites and 2 community cafes.)

The team also oversees Blackpool's Free School Breakfast Scheme and Free School Milk to over 11,000 pupils per day as a Local Authority we have grown. We know that school food is crucial to the development of our young people in Blackpool to improve their nutrition and health. We have one of the highest school FSM rates in the town in the country, and every meal counts.

During the pandemic, as a team we distributed 600,000 meals through an emergency distribution centre. It was a very proud moment working across the council to make a real difference to our community. Working with Local Suppliers we mobilised this in less than 24 hours sending out food parcels, free school meals or packages across the town.

As Chefs and Cooks, we know that all dishes starts with the ingredients and we have proudly gained our Bronze Food for Life status and have taken part in the UK Food Foundations Peas Please Pledge increasing consumption of vegetables by 10%.

Emerging from a pandemic, we could see around us the local hospitality and tourism economy was suffering especially from the shortage of chefs but we also knew that there were young people who were not engaged in mainstream education and as part of our mission, we wanted a sustainable approach to improve education and employment so the Chefs Academy was born.

Last year the team and I was very proud to win the Public Sector Catering Awards Team of the Year 2021. It represented the hard work of the Catering Team and the Journey the Services has been on in such a short space of time.

What has inspired you to source locally?

Growing up in the Fylde the countryside was always busy with the farming calendar from lambing in the spring to the bailing of grass and harvest season all working to provide food in our regions and what better way to celebrate the produce than to cook with it!

I was lucky to find my love of cooking early on in life, from a work placement from School at Preston North End (PNE) with Paul Heathcote's Team where I met some fantastic chefs. From that point, I knew what I wanted to do after school. In year 10 or 11 I decided to go to catering college one day a week instead of a GCSE.

From there I went back to college full time to Preston College where I was taught by a fantastic team of tutors. In my first year, I was very lucky to work at Royal Ascot as a student. This is where is met Steve Golding, the Ascot Executive Chef who tapped me on the shoulder and offered me a full-time job after I left college.

I loved every minute of my at Ascot, I had some fantastic experiences including cooking breakfast for Duke and Duchess of Devonshire to working in the Her Majesty's Representatives Box. When working with the team at Ascot, produce and ingredients were key and this was always taken into consideration when menu planning.

While at Ascot I completed my NVQ Level 3 at Westminster College and won Apprentice of the Year from the Craft Guild of Chefs. There were so many fantastic events and experiences while working for Steve and the Team but it was time to come back up North so, I went to work in Cumbria in 2009 for a hotel. From there, one of my former tutors asked me to help teach in the college. This is what got me into education; wanting to make a difference for young people.

So I have had an interesting journey from Royal Ascot to the 2012 Olympics where I also worked and then finding my way into education. I have also had a little stint doing catering for the military. But working for Blackpool Catering Services is by far the most rewarding thing I have done as you are making a difference every day in young people's lives.

What is the farming and producer hinterland around the school?

I grew up in the Lancashire farming community in Fylde just 10 minutes from Blackpool. It is an area with lots of livestock farming with a mix of arable farming mainly potatoes. I grew up on an old pig farm down the road from the local dairy farm so as a child, I spent a lot of time on the farm next door who was mainly a dairy farmer and sheep farmer.

Lancashire is a fantastic county for produce and local ingredients and a lot of farms produce on our doorstep from fantastic local meats to potatoes, local dairies and cheese producers, tomatoes… if it is in season, we can get it locally.

Of course, we need to buy stuff that can match our volume requirements but if you write your menus right it is doable.

How have you achieved it?

The amount of meals we do and the partnership with schools is key to all we do.

It has been about improving quality across every aspect, including up-skilling the staff. But every meal starts with the ingredients. If you are in a county like Lancashire, with all this wonderful produce around us it is all possible. Every caterer should be using the food around them. We have learned during the pandemic how a short supply chain is good for us; fewer delays, fewer product issues. And it is key that we have the best ingredients; it is better for the children.

How did you start sourcing locally?

We started with things that we could change easily…yoghurt, dairy, eggs. Once we started it all became so easy. For example, we used to buy frozen veg but talking to suppliers we found we could buy in fresh and better quality for the same price. Instead of relying on big supply chains, we started to speak to suppliers directly and see what they had in their warehouses. We looked out there. You have to look to find something else. For our meat, we use a butcher in Blackpool and other butchers in Lancashire.

Everything we put on the plate has to have a high nutritional value. For most young people it is the only nutritious meal or only meal they have that day. Some young people do not even get a meal at the weekend. We should not be seen as a money-making service. We are a welfare service providing the very best school meal we can supply on that day.

Lessons learnt and hot tips

Don't try and change everything at once. Start with small things, like veg. For example, one of our things has been moving from frozen potatoes to fresh and preparing them in the kitchen. It is all about small and often changes and improvements. Don't change too much in one go, your suppliers won't keep up with it. Bring products onboard in a systematic way so you know you have the skillset and capacity in kitchens and suppliers can keep up.

Be conscious about skill set in the kitchen: We have changed our sauces to homemade. I call this 'health by stealth' so we get as many nutrients as possible into children by stealth. Our sauces are key to this. All our pasta and curry sauces are now homemade. But our cooks and chefs had become reliant on packaged sauces and had lost the skills to make them from scratch. So when you make changes, you need to think about building skills before you change things. It is also so important that recipes are correct.

Go out and look for suppliers within your towns, within your county. Go and talk to your local dairy, your local farm shop. Go and find out from them what they can do and bring it back into your procurement team. You need to go out and search and talk to people. A lot of my friends work on farms. Talk to your wholesaler and ask them to put you in touch with the right people. It is about getting to know your local supply network.

What is stopping other school caterers from doing this?

Nothing stops schools from buying local produce however, the procurement process can slow things down we have to prove the best value but the best value is not just about price it's about the quality of the product to quality must be comparable when comparing price.

We also must think about continuity and sustainability within our supply chains to ensure we have consistent menus but not being afraid to use our skills as Chefs and Cooks to adapt and change to the circumstances and seasons.

It is frustrating that the Government is asking farmers to produce food to high standards but when they let out procurement contracts it is all about price.

If we are asking farmers to produce to a high standard, we need to be prepared to pay for this standard.

Name check some of the producers you use

There are so many…

Roger at Ribble Farm does all our veg. He is a great character. Very well known within the county!

Trevors Food Service…we work closely with Matthew the son. They are great guys. They will look out for us. They have helped us make sure that even the crisps in the café are Lancashire crisps!

We use a superb bakery, Morris Bakers, from Chorley.

Our meat, we try and buy as much as possible locally. We buy through Trevors. Our butcher, Choice Meat, delivers to Trevors. So when Trevors' wagons go round, they deliver our meat at the same time.

Who else do you admire in the industry?

So many other local authorities and independent schools are doing so much up and down the country, there are many good examples. I take a lot of inspiration from the chefs and producers around the country. It is a shame that social media only highlights the bad ones! I am quite young in the industry. I am only 34. But I now sit on the LACA Board representing the North West and hope the industry continues to change for the better while championing local produce.

What more do you want to achieve?

I never thought we would be where we are now. It would be good to change the image of school food and get the conversations going this year about how to reform it. The Government should be encouraging local suppliers. It is so good to get involved in the national conversation and also to be involved in the Levelling Up agenda.

Nottingham Trent University

Tue, 15 Feb 2022 11:23:52 GMT

ADD TEXT HERE

About the farm

We farm in Lancashire, on the border between west Yorkshire and north Yorkshire. We have a farm, farm shop and online retail business an hour from Ravenscliffe High School.

We are a 250 acre farm, with mixed life stock, pigs, store lambs and a dairy herd. We sell everything direct.

We are farmer retailers. We started doing farmers markets and mixed meat boxes in 2008. Then we started cutting meat in house which then developed into us having our own cutting plant. We then started the farm shop and moved on to e-commerce.

It has been a journey that has saved us. In 2007 we had a choice intensify or diversify.

We also support 30 small family farms, guaranteeing to take their stock. We buy the live animal, keep it on farm and then take it to their local abattoir and bring it back to farm for cutting. We pay a fair price. When we approach a farm with organic stock, they tell us that selling an organic pig at auction doesn’t pay. So rather than us giving them a fixed price, when we pick up a pig we ask them how much they need to be paid to make having looked after that pig pay and be worthwhile for them. I can pick up a conventional pig for £40 whereas an organic pig is £120 or more, so that is 3 or 4 times the price. But if I give them a fair price it guarantees them as a supplier."

How do you supply the school?

Supplying Tony Mulgrew at Ravenscliffe High School has been part of our journey. Supplying the school is only a small part of our business but it is the feel good part of our business. We sell our meat direct to Tony. He tells us what he needs and we pack it up and courier it over.

Ravenscliffe High School is not one of our biggest customers but we can supply the meat at a rate that is affordable for them on the back of our bigger customers. There is no excuse for any school not to achieve putting quality food on school menus given what Tony achieves. He makes it work. We always say that Tony’s main ingredient is passion!

We have worked for a lot of Food for Life schools. We started supplying organic milk and then moved on to supply pork, lamb and beef too. We used to deliver milk but we don’t pasteurise milk anymore so we now concentrate on the meat side of business.

This country has a huge problem with food poverty and, from our perspective, anything we can do as farmers to alleviate this is so important.

What would you say to other farmers interested in supplying schools?

Supplying schools is a community aspect of farming; supporting children who are the future of the community. So supplying the school is not just a business decision, it is a community decision.

As well as supplying Tony, we send mixed beef boxes pre-packed to other school catering suppliers around the country. So it doesn’t have to be a local school, you can supply schools further away if you have the packing facilities, or if you team up with a butcher.

It is commercially sound too. There is definitely money in it. As a business decision, chasing organic Food for Life contracts is definitely commercially viable. There is money to be made.

So, my advice to other farmers is: “Start by getting out of the box you are in. Farmers are notoriously bad at change! Start somewhere is my best advice. As an industry there is so much opportunity. Farms need to look at themselves as a business; don’t be afraid to make money, don’t be afraid to do something different. With changes to farm payments there is even more reason to find new customers.

And if you are organic, chase the Food for Life contracts.

You don’t need a cutting facility. You can team up with your local butcher.

One of our biggest sellers is ox liver. Your butcher can take the prime cuts and then get the cheaper, better priced cuts into your local school.

It is all possible!

Dumfries & Galloway’s distribution hub

Tue, 15 Feb 2022 11:20:50 GMT

ADD TEXT HERE

About the farm

We farm in Lancashire, on the border between west Yorkshire and north Yorkshire. We have a farm, farm shop and online retail business an hour from Ravenscliffe High School.

We are a 250 acre farm, with mixed life stock, pigs, store lambs and a dairy herd. We sell everything direct.

It has been a journey that has saved us. In 2007 we had a choice intensify or diversify.

How do you supply the school?

This country has a huge problem with food poverty and, from our perspective, anything we can do as farmers to alleviate this is so important.

What would you say to other farmers interested in supplying schools?

Supplying schools is a community aspect of farming; supporting children who are the future of the community. So supplying the school is not just a business decision, it is a community decision.

It is commercially sound too. There is definitely money in it. As a business decision, chasing organic Food for Life contracts is definitely commercially viable. There is money to be made.

And if you are organic, chase the Food for Life contracts.

You don’t need a cutting facility. You can team up with your local butcher.

One of our biggest sellers is ox liver. Your butcher can take the prime cuts and then get the cheaper, better priced cuts into your local school.

It is all possible!

Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS)

Tue, 15 Feb 2022 11:17:14 GMT

ADD TEXT HERE

About the farm

We farm in Lancashire, on the border between west Yorkshire and north Yorkshire. We have a farm, farm shop and online retail business an hour from Ravenscliffe High School.

We are a 250 acre farm, with mixed life stock, pigs, store lambs and a dairy herd. We sell everything direct.

It has been a journey that has saved us. In 2007 we had a choice intensify or diversify.

How do you supply the school?

This country has a huge problem with food poverty and, from our perspective, anything we can do as farmers to alleviate this is so important.

What would you say to other farmers interested in supplying schools?

Supplying schools is a community aspect of farming; supporting children who are the future of the community. So supplying the school is not just a business decision, it is a community decision.

It is commercially sound too. There is definitely money in it. As a business decision, chasing organic Food for Life contracts is definitely commercially viable. There is money to be made.

And if you are organic, chase the Food for Life contracts.

You don’t need a cutting facility. You can team up with your local butcher.

One of our biggest sellers is ox liver. Your butcher can take the prime cuts and then get the cheaper, better priced cuts into your local school.

It is all possible!

South WarwickshireNHS Foundation

Tue, 15 Feb 2022 11:13:45 GMT

ADD TEXT HERE

About the farm

We farm in Lancashire, on the border between west Yorkshire and north Yorkshire. We have a farm, farm shop and online retail business an hour from Ravenscliffe High School.

We are a 250 acre farm, with mixed life stock, pigs, store lambs and a dairy herd. We sell everything direct.

It has been a journey that has saved us. In 2007 we had a choice intensify or diversify.

How do you supply the school?

This country has a huge problem with food poverty and, from our perspective, anything we can do as farmers to alleviate this is so important.

What would you say to other farmers interested in supplying schools?

Supplying schools is a community aspect of farming; supporting children who are the future of the community. So supplying the school is not just a business decision, it is a community decision.

It is commercially sound too. There is definitely money in it. As a business decision, chasing organic Food for Life contracts is definitely commercially viable. There is money to be made.

And if you are organic, chase the Food for Life contracts.

You don’t need a cutting facility. You can team up with your local butcher.

One of our biggest sellers is ox liver. Your butcher can take the prime cuts and then get the cheaper, better priced cuts into your local school.

It is all possible!

Sunrise Senior Living & Gracewell Care Homes

Tue, 15 Feb 2022 10:58:40 GMT

ADD TEXT HERE

About the farm

We farm in Lancashire, on the border between west Yorkshire and north Yorkshire. We have a farm, farm shop and online retail business an hour from Ravenscliffe High School.

We are a 250 acre farm, with mixed life stock, pigs, store lambs and a dairy herd. We sell everything direct.

It has been a journey that has saved us. In 2007 we had a choice intensify or diversify.

How do you supply the school?

This country has a huge problem with food poverty and, from our perspective, anything we can do as farmers to alleviate this is so important.

What would you say to other farmers interested in supplying schools?

Supplying schools is a community aspect of farming; supporting children who are the future of the community. So supplying the school is not just a business decision, it is a community decision.

It is commercially sound too. There is definitely money in it. As a business decision, chasing organic Food for Life contracts is definitely commercially viable. There is money to be made.

And if you are organic, chase the Food for Life contracts.

You don’t need a cutting facility. You can team up with your local butcher.

One of our biggest sellers is ox liver. Your butcher can take the prime cuts and then get the cheaper, better priced cuts into your local school.

It is all possible!

Supplying Ravenscliffe High School

Wed, 09 Feb 2022 17:31:17 GMT

Gazegill Organics supplies Tony Mulgrew at Ravenscliffe High School in Halifax. Ian O’Reilly, the farmer, talks about his experiences supplying schools.

About the farm

We farm in Lancashire, on the border between west Yorkshire and north Yorkshire. We have a farm, farm shop and online retail business an hour from Ravenscliffe High School.

We are a 250 acre farm, with mixed life stock, pigs, store lambs and a dairy herd. We sell everything direct.

It has been a journey that has saved us. In 2007 we had a choice intensify or diversify.

How do you supply the school?

This country has a huge problem with food poverty and, from our perspective, anything we can do as farmers to alleviate this is so important.

What would you say to other farmers interested in supplying schools?

Supplying schools is a community aspect of farming; supporting children who are the future of the community. So supplying the school is not just a business decision, it is a community decision.

It is commercially sound too. There is definitely money in it. As a business decision, chasing organic Food for Life contracts is definitely commercially viable. There is money to be made.

And if you are organic, chase the Food for Life contracts.

You don’t need a cutting facility. You can team up with your local butcher.

One of our biggest sellers is ox liver. Your butcher can take the prime cuts and then get the cheaper, better priced cuts into your local school.

It is all possible!

How a Halifax school sources its food locally

Tue, 08 Feb 2022 15:24:58 GMT

Tony Mulgrew sits on the Love British Food Schools Working Group. Here he shares his experiences of sourcing quality British food for his school menus.

About the school

Ravenscliffe High School is a Special Education Needs school for 11 – 19 yr olds spread over 2 sites.

223 students across two sites: 156 on one site; 67 on the other site.

It caters for students with all aspects of autism and learning difficulties. As a result they can be very vocal in telling Tony what they think of the food; which is great!

The school is highly respected in the community as it is the only one to provide for special needs. The local community contributed ½ million towards £3 million build the new site, a sign of how highly respected the school is.

The whole concept was to serve to the public with the students helping to be front of house and back of house giving them life skills which would help towards full time employment when the school café open to the public. Wanted to use all local produce. It has been a fantastic success but Covid-19 has put a stop to the community café side of things.

Catering facilities

When Tony became Chef Catering Manager in 2012, the school had one gas range and two old fashioned school ovens and an old fashioned steamer.

Over the 10 years Tony has been Chef/Catering Manager, they have rebuilt the kitchen with top of the range ovens, all stainless steel surfaces and equipment. As Tony says: “This is essential as without a fully equipped modern kitchen you are restricted by what you can achieve.”

In the original site, there are 2 sittings in the main dining room plus a couple of classrooms are also used for lunch.

In the new purpose built site, there is a brand new a community café serving both students and the public that sits 74 people.

The new facilities were funded with a huge fundraising initiative led by the Head Teacher who encouraged the whole school and community to get behind his vision. There were fundraisers, farmer stalls, special schools days over a 5 year period to raise the money. The public could buy a brick in the walls of the new building. Local businesses supported and they applied for funding via many channels. As a result they raised £3.2 million.

What was the catalyst for sourcing locally?

Tony grew up in Northern Ireland where there is very good local produce everywhere. Northern Ireland does local produce really well. As Tony says: “Having grown up in that environment it was important I used local produce. In the 70s growing up there, everything was fresh. When I went into catering in 2001, it was very important that we provide fresh produce in schools.”

Before Tony was appointed at Ravenscliffe in 2012, the catering was under the Local Authority. The school had taken the decision to move the catering in house and so they hired Tony. The day that Tony started work there was a delivery of frozen chicken that was bulked out with (TVP) textured vegetable protein in with the chicken. This was an anathema to Tony so he immediately got on the phone and ordered fresh chicken breasts.

What is the farming and producer hinterland around the school?

Ravenscliffe is on the outskirts of the town centre so there are no farms close by. The closest is the farmer who supplies free range eggs 4 miles away.

But, half a mile away there is a high street butcher who now supplies all the school meat. He holds a cutting license so he can source from around the country and cut the carcasses. He also supplies the school its fruit and veg and its dairy. It is all British. For example, the milk comes from Grassington in North Yorkshire, potatoes from Spalding in Lincolnshire.

This butcher supplies 84 schools out of 109 in the Calderdale area. All his meat is certified Red Tractor and fully traceable. He gets audited at least twice a year.

Budget

£1.20 food costs per pupil per lunch. (most schools get approx. 85p per pupil).

How has Tony got a bigger budget? Very simply, he asked the Bursar saying “If you want quality, you need to pay for it.”

Tony prices his lunch out as follows (using fish as an example):

1 piece of fish 78p, breading it 80p, then veg x 3 at 13p per portion. So minimum £1.19p. Then desert needs to be done. So you can see even with a good budget it can be very hard to produce and this is why chefs/cooks need the flexibility to change menus and buy local and seasonal.

He tells the butcher: “This is what I can afford. Can you supply me British within this?”

Sometimes the butcher will say to him: “I have x amount of meat, can you take it?”, so it is a partnership relationship with his supplier.

A good example of how this relationship with suppliers works to both the supplier and the school benefit is the case of one of their organic cheese producers. They produce beautiful organic cheese but very few restaurants can afford to buy it because restaurants do not want a low shelf life whereas schools operate on a 5 day week so they can take it.

Menus

Tony always serves 2 veg.

He doesn’t use a dietician or nutritionist.

He uses common sense. For example, he doesn’t serve potatoes if meat and potato pie is on the menu.

It is about balance and flexibility.

Lessons learnt and Top Tips

Speaking to local suppliers is key: Be up front, be honest. Tell them what you want and ask them if they can help you with it. e.g. “This is what we have to work with, can you offer us something within that?”

Remember that schools have bargaining power as schools are a robust customer. They will pay straight away and a supplier is guaranteed that the business will not go bankrupt or go bust, as may be the case with a restaurant.

Schools must have flexibility to change menus to adapting to what is in season. Not everything is in season all the time! And not all clients/students eat the same across the country. As Tony says: “This is essential if we want to be sustainable and conscious of our carbon footprint. We need to train cooks and caterers about seasonality, not just fruit and veg but meat and fish too. Some meats are much cheaper at different times of year. Speak to your butcher. He knows the market, the prices, what is available.”

Engage the Bursar and Head Teacher. The budget available is key.

Consider not serving a sugary pudding to put more money into the main course. You don’t have to serve a pudding!

Where can other catering managers get advice and support?

It is very hard. We should all be sharing and supporting each other.

The new Love British Food Schools Working Group hub will help.

School Food Plan website that has been set up by School Food Standards: http://whatworkswell.schoolfoodplan.com/articles/category/52/recipes-menus : you can download recipes free of charge. All recipes should be free of charge. Various chefs across the country have contributed recipes.

https://www.ukfoodplan.org/ has a good database of vegetarian and vegan based recipes for schools. It is funded by The Vegetarian Society. You can put in your email address and name of school and you can download recipes for free.

A final word from Tony

“I get a kick out of a student coming to the hot plate and saying ‘Tony, that sauce was damn hot!’ or ‘I really enjoyed lunch today’. There is nothing better than a thank you from a student.”

“Schools are a brilliant, robust customer for farmers, growers and producers. It doesn’t make sense why a farmer would not work with a local school, hospital or nursing home. We need to get this message out!”

“There are some fantastic contract caterers and consortiums out there. But I would always advise schools to look at the benefits of having control of their own food. Yes you have to invest to start with but the health and wellbeing of students long term pays it off.”

Interview with Tony on SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/user-98427444/a-legend-in-his-lunchtime-tony-mulgrew-making-dinners-that-make-a-difference

A chat with Phil Shelley, Chair of the Hospital Food Review and advisor to the new Love British Food Hospitals Working Group

alexiarobinson@lovebritishfood.co.uk (Alexia Robinson) — Wed, 02 Feb 2022 12:46:16 GMT

Love British Food has set up a new working group to inspire, encourage and enable hospital caterers to source more British food. Phil Shelley talks about what he hopes the group will achieve. The group is co-chaired by Alexia Robinson, Love British Food, and Tim Radcliffe, East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust.

Why are you so enthusiastic about the new Love British Food Hospitals Working Group?

We want to encourage the use of high-quality, local British food on our menus. That has been a passion and ambition for myself and others for a long time. The Love British Food Hospitals Working Group puts the NHS at the forefront of a public sector that is keen to embrace British food.

Why are you keen that Love British Food leads this?

Love British Food does really important work to promote British food. People understand what Love British Food is about and they see NHS Trusts taking part in British Food Fortnight each year.

Why now?

The Hospital Food Review encourages local engagement. Taking part in British Food Fortnight is a great way to encourage Trusts to speak to their local producers, but hospitals should be looking at purchasing British food all year round, where possible, to support local suppliers and to reduce the carbon footprint of their purchases. I hope that this working group will help trusts to achieve that.

What do you hope the new Love British Food Hospitals Working Group will achieve?

The main aim is to inspire more trusts to source their food locally and equip them with the knowledge and support to do so. I would like to see every NHS Trust have a relationship with at least 3 or 4 local suppliers.

People are looking for support, and I see the group as a conduit for knowledge transfer. Having set up the Hospital Food Review sub-groups, I have discovered we have some amazing people out there. Ten of the most inspiring NHS Chefs have signed up to sit on the group, which is a great opportunity for them to talk about the wonderful hospital food that they serve, how they source their ingredients, what lessons they can share with colleagues. I also want to hear from suppliers - farmers, producers, butchers, greengrocers - so we can inspire others to think about supplying us too.

How do you recommend a Trust gets involved?

The working group will set the direction, linking with our exemplar trusts to showcase opportunities. It is important to be brave, stepping outside of the comfort zone of continuous menu planning which can often provide menu fatigue.

I think a good way of introducing yourself to Love British Food is to pick a supplier you can work closely with and introduce them to your menus. Start with one and build from there. I would like to see every NHS Trust have a relationship with at least 3 or 4 local suppliers.

What are the main challenges?

Each Trust requires appropriate leadership on sourcing, whether that is the catering manager, the budget holder or the contractor. They need courage to take the lead – it will be a big change for some trusts - and I see this working group supporting them in doing so. It’s important that there is a whole hospital approach, so involving, educating and inspiring trust CEOs and finance teams is an essential part of the process.

What would you say to suppliers, producers and farmers wanting to supply the NHS?

We need to show them there is a way in to supply the public sector. There needs to be an ambition from potential suppliers to engage and we need to make sure they are supported and listened to. It is a two-way relationship.

Tim Radcliffe is Co-chairing the Love British Food Working Group (with Alexia Robinson). Why do you believe Tim is the man to lead from the front?

What Tim has done in East Lancashire is tremendous. He believes in what he is doing and wants the NHS in East Lancashire to be recognised for the quality of food it is producing, in the same way that a restaurant receives accolades. He will not dilute that ambition, and he wants passionately to take people with him.

A final word…what advice do you have for the new group to make this work?

Have patience, while at the same time be ambitious.

A chat with Jeanette Orrey, co-chair of the new Love British Food Schools Working Group and Hon President Food for Life

alexiarobinson@lovebritishfood.co.uk (Alexia Robinson) — Wed, 12 Jan 2022 14:39:38 GMT

Jeanette talks about the new Love British Food Schools Working Group that she is Co-chairing. Why she asked for it to be set up and what she wants it to achieve.

Jeanette is a former dinner lady of more than 20 years, co-founder of @SAfoodforlife and one of the UK’s most widely respected and inspirational experts on school food.

Jeanette, you approached Love British Food towards the end of last year and asked us to set up a working group of leading school chefs to encourage all schools to take part in British Food Fortnight. Why?

Because we need to get the whole public sector catering industry to support British farmers and producers. As a sector we buy £2.6bn of food every year. It is a huge market for our farmers and producers. We could secure the future of so many farms in these uncertain times if we set up robust supply chains between them and the public sector. I have always felt strongly that we need our British farmers not just for food but for the countryside. When we go for a walk in the countryside, we are enjoying what farmers and producers have nurtured and this is hugely important to us all; we need to support them.

22 years ago when I started doing this very few schools were sourcing locally, I was working in a relatively small (200) primary school in the heart of Nottinghamshire and we were getting different meats and vegetables from goodness knows where. I wanted the children to know where their food came from. So I got in my car and drove to farms and asked them what they could produce for the school. That is how it all started for me.

Now though, I fear for the future. I fear we are going backwards. Food is getting more expensive. We have 4.6 million children living in poverty. These are children whose only meal of the day is a hot school lunch. We need to provide a healthy, nutritious meal and as caterers we want to know where the food came from and how it was produced.

This is why I phoned you and said let’s work together and do something. I have heard you speak. I know your passion. I know that you can make it happen. You have that drive to get things done. It is now a case of let’s get this done. With the group we have formed we will get it over the line.

I always said when I co-founded Food for Life with Lizzie that the change required has to come from grassroots as well as from Government. We work together with Government, of course, and we hope to meet in the middle. There are many people out there who think they know about public sector catering but they have never worked in a kitchen, they do not know how to work in a kitchen, they do not understand the many constraints we are under. We have got to get the staff on board, the caterers on board and, most importantly, children and head teachers on board.

School food has always been a political football. When they introduced universal school meals, they thought “job done”. Then Jamie Oliver comes along and again everyone thinks, job done. It is not. I remember saying to Jamie, this is going to take at least 10 years, and then after 10 years saying this is going to take another 10 years. And now we are here.

There are many school caterers doing great work. But we have a really fragmented service. In the 80s, when compulsive competitive tendering came in, this allowed private contractors and all sorts of different organisations to take over school food. Many of these were big companies. They cherry picked the big schools where they would make money and they left all the other schools by the way side. This is one of the big differences between England and Scotland. Scotland is in the main still run by local authorities and because of this they can do a lot more with local suppliers than we can – and secondly they have the backing from Scottish Government who say ‘we think school food is important’. In England our Government just throws money at it. I remember in the 80s when local authorities, and I think Dorset was the first, said “we are not doing school food anymore”. And from then on there was no investment in school kitchens for many years and many school kitchens closed. These are just a few of the many issues the school meals service has to face.

What do you hope the Love British Food Schools Working Group will achieve?

I want to encourage every school in the UK to take part in British Food Fortnight (17 Sept – 2 Oct) by running a special menu. Over a million children were involved in the national food celebrations in this way last year. British Food Fortnight showcases what is possible. We need to showcase what is achievable and showcase what we are doing now. There is good work out there but we only see negativity in the media.

Eight of the top school chefs in the country have agreed to sit on this new group. They are all leaders in their field doing tremendous things. They are role models for others. For example, what Tony Mulgrew is doing in Halifax schools is tremendous but at the moment no one hears about it. I want this new working group to get the message out.

This is exactly what Love British Food can achieve; spread the word via social media to as many people as possible, and that includes the children and students. Explain exactly what we are trying to achieve on menus and why we are doing it. Because of pandemic, now is the time because more and more people want to know where their food is coming from.

This was precisely the reason I founded Food for Life. You have to make targets achievable. By inviting schools to take part in British Food Fortnight I believe we are giving them an achievable target. The national food celebration is a useful catalyst in this respect. Take part, see what can be achieved on a tight budget and then encourage schools to support British farmers not just for a fortnight but throughout the year. So, as an activity, British Food Fortnight in schools is not a one-off. A special two week menu is achievable for everyone and then we hope they will keep it going longer term and keep taking it one step further.

I want the group to inspire school chefs with tales of what their colleagues do. A cook will look at what others do and think “if they can do it, can we? How can we make this happen?”

We need to get away from desk based decisions.

And we need to talk to the children too. It is all about conversation.

If a school chef says, “I want to do this but how do I start?” what do we tell them?

It depends on who they work for and where.

For chefs like Tony Mulgrew in Halifax and Sam Ward in Devon, for example, you could say to them “Get in your car and speak to your local farm shop, speak to producers and ask them “Can you do this?”. Some will say yes, some no. I was able to take this approach because I was in-house.

If you are a Local Authority like Jayne Jones in Scotland and Judith Gregory in Wales or Jacqui Blake in Nottingham and Derek Wright in Blackpool [all members of the new Working Group], and you are looking after many schools it is a different proposition. We need to understand from them how they do it.

And a private contractor will be different again which is why we have Linda Cregan from ISS. For example, there is a fantastic programme in Lancashire at the moment that we can learn from.

The key thing to understand is that everybody does it differently. The new group will provide lots of simple, clear advice online that school chefs can look at. We will provide advice for different scenarios. So a chef can go online and say, I am like Jeanette, how did she do it? Or, I am like Derek, how does he do it?

For those who are working for big food service provider, I say “talk to your bosses”. You need to start the conversation and include all the staff in the discussion.

Thinking of school head teachers, so many do not realise that when they get a contract with a provider, they as head teacher have a say. If you do not agree with what is happening in your kitchen then you need to go back to the provider and say “I am not happy with this, what are you going to do?”

We want to empower people and give them a voice.

The group represents the whole UK…are its goals achievable across all nations?

Yes, we welcome everyone.

How do you see this group running?

We’re not going to talk, we are going to do it. Keep it simple and get it sorted. That is why we are calling it a ‘working group’!

How do we involve farmers and producers in our plans?

Farmers have found it difficult to break into the public sector. Hopefully the new Government buying standards will make it easier. And we will talk to them also using their social media platforms etc;

Cornwall did a pilot with farmers a few years ago but it didn’t take off. It will be interesting to see what the South West pilot achieves.

We need to involve suppliers like Levesleys, greengrocers who supply schools in South Yorkshire. Local producers take their produce into the Levesleys depot and they then distribute it to schools on their behalf. We need to find lots of Levesleys all around the country! Butchers too can fulfil the same role. I had an invite to go and see that operation before the lockdown hopefully will be able to visit soon.

The Potential for Hospitals to Buy Local Food

Wed, 08 Dec 2021 19:21:36 GMT

Tim Radcliffe is Facilities Manager at East Lancashire Hospitals. He is also Co-Chair with Alexia Robinson of the Love British Food Hospitals Working Group.

I've worked in the NHS for six years and I'm passionate about using local products.

Before entering the world of NHS catering all my experience has been in the private sector managing hotels and restaurants.

To me when buying your produce, you should be looking for the best quality at a reasonable price, making certain you know as much as you can about that produce, engaging with local suppliers understanding how they have grown the potatoes or how the cattle has been bred and reared this enables you to have far more understanding of the quality of food you're putting on the plate for your patient. It's important there is a relationship built between supplier and customer.

When I joined the NHS, I was surprised how so much of our produce was just bought from catalogues without an understanding of exactly how it got there and how little produce was sourced from local and British suppliers. It is imperative we use produce that enhances our local economy this has proved to be more vital than ever as we seek to reduce the length of our supply chain with so many factors impacting on our choices.

I was told that this was too difficult, that cost always is more important that quality.

This is not true, YES it takes courage, YES it takes perseverance, YES it takes time.

Of course, we need assistance from others and the changes coming in 2022 National Standards for Healthcare Food, revised GBSF, National Food Strategy) will enable all catering managers to open dialogue to begin the journey of positive change.

Yes, we need to ensure that there is free access to supply chains and enabling suppliers to enter the procurement supply chain but essentially Catering managers are the ones who make those decisions, we know what is best for our patients, we know what is best for our budget, we know the quality and the security that a smaller supply chain can give us.

Working in the NHS, specifically in Hospital catering is a very privileged position and it comes with great responsibility, we have been selected and chosen to ensure that quality nutritious meals are prepared for our patients. By utilising quality British and local produce this will enable us to have greater oversight , investing in our local communities .

This is an opportunity for us to really make a difference not just for this generation but for generations to come.

Barnsley Market has been the source of ingredients for Barnsley’s residents for over 800 years

Thu, 07 Oct 2021 14:22:52 GMT

Barnsley Market has been the source of ingredients for Barnsley’s residents for over 800 years, so it was the natural centre of this year’s British Food Fortnight celebrations in the South Yorkshire community.

Throughout British Food Fortnight we had themed days to promote different kinds of food-related businesses – Meat-Free Mondays, Treat-Yourself Tuesdays, Heart-Warming Wednesdays, Meat-Feast Thursdays, Fish-Supper Fridays and Savoury Saturdays.

Each day customers could receive double points through the Mi Rewards programme (Barnsley’s own customer loyalty scheme) when they shopped at businesses relevant to that day’s theme.

Cooking demonstrations were also held in the atrium of Barnsley Market to promote the new ‘Barnsley Larder’ cookbook – launched on Thursday 9 ^th September and featuring recipes and hints and tips from a range of local businesses. Ian McMillan, local poet and author, wrote the foreword to the cookbook and signed copies in the Market on Wednesday 29 ^th September, which were then handed out to the audience free of charge.

British Food Fortnight has been a great opportunity for Barnsley residents to come together to celebrate a love of quality and locally sourced food. The ‘Barnsley Larder’ cookbook celebrates both traditional local dishes, such as the famous Barnsley chop, as well as traditional international dishes, such as Pork Gyros and Prawn Tom Yum Soup. The book is inspiring local residents to try new recipes, as well as encouraging residents to shop locally to support independent businesses.

Here in Barnsley we’re proud of our culinary traditions, as well as the variety of internationally-inspired businesses that now call this town home. We’ve loved taking part in the British Food Fortnight celebrations and are looking forward to future opportunities to showcase our amazing produce very soon.

Koffmann’s success built on British farming family values

Wed, 06 Oct 2021 12:12:10 GMT

The business behind the brand, The Food Heroes, is a specialist British potato supplier with a formidable French-Master-Chef flavour.

The British family firm that brought the UK foodservice sector Koffmann’s potatoes has seen business boom since the hospitality sector re-opened post-Covid. Prior to the pandemic, the brand had built a very healthy following for its frozen potato products, but since the country began to rebound, it has increased its sales to 1,000 tonnes of fresh potatoes a week. A rapidly-growing customer base can’t get enough.

Established in 2018 by experienced fresh produce industry siblings Simon Martin and sister Claire, together with Claire’s husband, legendary chef Pierre Koffmann, The Food Heroes’ initial objective was to offer UK restaurants the best quality British potatoes. But, buoyed by the almost overnight success of its Koffmann’s Specialty Foods brand, which distinguishes potatoes by usage not variety, the company has added carrots and parsnips to its portfolio and is targeting a much wider clientele with its broader range.

The company has launched a flurry of new projects designed to achieve its expansive aims. As well as the carrots and parsnips and two new brands ‘From The Farm’ and ‘Humdinger’, the Koffmann’s, range will further diversify by the end of the year to include asparagus and onions, olive and rapeseed oils, prepared vegetables and condiments. An online ‘shop’ is also on the horizon.

“We have really ambitious plans,” Simon Martin says. “The idea of Food Heroes is to sell

different types of product to different types of consumers, as long as the product has got the right ethical story – by which I mean the people and the produce is treated right – and tastes great.”

The great debate

What began, he reveals, in childhood as a weekly debate between siblings over which potato variety tasted best with the family Sunday roast, has culminated decades later in Simon and Claire launching a hugely successful brand for foodservice with far-reaching and expansive ambitions.

There’s little doubt that the speed of growth has been helped by the hands-on involvement of Pierre Koffmann, known in culinary circles as a founding father of modern British cuisine. Within two years of concept, the Koffmann Fresh Potato range has established itself as the UK chef’s number-one go-to brand for potatoes. The Food Heroes are already supplying the crême de la crême of the restaurant trade (The likes of Berkeley, The Ivy, Marco Pierre White and Gordon Ramsay) and have also begun to supply some of the country’s largest pub and restaurant chains, with the Koffmann’s brand regularly being used on menus as a symbol of high quality.

“My sister Claire and I just decided to do what we have always loved and believed in,” says Simon, who has worked in the produce trade for the last 30 years. “The two of us and Claire’s husband Pierre all share a passion for great tasting food.”

The Food Heroes sources its potatoes from selected growers with whom Simon has cultivated relationships over his long career in the sector. Earlier this year, it formed a joint venture with potato farming group Pride of Anglia Growers, working with producers in key UK growing areas. “All of our fresh potatoes are grown in this country; the vast majority of them in East Anglia, which we believe has the best climate to produce chipping potatoes,” Simon says.

“We work closely with growers to develop varieties, select the best regional soil variations, maintain strict conditioning and precise storage regimes. State of the art packing and handling facilities in Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Cambridgeshire and Suffolk enable us to offer the best tasting and fit-for-purpose products available on any given day across the season.

Specialists in their field

“Our growers are all specialists in their field,” says Simon. “They have all invested heavily in production to balance the crop’s sugar and starch to create great tasting products.” Koffmann-branded potatoes are packed and selected according to usage and taste, he explains. “We want to make it really simple for our customers, so, for example, the blue bag delivers the best chips, red is for the best mash, and we now have beautiful orange boxes for salad potatoes and pink ones for new potatoes.”

The company works with distribution partners across the country. One of the biggest partners is Premier Fruits, based at New Covent Garden Market in London, with which it has forged a very tight relationship. “There’s no denying that New Covent Garden is massive for us,” says Simon, “but we also have great customers and partners in wholesale markets around the country. The markets are a vital artery for us to be able to get the product to the huge numbers of customers who want it.”

Simon and Claire have potatoes in their blood. They were born into a West Midlands potato-growing family and initially worked for the original family business. Reunited professionally once again at The Food Heroes, they are now joined by Simon’s wife, Rachel, who manages the financial and accounts side, and two sons: Tom who delivers samples and potatoes, and James who supports the substantial marketing effort. “In fact, my nephew who farms will soon be growing potatoes for us, so we are all involved!” Simon reveals. Chief trader Stewart Rigby is the only non-family member directly employed at the company.

As it looks to continue to broaden its range and customer reach, The Food Heroes is continually on the look-out for new British supply partnerships. But it still hasn’t used up all of its family ties. The carrots and parsnips recently added into the portfolio were grown by Simon’s godfather at R&RW Bartlett. “We work with some great businesses, and we’d like to work with more so that we really get our message out there,” Simon says. “To be one of the brands that focused consumers’ minds on taste rather than looks. I want people to buy our products simply because they taste great.”

The man who says “oui”

As well as fronting the Koffmann brand, three-Michelin-starred chef Pierre is The Food Heroes equivalent of the ‘Man from Del Monte’ – the US company’s fictitious juice-tester in the 1980s TV ad campaign, who famously kept orange growers on tenterhooks, says Simon. “During our

NPD (new product development) tasting sessions with Pierre, we wait for him to try a new product then declare, “The Man from Koffmann’s, he says ‘yes’”. Our credibility is everything to us,” he continues. “Pierre is the dad of the chef world – he trained the likes of Marco Pierre White, Gordon Ramsay and Marcus Wareing. His face is on every single box [of our Koffmann range]. Pierre is passionate about his name and reputation. We have to honour that.”

Koffmann’s Potatoes are in stock now at New Covent Garden Market – click here to search a directory of the wholesale traders located in Nine Elms.

New Covent Garden Market is an Official Partner of Love British Food.

How turning cake and crisps into nutritious animal feed reduces food waste and feeds Britain’s pigs and poultry

Tue, 05 Oct 2021 14:26:32 GMT

ABN is Love British Food's main farming Official Partner. It feeds more than 228 million pigs and chickens each year, providing feed for every stage of pig and poultry production, from piglets to growing and breeding pigs, and from laying hens to broiler hens, turkeys, ducks and game.

You may have seen ABN lorries out and about on the road, delivering feed to British pig and poultry farms across the country.

This is the story of SugaRich, a feed range that is made from left-overs from the manufacture of cake, biscuits, crisps, breakfast cereals and bread, supplied by ABN to Britain’s farmers. The ‘former foodstuff’* is provided by the UK’s largest food manufacturers and supermarkets, including a few brands you may have heard of… Mr Kipling, Maryland Cookies, Kingsmill, Mars, Cadbury, Jammie Dodgers and Ryvita.

‘Former foodstuff’, as it is called, is food that is rejected from the manufacturing sites or supermarkets, and therefore deemed unsuitable for human consumption. Instead of it being wasted, over 400,000 tonnes of surplus food is instead turned into a high energy raw material ingredient for livestock feed each year.

So how does it work?

There are specific formulations and products for pigs, poultry and both dairy and beef cattle, based on the ‘former foodstuff’ products used in the process, each with differing nutritional qualities and benefits. For pigs and poultry, confectionery and bakery products high in oil, starch and energy levels, such as crisps, bread, chocolate bars, snack bars and biscuits are best suited.

The ‘former foodstuff’ is processed using a unique method to ensure that the valuable nutrients are retained within the feed. It is then ground and sieved to make a free-flowing meal, and the final product, which is between 10-15% oil, is distributed to ABN mills where it is included in their poultry and pig feeds and then delivered to ABN customers.

SugaRich biscuit meal brings nutritional benefits to both pigs and poultry, both of which require a high-energy diet. Pigs and poultry are good at digesting starch, sugar and oil, but less-so at digesting dietary fibre, so the high nutrient and energy density of biscuits, cakes, crisps and chocolate are the perfect base ingredient. SugaRich also has a nice sweet-smelling biscuity aroma to it, encouraging pigs and poultry to eat lots of it.

As part of the process, the packaging materials are also extracted for recycling – hundreds of tonnes of cardboard and plastics are collected and recycled per month from food manufacturers, and tailor-made surplus food handling installations are designed and built to suit each individual factory.

So when you’re next wondering what happens to loaves of bread in supermarkets that have reached their best before date, or the batch of biscuits that was rejected from the factory, it may well be travelling past you in an ABN lorry on the motorway, in the form of SugaRich biscuit meal, having been incorporated into pig or poultry feed at an ABN mill.

This clever process offers a viable, sustainable and economically beneficial solution to all major food businesses and is a great example of taking downgraded or surplus products from one industry and using it to benefit another. It is also environmentally friendly for the British farming industry, and a cost-effective way to feed pigs and poultry.

Find out more on the new SugaRich website - http://www.sugarich.co.uk/

It's harvest time and there is no better opportunity to champion British food

Fri, 01 Oct 2021 12:28:07 GMT

Brakes is one of Love British Food's longest standing Official Partners. They run lots of promotions during British Food Fortnight every year. Cathy Amos, their Head of Customer Marketing, writes about why it is important to them.

Brakes has been a supporter of Love British Food for many years and sits on the national committee that provides ideas and support for our great British suppliers and producers. It is proud to support the British food industry and I am personally delighted to have taken on an ambassadorial role with Love British Food this year.

British provenance has been important to Brakes, and its customers, for a good many years and there is now a "balanced" approach. The majority of mid-level customers want high quality, in season, products at a great price and, whilst operators at a more premium level also want this, they place greater focus on locally sourced, as opposed to generic, British produce, and make this a USP of their menu, regardless of the cuisine type.

There are many reasons for buying British, but the level of focus placed upon it very much depends on the individual operator's brand credentials and what's important to them with regard to their offer and identity. For example, those who are more ecologically driven will focus on food miles and supporting the local community, whereas for high end chefs it’s all about sourcing great tasting, freshly harvested, in-season produce.

British Food Fortnight itself falls at a time of the year when the harvest has just been gathered so home-grown produce is at its best, most abundant and, more often than not, most competitively priced. And seasonal menu cycles that play to the strengths of British produce are really easy to create - if you have a stew for lunch, you can incorporate the same vegetables in the soup of the day and use dry spices to vary the flavour.

It’s also important for operators to consider their customer’s perspective on provenance. Many consumers want to know that their money is staying in their local area/county/country and provenance also helps connect them with the produce they purchase. Many associate animal welfare, quality, and flavour with British provenance, even though they do not necessarily go hand-in-hand, and this has made provenance increasingly critical, particularly when it comes to meat and poultry.

Most Brakes customers will put quality first, but if it can be British too then calling out the variety or location of a dish on the menu is a great idea. Showcasing specific ingredients that are central to the menu, especially via their website or social media is another good way of doing this. Another great method of conveying provenance and accountability to customers is to build a story around the meat or poultry involved. Whether that’s around the location it’s sourced from, the product’s accreditations, or the breed of the animal. This story will both reassure and educate customers, engage them with the product, and allow the operator to sell food with a conscience.

The UK eating out market is shaped by a number of trends: healthier eating, indulgence, informality, premiumisation, provenance and value scrutiny. These six trends create the framework for all other trends. Some of them appear contradictory, such as healthier eating vs indulgence and informality vs premiumisation, so operators must strike a balance between the trends and find the right mix for their customers. To help them achieve this, Brakes has a stack of great ideas, recipes, resources, and practical ideas for getting the most from British food. You can find them all in one place here:

www.brake.co.uk/inspirational-food/menu-ideas/love-british-food

How Local Authorities across Scotland are celebrating British Food Fortnight

Fri, 24 Sep 2021 13:16:37 GMT

Local Authorities across Scotland support the use of local, sustainable produce year round, and British Food Fortnight is always a wonderful opportunity to highlight that work.

ASSIST FM colleagues across the country are continuing to work with their supply chain partners to provide the best quality meals on plates for our children and young people. The work between ASSIST FM members and Scotland Excel is critical to delivering this, and it’s lovely to have an opportunity to celebrate that success.

Over the last 13 years or so Scotland Excel has led the way in public food procurement, pushing its food portfolio to deliver value, quality produce for councils, while also creating wider benefits for Scotland’s economy. Our food contracts, which include milk, meats, frozen foods, bread and rolls, fruit and vegetables and groceries, are now worth a collective £82m a year. They help to supply the products served up in schools, nurseries, care homes and community centres across the country. We work closely with suppliers and local councils to ensure our frameworks meet the requirements of all relevant legislation, particularly The Nutritional Requirements for Food and Drink in Schools (Scotland) Regulations 2020 and Setting The Table - Nutritional guidance and food standards for early years childcare providers in Scotland (2018).

Locally sourced produce has become an increasing priority for councils, so we stepped up our role to make sure public sector food contracts are more accessible to Scottish businesses. This also underpins the Scottish Government’s drive to make sure the power of public spending is used to boost Scotland’s economy. This became even more important in the past year or so with local supply being vital for our councils to be able to provide food to their most vulnerable residents during lockdown.

We were keen to support the government’s Dairy Action Plan to include more Scottish produce in our groceries contract for yoghurt, butter, cheese, and margarine. So we included a secondary price list within the tender to allow suppliers to offer Scottish dairy products. As a result, a range of Scottish dairy products are now available for councils to buy. By switching their cheese to a Scottish product, local authorities have generated more than £4.2m of business for the Scottish cheese sector through the previous generation of our Groceries Framework (May 16 – Apr 20) £385K and on the current framework to date (May 20 – Apr 21).

When developing our frozen food framework, we gave suppliers the opportunity to bid to supply food only to create opportunities for smaller companies that didn’t have national delivery logistics in place. As a result, an Aberdeenshire-based fish supplier secured a place on the contract to supply Scottish haddock which has resulted in a spend of over £3.8m over the lifetime of the framework (Jul 17 – Apr 21). This approach was so successful that we also followed it for our groceries and provisions framework, leading to the appointment of 5 SME manufacturers to the framework.

To bring more Scottish produce onto our meats framework, while still being in line with procurement regulations, we were able to specifically ask for Scotch Beef and Scotch Lamb by including Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) in our previous Fresh Meats Tender. This approach will be followed when we retender fresh meats next year. We have recently started engagement with the National Farmers Union Scotland and will also engage with Quality Meats Scotland when developing the next generation of this framework.

Across the whole food portfolio, spending by councils on Scottish products has continued to rise. Over the past six years core spend on Scottish Produce has increased from 28% to 37%. Not only is this approach good for Scottish businesses, but it’s helping to create a greener Scotland by reducing our food miles and provides good quality, sustainable meals for our children and young people.

Case study

Mossgiel Organic Farm has been working hard on its mission to reduce its impact on our environment with their vision of a truly sustainable dairy. Since beginning the supply of Organic milk to EAC they have ordered two more electric vehicles and will soon be supplying all of the sites with zero delivery emissions.

They are installing a biomass boiler at the farm this week, reducing their processing emissions by 70% too, so as time goes on and thanks to the increased volumes from the East Ayrshire contract – they are able to make sure tomorrows Mossgiel Milk emits less CO2e than yesterdays.

In the schools themselves, they have now completed the install of vending machines to the sites they currently supply in East Ayrshire - so as well as much reduced emissions, they will removed ALL single use plastic from the milk supply contract, saving 1.2 million pieces of SU plastic PER YEAR! Mainly the 250ml bottles we used to use which means less going to our recycling plant or on a worse case to landfill.

Bryces comment is: “Back on the farms, all the cows supplying Mossgiel Organic Milk are still outside enjoying the extended summer. The grass is still growing and the weather is being kind with the cows turning that lush green stuff into nutritious, tasty milk. We’ll soon be inviting the cows back into the barn however as winter is on her way in just a few weeks, where they’ll be enjoying a diet of organic hay and ensiled grass - washed down by some other organic cow feed too.”

Conclusion

British Food Fortnight gives us a wonderful opportunity to celebrate this work, and to acknowledge the hard work that is undertaken by the producers, our caterers, ASSIST FM members and Scotland Excel to do this every day of the year.

You can read more about how Scotland is leading the way in establishing local supply chains for its public sector on the Public Procurement Hub on the Love British Food website:

https://www.lovebritishfood.co.uk/scotland

Great British Food Fortnight bake at Coughlans

Fri, 24 Sep 2021 12:58:49 GMT

Coughlans Bakery in Oxted celebrated British Food Fortnight on Friday with a day-long promotion of the fresh produce ingredients in its handmade artisan products.

Regular customers and passers-by on the Surrey town’s high street were invited to sample whatever fruit and veg took their fancy, as well as delicious Coughlans specialities such as Heritage Tomato and Basil Pesto Flat Breads and Vegan Sausage Rolls.

The Coughlans have been artisan bakers since Grandad Jack founded the business in 1937 and now in their third generation, the family strives daily to bring the freshest, handmade artisan products to their 26 bakeries, using local suppliers, many of whom they have worked with for decades to ensure quality and consistency.

As well as premium flour, locally milled, Coughlans uses all manner of British-grown fresh produce to add unique flavour profiles to its range of pies, pastries, breads, cakes and rolls and as well as using Grandad Jack's original recipes, there is a desire to bring out new and exciting products every week.

DDP Ltd, which supplies Coughlans chain of stores daily with seasonal fruit and vegetables from New Covent Garden Market, in Nine Elms, London, was on hand to support the occasion in Oxted with its traditional market porter’s barrow and a wide and varied array of British fruit and vegetables.

“We are passionate about working with the seasons where possible and the best British ingredients, whether it be our premium flour, milled less than 40 miles away from the bakery or our daily hand-selected fresh produce from New Covent Garden Market,” said Sean Coughlan. “You only have to visit one of our bakeries to see how passionate we are about everything 'baking' and we are immensely proud to be at the heart of all our local communities.”

The fruit and vegetable map

The list of products Coughlans buys at this time of the year is a real geography lesson on the major growing regions of England. It consists of: herbs from Surrey; apples from Kent; strawberries and rhubarb from Yorkshire; Wiltshire-grown leeks; mushrooms. Micro-herbs and carrots from Norfolk; Lincolnshire onions and carrots; heritage tomatoes from Sussex; Cambridgeshire iceberg lettuce, rocket, celery, squash and beetroot; potatoes and cucumbers from Hertfordshire, potatoes from Essex, parsnips from Suffolk; Worcestershire courgettes; kale and cabbage from Lancashire.

“People might think of us first and foremost as bakers and that wouldn’t necessarily bring fresh fruit and vegetables to mind,” says Sean. “But the amazing array of British produce we get from DDP is one of the key elements of our success. Our customers love to know that we’ve got British growers at the heart of what we do and they love the taste sensations that they get when they bite into the breads, cakes, pastries and pies we make with British ingredients.”

From seed to bakery

So, just how does a British product end up in Coughlans Heritage Tomato and Basil Pesto Flatbread? We asked Paul to tell us a bit more about Nutbourne Tomatoes, grown in Pulborough, Sussex. “Nutbourne Nursery is a family business run by Gary and Jenny Griffiths, just 54 miles from Central London. They are growers of speciality and heritage tomatoes, with a season that generally runs from Spring through to late Autumn. All Nutbourne tomatoes are insecticide-free and only natural predators are used for biological control; pollination is carried out by bees,” he said.

Nutbourne cultivates a huge range of tomatoes such as the bite-sized 'Coeur de Pigeon' ('Pigeon Heart') and larger 'Coeur de Boeuf' ('Ox Heart'). They took a big gamble growing a diverse range of heritage and innovative varieties and it paid off. The team put their heart and soul into it, and it is reflected in how amazing they look and taste. Chefs absolutely love them.”

The vines, which can reach 30ft long, are trained up wires which can be moved backwards and forwards allowing for easier harvesting and control of the plants' exposure to light. “The highly skilled team pick three times a week, with deliveries to a range of wholesalers on the market, distributors across England and local shops,” said Paul.

“Gary drives the tomatoes to London himself. Their core strength really is picking and shipping. They don't have any tomatoes going into cold stores. Similarly to DDP, for Gary and Jenny it is about attention to detail, from beginning to end.

“If you get the chance to visit Nutbourne, I recommend it. It's a fantastic operation.”

Coughlans Bakery has bought its seasonal fresh produce direct from DDP Ltd, London's leading supplier of top quality food and veg, at New Covent Garden Market every night for 25+ years and is championing British Food Fortnight and the Love British Food campaign at its Oxted store.

New Covent Garden Market is an Official Partner of Love British Food.

Feeding Britain’s cattle and reducing waste

Fri, 24 Sep 2021 12:42:51 GMT

Feeding Britain’s cattle and reducing waste – how one feed company is making the best of by-products from British food production.

Love British Food partner KW Feeds is aiding sustainable milk production through using by-products left behind after producing other food ingredients like cooking oils, alcoholic drinks and glucose syrups.

Read on to hear the story of the process from field to fork, and then to feed trough! Taking a look at the processes involved in getting British-grown crops onto people’s plates, we also explore how this helps farmers to produce delicious British beef and milk.

Nova Pro

NovaPro is a story of 100% British-grown rapeseed oil and the nutritional goodness it can provide to cattle.

Once harvested from fields within around 50 miles of the plant in Stratford-Upon-Avon, the tiny seeds are heated and pressed, removing 85% of the seeds’ oil. Currently, the Red Tractor Assured rapeseed oil is used as an ingredient for the likes of food manufacturers and restaurants, and will also soon be on supermarket shelves.

For the consumer, rapeseed oil has the lowest saturated fat levels of all vegetable oils, and is rich in vitamin E. It also contains high levels of Omega-3 polyunsaturated fats, which help the body to absorb vitamins and are an excellent source of energy.

Used in savoury and sweet recipes alike, it doesn’t burn when shallow or deep fried, baked, or roasted. Rapeseed oil can also be used in dips, sauces, and mayonnaise.

Remember the 85% of the oil that was pressed out of the seeds to make rapeseed oil for the food industry? Well, the leftovers are not wasted – they’re made into feed for beef and dairy cattle.

After pressing the rapeseed, the residual ‘cake’ still contains high levels of high-quality oil, which means high energy content for cattle feed. This ‘cake’ is treated using a unique and safe patented process, which increases the level of protein and energy that cattle can use. The specially treated cake is then cooled and is sold to cattle farmers all year round under the trade name “Novapro”.

This NovaPro cattle feed can significantly increase milk production, providing an additional 1.7 litres of milk per cow per day produced compared to a soya and rapemeal extract diet - that’s more lovely British milk from British feed!

The environment also feels the benefits of this alternative feed; NovaPro has a low environmental footprint, low feed miles, and can replace imported soymeal. And happily, it can also reduce feed costs for the farmer compared to soya-based feeds. It’s a win-win-win for British farmers, British milk drinkers and the environment.

Alongside a wide range of other products, KW Feeds provides NovaPro to dairy farmers across the UK. These farmers turn what would otherwise have been waste into highly nutritious British dairy products, enjoyed by the great British public every day.

Not only is KW Feeds a sustainable business and proud partner of Love British Food – they are helping Britain’s farmers to produce food for our table more sustainably too.

Market group pushing British suppliers to the fore

Wed, 22 Sep 2021 13:45:07 GMT

At New Covent Garden Market in London, a group of three companies, S Thorogood & Sons, Rushton’s and Classic Fresh Foods, have plenty to celebrate during British Food Fortnight. Here, the three businesses explain the role British fresh fruit and vegetables plays in their offer and highlight key suppliers.

Thorogoods and Betts: Andrew Thorogood, MD, S Thorogood and Sons

Give us a bit of background on Thorogoods

S Thorogood & Sons, which has been supplying customers in London and the South East with top-quality British produce since 1922. We proudly say that everything we sell is “grown by farmers, sold by farmers”.

First and foremost, we are a family business. We’ve been growing and selling just shy of 100 years, so we’ve had a lot of time to hone our skills at producing the best, seasonal produce. In fact, we’re one of the only wholesalers left who still keep their fingers green! Our business is based on a simple idea: to grow and sell the best in British produce. And it’s all made possible by the close working relationships we have with our brilliant suppliers. Their skill for growing produce with care and attention to detail is second to none. Since 1922 we have been growing and selling the highest-quality British produce with the utmost care and expertise.

You obviously sell imported fresh produce too, but where does home-grown product sit in your offer?

As farmers at heart, we relish the opportunity to promote British produce. Buying locally is not only the most sustainable way to buy, it’s also the tastiest. Produce that hasn’t had to travel far is fresher and can be picked at the optimal ripeness. British Food Fortnight is the biggest national celebration of British food on the nation’s calendar and we’re proud to say that we work directly with a huge number of British farmers; many of which deliver produce to us within 24 hours of picking, so we really can offer our customers the freshest produce available, right here in London.

Our farms and affiliated growers produce more than 100 vegetable varietals throughout the year, with a commitment to seasonal produce, keeping your tastebuds inspired. Our British produce sells very well.

We have a tremendous enthusiasm for using British grown produce and by passing this enthusiasm on to our customers we create a strong demand for our vegetable and salad products. We believe that the farmers of the UK produce some fantastic fresh produce and we love seeing it used in kitchens, both professional and domestic, across London and the rest of the country.

Let’s throw the spotlight onto one of your British suppliers

We pride ourselves on our ever-changing selection of British seasonal produce but if we look at a product that has sold particularly well recently it’s got to be the salads from Laurence J Betts Ltd. They are one of our longest-standing suppliers; we’ve been working together since the 1980s when they came to us after buying our cabbages.

LJ Betts is a historic family business based near West Malling, Kent, producing a selection of whole head, baby leaf and multi-leaf salads and cereals. Recently we’ve also been exploring a few other lines with them including pak choi and herbs. With the farm being located just over 30 miles from New Covent Garden Market it’s one of our closest farms and the salads we receive are picked the very same day. Betts understands that their business is dependent on our environment and aim to sustain it to guarantee a prosperous future of food production for the generations ahead. They are committed to their responsibilities of maintaining the environment and farming in a sustainable manner and as such:

The farm encourages wild flowers and has an on-going policy of maintaining and sowing wild flower meadows to encourage wildlife, such as bees. Rare species of flowers have been spotted on site, including the Bee Orchid and the Grass Vetching.

Solar panels have been invested in to provide a replacement of electricity used by the farm and its operations.

Money has been spent on reservoirs for increased capacity of water on our different farming sites.

On-going investment into energy efficiency is taking place. New technology in cold storage and in machinery is constantly being invested in to help reduce energy usage.

There is constant maintenance of our woodland areas in a sustainable manner.

The farm has a very sustainable approach to farming. All of our farming operations take place with great consideration to the impact on the environment.

The farm participates in a five-year environmental scheme which involves leaving uncropped areas of the farm to encourage wildlife.

There have been on-going projects around the farm to encourage bird presence. This includes nesting boxes for owls and designated strips for skylark nesting. Through surveys conducted by the RSPB there have been some fantastic results seen around the farm, including an increasing number of birds of prey.

The yard surrounds Offham church which is in an historic conservation area and is classed by Kent county council as a site of historic importance.

A Farm Biodiversity Plan has been written up for the farm, which assesses the current biodiversity and lays out future sustainability programmes.

Betts believes that the local community should enjoy the surrounding countryside and is committed to promoting local produce and farming within the community, through farm visits and education. They encourage and invite the community to learn about the source of their food and therefore provide regular visits and tours to educate and inform people of our food production system. Great care is taken to maintain the heritage of the landscape, integrating farming with environmental stability for everybody to enjoy.

Rushton’s and Caffarelli Cucumbers: William Thorogood

Rushton’s is well known for its strong Italian offering, but it also follows the British seasons, doesn’t it?

Buying British produce means you are supporting British farmers and a lot of the produce we supply is with us within 24-48 hours of being picked. It’s that fresh.

We’re currently working some superb British cucumbers from the Caffarelli family, who have been growing “English cucumbers with an Italian flavour” at Floral Farm in Cambridgeshire, for four generations.

They sound interesting, what types of cues are they growing?

Although traditional naked cues are the predominant variety, Mark Caffarelli loves to experiment with unique varieties including micro snack cucumbers, large cucamelons and he’s currently working on a very exciting project – Asian wok cucumbers. The Caffarelli’s will be the first UK growers of this cooking variety, which has just become available.

Sustainability is key for many of your customers – how is Rushton’s addressing that challenge?

Buying local is great but ensuring our growers are working in a sustainable manner takes it one step further. The team at Floral Farm likes to have oversight of the entire process and work closely with the seed manufacturers to share expertise. The cucumbers are planted, maintained and picked by hand in vast glasshouses while a state-of-the-art UK based Tontec computer system is used to regulate the temperature, irrigation and ventilation.

Responsible farming is at the heart of Floral Farm, the team recently invested £350,000 in 2 biomass systems which will reduce their carbon footprint and minimise their environmental impact. The farm is also pesticide-free choosing to use natural Bioline packets instead and all fuel for the farm is sourced within a 50mile radius of the farm.

Classic Fresh Foods and Annabel’s Deliciously British: Rob Burton, MD of Classic Fresh Foods

What is the role of Classic within your group?

Classic Fresh Foods was formed in 1997 by the Thorogood family and specialises in supplying fresh produce to demanding and discerning chefs in hotels, restaurants and gastropubs in the central London area. In addition to fruit and vegetables, we also stock a comprehensive range of basic dairy, dry and frozen goods.

Our history has given us an excellent position in the market having strong, well-established relationships with some wonderful like-minded British growers and producers; meaning we can bring you the very best in-season directly from the growers.

What does British produce mean to you and how do you work with Annabel’s Deliciously British?

To me British produce means summer. It’s when we can supply to the biggest and best range of what Britain’s producers have to offer to demanding and discerning chefs who want truly seasonal products.

Annabel’s Deliciously British strawberries are a prime example. Annabel the founder of Annabel’s Deliciously British was at university when she decided to grow premium strawberries with her father on their family farm in the heart of Yorkshire. Establishing a reputation for excellence, her strawberry enterprise grew rapidly to supply top restaurants and retailers with the finest UK strawberries.

Over a decade later, she founded Annabel’s Deliciously British – a food brand that produces exquisite products for people who care about taste and provenance. Inspired by the astonishing diversity of the land around her.

They grow from May to October on their family farm in West Yorkshire’s lush but rugged countryside, an operation they have been fine-tuning for over 16 years. Varieties are specified based on the time of year, weather and flavour – only the best will do – and are planted over five months to ensure continuity of supply.

In addition to sourcing produce locally, working with sustainable suppliers is paramount. The team at Annabel’s makes every effort to be carbon neutral, they send any waste berries to their packaging supplier’s anaerobic digester – so their biodegradable strawberry punnets (500g) and cardboard trays (1kg) are produced using strawberry power.

How can consumers find out what is in season and when?

British produce is extremely important to our customers and forms a large part of our offering. We’ve made a seasonal menu planner using the Union Jack to highlight our British produce. Our menu planner can be viewed and downloaded here – use it to find out what you can buy right now to celebrate British Food Fortnight!

Hawkhurst Community Hospital's Gardening Club

Mon, 20 Sep 2021 19:26:33 GMT

Hawkhurst Community Hospital is taking part in British Food Fortnight building on the success of its gardening club.

My first NHS catering role was in 1990 and since then it has always been at the back of my mind how nice it would be to grow our own fruit and vegetables for the patients. My team and I would always produce fresh cooked meals for the patients and the thought of adding home grown produce was something I hoped for but was never in the right place to accomplish.

I gained even more interest after reading what was happening at the Royal Brompton Hospital with Mike Duckett, I found it so inspiring – yet I still wasn’t in a place to achieve this dream.

Roll on to 2020 and a change of work base (still NHS) and I decided to experiment with growing a few plants at home – tomato and strawberry plants. Seeing the plants grow and picking the few fruits excited me even though it was probably only six or seven fruit in total!

A year later, in April 2021, and during a chat with a colleague about a gardening pilot starting at one of my trust’s other community hospitals, I knew this was my chance to get involved.

Meeting the team running the pilot project filled me with excitement, planning what we needed to do, and starting this project was mind blowing – so many things to consider such as health and safety, catering compliance, environmental health, Hawkhurst League of Friends, voluntary services and others all involved – lots of ideas exchanged and agreed or dismissed.

Finally, the green light was given and we decided this year we would go small… maybe tomatoes, some peas – the plan was to get a few bits on patients’ plates over the summer as it was pretty late starting the sowing/planting too.

Posters created and contact made with Hawkhurst League of Friends, Hawkhurst Community Fridge and information about it brought up at team meetings with nursing and facilities staff, a launch date was set.

For me, this project is about patients’ nutrition, sustainability, food miles, zero chemicals – we use a combination plant and use seaweed fertilizer etc. How I saw it running and the positives it would have on the hospital, patients and even the community plus how we are engaging with the Trusts Sustainability Strategy are all part of it too.

The Hawkhurst community, and staff, sent in donations of seeds, plants and gardening equipment and it was soon realised that the small pilot project would in fact not be so small! All in all, we had tomatoes, courgettes, peas, onions, leeks, runner beans, beetroot, kale, strawberries, raspberries, peppers, chillies, sweetcorn, cabbages, celery and more – including chitting our own potatoes!

It’s been a great time with many positives and a few failures but it’s definitely been a learning curve and below are a few things I have learned:

Get your volunteers in place before any real work starts! I had a good turn out for the launch but not many turn up when the work started so it’s been pretty difficult cooking and gardening.

Don’t get downcast at the failures. I’ve been lucky with only one big failure but I was quite negative about it until I realised this is what gardening is about.

Grow more of each plant – even if it means reducing what you plant. To make sure I get good size harvests I need more plants instead of small harvests from lots of different plants.

Work out the planting areas and what you are planting into – are you going to plant in the ground or in raised beds? Remember, if it’s the ground you’ll possibly need a soil analysis done in case there is chemical contamination.

Get a team of helpers together – people who are happy to do a bit of weeding, harvesting while on a break even. If everyone does a few minutes a week it all helps.

Keep the communication going, keep plugging the garden work and involving the community – use your organisation’s Communications Team, if you are lucky enough to have one. Post a blog every so often on your staff intranet and send photos of everything to those who are involved in setting it up.

Last of all – have fun, get involved and see the amazing harvest we can grow for our patients.

Hawkhurst Community Hospital is running special menus for its patients to celebrate British Food Fortnight. Under Sarah's enthusiasm, they are determined to source more local produce.

New Covent Garden Market: a crucial cog in the British apple season

Mon, 20 Sep 2021 15:45:18 GMT

The British apple season is in full swing and at New Covent Garden Market (NCGM), an Official Partner of Love British Food, in Nine Elms, London, it’s always a special time of year.

Sarah Calcutt is currently a Non-Executive Director of the Covent Garden Market Authority (CGMA), which manages NCGM. She is also Operations Director of British Apples & Pears and has family connections to the Market that stretch back several decades, so is pretty well versed in the relationship between the British apple industry and the country’s wholesale markets.

Sarah’s family’s connections with the fruit, veg and flower market go back decades, though, and her own experience stretches through four decades, to the time her father Bill took her to market to sell the fruit they grew on the family farm.

Her grandfather John Lawrence was a market gardener and farmer in Cranbrook and delivered trucks of berries, asparagus and apples into the old Covent Garden several decades prior to that. During World War II, when the market was particularly crucial for delivering food to the nation, deliveries were made by her grandmother Mary, while John served in the RAF.

“He ran a packing operation with other growers and also supplied customers in what is now Western International market, which was then in Brentford,” Sarah remembers. “The apples and pears were packed directly into bushels and sent straight to market, twice a week. After the war Mary ran a greengrocers in Cranbrook, so when that JH Lawrence truck went up to Covent Garden, she would go up and buy from the market too – it was a lovely two-way relationship.

“I first came to the market in the cab of my dad’s truck when I was about 10. In those days, everyone had a mixed farm and we also grew apples and hops, but it was the sale of our redcurrants, blackcurrants and whitecurrants that created crucial income to pay the wages at the start of Apple and Hop picking because they were very high value and that money worked hard for us.”

The UK market has changed, but says Sarah, wholesale markets retain an extremely important role for British apple growers of every size. You can promote your own brand and name through a wholesale market and its customers in a way that just isn’t possible any more with the national supermarket chains, every single one of which has their own brand in the fresh produce aisle. By having a recognisable brand, you have the opportunity to connect directly with the people who eat your fruit, attract them to your website or social media channels and tell your own story. That is very valuable.”

The mainstream retailers’ apple offer is predicated on imports, as less than 40% of the fruit we eat as a nation is grown here. The supermarket chains ask for fruit that fits into specific size bands and that means there is plenty of fruit grown that needs to find a market. “Several apple and pear growers don’t sell into the mainstream high street retailers at all, but it’s true that every company that markets British apples sells a proportion of their crop each year to their British wholesale market customers, who then sell them to the nation’s greengrocers, street market traders and restaurateurs. Independent greengrocers, as a general rule, prefer the bigger sizes that stand out on their shelves and which kitchen wouldn’t rather have to peel two Bramley apples than three? The fruit is the same quality, it has just the same flavour and texture – but it doesn’t fit the sizing requirements for a supermarket pack.”

Premium customers

NCGM is the iconic wholesale market brand in the UK and Sarah believes it has a unique place in the supply chain. “In my opinion, New Covent Garden Market has always been the place where you’d supply the cream of your crop. The traders do not have the option of selling poor quality fruit, because such a large volume of what they sell goes to the restaurant and hospitality sectors. No grower will have a lasting relationship with their customer in the market if they consistently deliver fruit that doesn’t meet their premium expectations. The market traders are real experts in a huge range of products, not all of which are British of course as we’re not a self-sufficient nation, but the British label is very important to them,” she says.

The market drives trends and menu changes across London and the South East, Sarah adds, giving an example in another sector to illustrate her point. “I’ve worked with Westlands, in Evesham, which produces an amazing range of British microleaves, microgreens and edible flowers, and their relationship with NCGM is vital for them, because from the traders there, they glean so much information about current and future trends and that enables them to constantly adapt their own flavours and products to match evolving demand. It’s another great example of that symbiotic relationship between those who have the plate and those who have the farm.”

This British apple season

This year, British apples and pears are set to be more juicy than might normally be expected, because after warm weather early in the growing season, most orchards were hit by prolonged periods of wet weather. “Our maritime climate is fantastic for the flavour of our apples,” says Sarah. “Raymond Blanc is one of our ambassadors and he eulogises about the flavour and is very happy to say that British apples taste better than apples from anywhere else.

The British apple season is officially launched on October 4th, as British Apples & Pears marks the beginning of peak volumes arriving on the market. However, there have been homegrown apples around since early August and during British Food Fortnight your local greengrocer will no doubt be stocking one or more of the following varieties: Early Windsor, Red Windsor, Spartan, Cox, Gala, English Bramley and the delightfully and accurately named Scrumptious.

Lockdowns and health concerns have both led to British consumers buying more apples. “The last 18 months have been extremely positive for apples,” reports Sarah. “So many people have been buying less frequently and therefore the more perishable fruits have become slightly less attractive while apples, which will last that bit longer in your fruit bowl, have become more practical.

“There is also so much evidence out there now about how beneficial apples and pears are to gut health; they are also naturally fat free and keep you fuller for longer. An apple contains 77 calories, the equivalent of six crisps and if you swapped an apple for crisps every day for a month, you’d be eating 3,120 less calories,” she says.

“That type of information is changing people’s purchasing habits too. It’s said that if you change habits for three months, you have probably changed them for life, so a lot of the changes people made during the pandemic will stick for the long term.”

For a full rundown of what’s available and when throughout the British apple season, click here . If you want to go one step further and find our which variety best suits your personal taste profile, click here .

To find a wholesaler to suit your requirements at New Covent Garden Market, click here .

British product underpins County Supplies sustainability credentials

Mon, 20 Sep 2021 15:27:51 GMT

New Covent Garden Market on the south bank of the River Thames in central London is one of Love British Food's Official Partners. County Supplies is one of the many family-businesses in the market. Brothers Robert and Oliver Hurren tell us about their business and its passion for British fruit and vegetables.

Managing director, Rob Hurren, began his life in the trade when he was just 10, when he helped his grandad and uncle on their Fulham fruit stall. When he was 12, Rob would cycle from Kingston to Fulham to help set up the stall and then wait for the lorry, full to the brim with fruit purchased from New Covent Garden Market (NCGM) that morning.

H e met NCGM veteran and family friend Peter May when he was 20 and Peter taught him all he needed to know about the industry and the complexities of buying. In 2005, Rob and Peter started County Supplies London together and although Peter sadly passed away in 2018, his presence remains in everything the business does. Several of Rob’s immediate family make up a management team who all have at least 10 years in the business and he now runs a 45-strong multinational team that speaks 15 languages and has decades of experience in picking, packing and delivering produce.

County Supplies shiny fleet of classily branded vans serves London’s top restaurants and prestigious kitchens with more than 2,000 kinds of fruits, vegetables, dairy, prepared, frozen, puree and dry foods. To meet its customer’s year-round needs, it sources product from around the world, but is particularly proud of its wide and varied British products.

“We love British produce, there is nothing quite like a fresh British strawberry or a juicy English plum,” Rob says. “We try to work with the best British growers, as we know that we’re only as good as the produce we sell. Our aim is always to source the best local produce and at the same time, keep our food miles low."

“We have a number of long term-partners, ranging from independent growers like Watkins Farm in Lancashire to larger growers such as Portwood Farm in Norfolk, which supplies us with its fabulous branded Portwood Asparagus. We love taking chefs to meet the farmer to learn more about how the produce is grown, but that’s been difficult over the last 18 months. Hopefully we’ll be able to start arranging farm visits again soon.”

This summer, County Supplies formed a new partnership with Fiveways Farm, a family-owned Essex fruit farm established in the 1930s. “Their strawberries this year were absolutely delicious, some of the best we’ve ever tasted,” Rob says, “and they came in composite packaging, which our customers really valued. We hand-picked and packed over 3,000 punnets for one of our biggest corporate customers, so they could celebrate Wimbledon at their desks!”

Rob’s younger brother Ollie is the company’s head buyer. He has watched the attitude to British fresh produce evolve during his time at NCGM. “The market for fresh produce in the UK has undergone substantial change over the past two decades,” Ollie says. “We’ve broadened our palette to eat a wider variety of fresh produce and we all give more thought to the origin of the food we’re eating and its carbon footprint. We want to know here our food comes from, and how it’s grown. We care much more about what we’re putting in our mouths and the impact we’re having on the people who grow it and the environment."

“Our customers have become much more responsive and are always looking for best quality and freshest produce,” he adds. “There really is nothing better when British produce is fresh and in season. If you bought it from us, the cauliflower on your plate today was more than likely in the ground less than 24 hours ago.”

Customer demand is a big driver, of course, but the desire to do the right thing comes from within, says Rob. “At County Supplies, we’re keen to do our part to protect the planet. We’re proud of our accreditations and we try to work with people who live up to high standards of sustainable farming. To combat waste, we help customers and advise kitchens on how to reduce the amount of packaging they use – trying recyclable brown bags, returnable crates. We also pick up any recyclable waste and take it back to the full-onsite recycling facility at NCGM. Being located in central London means that we can support a wide range of businesses, keeping our own miles low and creating a centre of excellence.

“We are constantly reviewing packaging and our own sustainability policies to enable us to deliver the best fresh produce in a sustainable way. We actually have a partnership with Waste Knot* to supply delicious fruit and veg, which wouldn’t otherwise be eaten or supplied to the catering industry. Due to strict cosmetic standards and oversupply, there is a large proportion of fresh produce, which finds itself destined for landfill or is simply left to rot in the fields."

“We all need to reduce food waste. By partnering with Waste Knot, County Supplies continues to supply the very best produce, whilst encouraging our customers to use more sustainable ingredients.”

To find a wholesaler to suit your requirements at New Covent Garden Market, click here .

* Waste Knot works to ensure that as many surplus vegetables as possible picked from British farmers’ fields find their way into chefs’ kitchens.

For the Love of British Food

Mon, 20 Sep 2021 15:13:12 GMT

Love British Food Ambassador and author of For the Love of the Land and For the Love of the Sea, Jenny Jefferies, writes about why she loves the national food celebrations.

British Food Fortnight is a truly committed and heartfelt celebration of British food and drink, suppliers and producers. After such an awful 18 months from being hugely impacted by the global pandemic and also from the unique issues related to Brexit, now more than ever, we must highlight, share and celebrate our wonderful and passionate farmers, fishermen, and all those in the hospitality sector.

Everyone can join in the Autumn celebrations including individuals, organisations, businesses, universities, schools, shops, supermarkets, pubs, restaurants, hospitals, care homes, politicians, army, prisons and many more!

What a huge, great and highly anticipated event that encompasses the enormity of basic provisions that is our food and drink! Aren’t we all so incredibly lucky to be an island nation that can enjoy such a vast array of food and the luxury of choice of some fantastic produce within our majestic land and from around our beautiful coastal waters?

British Food Fortnight celebrations coincide with Organic September, Sustainable Seafood Week and Scottish Food and Drink Fortnight which just simply illustrates how passionate producers are in engaging with their consumers and the British public. Hoping to help bridge the gap between producer and consumer in an educating, informative and entertaining way with stories, recipes, menus, tastings, activities and celebrations. Follow @LoveBritishFood to help keep abreast of all the festivities that are happening across the length and breadth of the country between the 18th September and 3rd October 2021.

We can all play our part in supporting British farmers and food producers by buying local, buying seasonally, buying sustainably and above all buying British.

As Loren Hiller, a Commercial Manager at the Marine Stewardship Council says in 'For The Love Of The Sea': “One way that you can make a positive change is by choosing the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) blue label when buying fish and seafood. Choosing fish and seafood with the blue MSC label makes it easier to identify products that have been sourced sustainably from a well-managed fishery with limited impacts on the environment. The MSC’s approach means that everyone can play a part in safeguarding the future of our oceans and seafood supplies. When you buy a product with the blue fish label, you become part of a virtuous circle, helping to protect the productivity and health of our oceans.”

British Food Fortnight should be every week of the year and is becoming more and more popular, successful and important as the years go by since its birth in 2001.

Alexia Robinson, whose idea it was, wanted to do something to help revive rural communities and to give farmers a reason to continue to farm and look to the future with optimism. British Food Fortnight was born out of her desire to get the public motivated to buy British food.

Love British Food!

Enjoy!

Barnsley's British Food Fortnight

Mon, 20 Sep 2021 14:50:57 GMT

Barnsley Council in South Yorkshire is taking part in British Food Fortnight. Here the Project Officer who is organising their activities writes about everything taking place during the two weeks.

I am a Project Officer for Barnsley Council and have put together a programme of events for British Food Fortnight called 'Good Food Fortnight' to promote food businesses in the markets, town centre and wider borough.

A week before the Fortnight started, we launched the 'Barnsley Larder' cookbook, a collection of recipes supplied by the Market Kitchen vendors (street food units in the market), market traders and local restaurants. The recipes range from traditional British dishes, such as the Barnsley Chop and Shepherd's Pie, to traditional international dishes, such as Pork Gyros and Prawn Tom Yum Soup. The book also includes helpful hints and tips about food preparation, as well as exactly where to source the ingredients locally. To celebrate the launch, we held cooking demonstrations in the atrium of the market - The Market Oven demonstrated their Onion Bread recipe, Dolly's Desserts made Rocky Road Cookie Dough and Jar Bar made Pork Gyros, Cevapi and Lepinje.

During the cooking demonstrations, we handed out recipe cards. We are now running a social media cooking competition; we are posting copies of the recipes from the demonstrations on social media and encouraging members of the public to recreate the recipes before posting a picture on social media tagging the official Barnsley & District Markets pages. They will then receive a free copy of the 'Barnsley Larder' when they show their post to a member of the Markets Team in the market between Wednesday 29th September and Saturday 2nd October.

Alternatively, members of the public will also be able to get a free copy of the cookbook when they register with the Mi Rewards scheme. Mi Rewards is a loyalty-based rewards programme whereby customers gain points when they shop at registered businesses. They are then entered into prize draws based on the amount of points they have collected. If members of the public register with Mi Rewards during September, they will receive a free copy of the cookbook when they show proof of their account to a member of the Markets Team in the market between Wednesday 29th September and Saturday 2nd October.

To celebrate 'Good Food Fortnight' we are planning to run a series of double-point promotions through the Mi Rewards scheme. Each weekday (excluding Sunday) will have a theme, and when customers shop at the businesses associated with that theme on that day, they will receive double-points with Mi Rewards. The themes are: Meat-Free Monday, Treat-Yourself Tuesday, Heart-Warming Wednesday, Meat-Feast Thursday, Fish-Supper Friday and Savoury Saturday. To promote this further, I will promote different local businesses throughout the fortnight via our social media channels and state which businesses customers will be able to receive the double-points at.

On Wednesday 29th September, local poet and author Ian MacMillan will be giving a short talk about the cookbook and signing copies of the 'Barnsley Larder' for members of the public who have signed up for Mi Rewards. There will be a member of staff on site to help customers sign up for the scheme if they haven't done so already.

We will then be running more cooking demonstrations between Thursday 30th September and Saturday 2nd October, although the timetable for these is yet to be confirmed.

As you can see, we are using British Food Fortnight to promote local food businesses and to encourage residents to shop locally, using local produce. And we are having a lot of fun doing so!

Reconnect your health back to REAL food and our land

Thu, 16 Sep 2021 09:19:49 GMT

Love British Food's nutritionist, Lucy Williamson, writes about The Gut Project, a programme she has developed to help us invest in our, and nature's, long-term health by reconnecting our health with real food and farming.

Congratulations Love British Food! The 20th year of your national celebration of the diverse and delicious food that Britain produces is here! It's a way of rejoicing in the food that is grown on our doorsteps, tasting a part of Britain’s heritage and importantly, supporting farmers who maintain our beautiful countryside.

Eating seasonal fruit and vegetables, wholegrains like oats, barley and even British chia seed and Quinoa now being farmed in Essex as well as our nutrient-rich, high quality dairy, meat, fish & eggs as part of a plant-based diet, nurtures our all important gut bacteria (our microbiome) for our best health!

Just as nurturing our microbiome looks after our long-term health, it also begins to help nature to thrive – the foods which are key in encouraging good gut bacteria, need to be sourced from healthy soils; good for us and good for our planet!

With a background as a Vet and now as a Nutritionist, I've founded The Gut Project. This aims to share the importance of REAL, unprocessed food so that our gut microbes, which impact our health, can thrive. Together with some fabulous British farmers & food producers, we show you all the benefits of sustainably sourced Fish, Eggs, Dairy and pasture-fed Beef within a plant-based diet, all wrapped up in a series of GUT HEALTH workshops; a new approach to simple, sustainable health!

To find out more visit: https://lwnutrition.co.uk/gut-project-2/

For #British Food Fortnight (NOW!) BOOK HERE using discount code GutProject10

Our British farmers have been encouraged to farm for maximum yield for decades; changing this to focus on soil health and food quality takes time and investment - it’s a huge change but it’s going in the right direction. This nature-positive farming not only ensures healthy soils, which in turn benefit our health via our food but science is also showing that time spent in nature and living close to our land is hugely beneficial for our microbiome; healthy soils provide many of the same microbes beneficial to us!

Reconnecting our health back to REAL food from British farmers & food producers ensures we know how & where our food is grown, adding to the joy of sharing food together and ensuring farmers are truly valued for their produce.

Community! Isn't that what it's all about?

For every-day nutrition tips follow Lucy on Instagram: @lucywilliamsonnutrition or visit my website: https://lwnutrition.co.uk/ and see all Lucy's nutritional advice on the nutritional pages on this site: https://lovebritishfood.co.uk/advice-from-our-nutritionist .

How some of Britain's earliest, sweetest soft fruit is grown

Sun, 12 Sep 2021 15:33:58 GMT

Some of Britain's earliest, sweetest soft fruit is grown in the New Forest by the New Forest Fruit Company. They are Food Hero members of Love British Food. This is their story.

Nestled in the heart of the beautiful New Forest National Park is a very special kind of fruit farm, aptly named New Forest Fruit. The company is led by owner Sandy Booth who joined as a business partner, fully taking over in 2018.

New Forest Fruit is now in its twelfth year of trading, selling to leading supermarkets, local farm shops and greengrocers. The farm is situated over three sites which spans eighty hectares. Sandy’s team consists of several close-knit departments, which cover every aspect of the business and really gives the company the feel of being family run.

The growing season at New Forest Fruit starts in February and goes right through to December. The first crops to be harvested are Asparagus followed closely by Strawberries in March, and a small number of Raspberries and Blueberries later in the warmer summer months.

The main varieties of Strawberry grown are Ania, Malling Centenary, Murano, Sweetlife, Cantus and Favouri and are all picked due to their good productivity, beautiful flavour, and resistance to disease. Around forty different varieties are trialled each year; however, it takes roughly seven years for a new variety to be fully tested and approved before it can be available for the open market.

All the Strawberry crops are grown on a tabletop system, which allows the crops to be harvested efficiently and eliminates the back breaking work often associated with Strawberry harvesting. Coir is the growing media used, which is a renewable resource produced from the husk of coconuts, more sustainable than peat. The Coir biodegradable Grow Bags are used for two years then the Coir is tipped out and recycled to grow crops of Asparagus, also on a tabletop system.

Over the past three years, techniques developed at New Forest Fruit mean that the use of fertilisers and chemicals has been greatly reduced. Plus, the usage of biological controls has been implemented, which simply put, is the use of natural enemies to control pests and with very successful results.

New Forest Fruit is not only a proud member of LEAF (Linking Environment And Farming) but also a member of New Forest Marque, Red Tractor and is BRC accredited. They are Food Hero members of Love British Food.

Major investments have recently been made in the form of three new reservoirs and to utilise these reservoirs, Strawberry tunnels with their own drainage systems have been installed. The system collects rainwater via specially designed gutters and then feeds the water directly into the reservoirs - a perfect way to contribute to sustainable farming practices.

This also means that the water supply for all the crops is sourced directly and can be maintained in house. Strawberries are 88% water, so the best quality water is imperative. The better the water quality, the stronger and healthier the plants and fruit can become.

To complement the diverse range of flora and fauna in and around the farm, bat and bird boxes and bee hotels have been installed. Also, wildlife corridors have been created to ensure the wildlife continues to flourish.

London's Borough Market

Sun, 12 Sep 2021 14:49:59 GMT

Borough Market in the heart of London is a hub for the most delicious British food from across the country. They have supported Love British Food's work for many years and are taking part in this year's British Food Fortnight. Here is a short history.

Borough Market is a central London food market with more than 100 traders, whose diverse offering is underpinned by a commitment to quality, sustainability and traceability

Borough Market’s story began 1,000 years ago, when a market took shape at the foot of London Bridge. It has been in its current location since 1756, run by a charitable trust on behalf of the community. Today, its mission is to show that food can be made and sold in ways that are better for people, for the planet and for the sheer pleasure of eating.

Its 100-plus stalls, stands, shops and restaurants are all completely distinctive – unique in the food they sell and in the people who sell it. What they all have in common, though, is their level of knowledge and expertise, their commitment to doing things the right way and the emphasis they place on making or sourcing the best food they possibly can.

While Borough Market reflects the international character of London, it is also a source of high-quality British food. Among the producers with stalls at the Market are dairy farmers and cheesemakers from Somerset and Sussex, vegetable farmers and foragers from Kent, scallop divers from Devon, oystermen from Essex, pie makers and livestock farmers from Leicestershire, cider makers from Hampshire, and bakers and chocolatiers from London. They are joined by numerous cheesemongers, fishmongers, greengrocers and butchers who source their produce from like-minded producers around the UK.

Borough Market is a Food Hero member of Love British Food.

Farm to Fork: The Challenge of Sustainable Farming in 21st Century Britain

Sun, 12 Sep 2021 14:10:13 GMT

Joe Stanley has been an Ambassador for Love British Food for many years. He is one of the leading voices promoting all that is best about British food and farming. Here he writes about his new book, which is published the week before British Food Fortnight.

Food and farming have rarely been more prominent in our national discourse than in recent years. Brexit, covid and climate change have raised the issue of how – and where – our food is produced to a level scarcely seen in peace time, as the complacency western society has felt towards its food over recent decades has begun to feel less assured. Hardly a week passes without a major news story with farming at its heart, while audiences continue to grow for programmes such as Clarkson’s Farm and Countryfile or books such as English Pastoral and Field Work.

Yet despite this, it still feels like we have never been more disconnected from the reality of where our food comes from. Less than 1.5 per cent of us now work the land, and urbanisation and the rise of the supermarket has in many cases reduced the countryside to an abstraction and food to a shrink-wrapped, foil-covered convenience to which we pay little mind. Yet if we do not understand something, how can we truly care about it? How can we differentiate between food produced in a sustainable and fair fashion, and that which fuels the fires of global deforestation or social inequality if we delve no further than its price or convenience? Moreover, in the age of social media the ‘truth’ many often seek about our food and farming systems can often come from those who are themselves least well informed as to the reality, with damaging results.

It was with this in mind that I decided to write Farm to Fork: The Challenge of Sustainable Farming in 21 ^st Century Britain. I wanted to tell the story of the average lowland mixed farm, taking the reader on a journey through the seasons of my own family farm on which I have spent the last twelve years. I aim to explain to the non-farming reader what I do to produce the food they eat (and why), and the journey it takes to get to their plate, focussing on my own experience of arable, beef, dairy and sheep. But, of course, farming is about more than the food produced: farmers manage more than 70 per cent of the British landscape; we are quite literally stewards of our shared national inheritance, and I wanted to explain the mistakes that have been made in the past, the improvements that we are making and our hopes for an even brighter future.

On the way, I hoped also to explain some of the challenges facing British farmers today. Climate change; our exit from the European Union; poorly-negotiated trade deals; the dominance of big retailers. All these and more are applying unprecedented pressure to farm finances, farmer welfare and our national food security. But there are also opportunities, as presented by the potential for climate-friendly food and the passion that the British people have for high quality domestic produce.

I’m proud to be a British farmer; in this country we grow some of the most sustainable food in the world with some of the highest welfare standards to be found anywhere. That pride is reflected in Farm to Fork, and also in the Love British Food campaign which I’m delighted to be associated with, especially during British Food Fortnight. I hope that my book will help to illuminate the everyday workings of farms up and down the country, and point the way towards a greener and more sustainable farming future for us all.

Joe Stanley is a farmer, conservationist and writer and a passionate advocate for sustainability and high standards in food and farming. He is rarely to be found more than ten feet away from his trusty Jack Russel terriers, Ted & Toby.

An Enterprising Tale about Food

Wed, 01 Sep 2021 06:07:45 GMT

The story behind Love British Food’s partner, The Produce Market.

In 2019 farmers in the U.K. received on average only 8% of the final value of their products, with the majority of the profit being absorbed by the middle of the supply chain.

My wife and I have launched The Produce Market as a community orientated project, creating both a local and national food marketplace for farmers and other food and drinks producers to sell directly through, removing the middle men.

The Produce Market is a place for farmers or fishermen to sell direct to the public or local chefs, a place for someone producing honey, eggs, jams, cakes, fruit etc to sell from either locally or nationally, or simply a place for small food businesses of any sort to show off their products and reach more retail or wholesale customers in a simple and cost effective manner. Plus we take no commission so sellers keep everything they make ensuring all money spent goes back into our local communities. We don’t want to be taking 10,20,30% of every sale and this way we can help our small producers build a sustainable future.

At the moment if you want to sell fresh fruit or vegetables, eggs, homemade food, handmade cheese from your farm, there is no ‘go to’ place online to sell food from like there is if you make crafts to sell on Etsy or if you have something to sell on EBay. Our vision is to create the biggest online platform for buying and selling food and drinks and use it to drive a sustainable future for British food producers. Anyone can sign up and start selling for free in just a few minutes.

The ability to sell direct is going to be essential to create a sustainable future for our farmers, fishermen and other small businesses, and ultimately for our local communities and the environment we live in. Intensive farming, factory production and selling these products via multinationals doesn’t do this.

We are also developing a wholesale marketplace based on the same commission free principle - it will look the same as the retail site but chefs and other trade buyers such as independent shops or cafes can register and log in to view trade prices and source local or unique products. The idea is that if you are a farmer or home baker for example you can sell your produce to a local chef or cafe and it gives these chefs and cafes somewhere to find you as well. Similarly for a farm shop to find new local producers or a bar in London to find a tiny micro distillery somewhere in Scotland for example so they can stock something a bit different. A farmer can even use it to sell grain direct to a brewery or independent mill, all without any middle men. We are looking to launch this later in the year sometime.

We are looking to collaborate with as many producers, associations, publications, chefs or anyone else supporting British producers as possible to help promote British produce and share what we are doing. We will soon have a community area in the website too to publish articles and share events and stories - please get in touch if you are interested in working together so we can do everything we can to build a sustainable future for our producers and communities.

Come and see for yourselves! Visit www.theproducemarket.co.uk

Proud to be Love British Food's online retail partner!

Thatchers - The Family Cider Makers

Wed, 25 Aug 2021 15:28:50 GMT

Established in 1904, Thatchers is a family cider business and an Official Partner of Love British Food. This is their story.

The saying from orchard to glass has never been so timely as we enter our annual apple harvest. It is such an important time of year to shine a spotlight on the dedication to quality that all our apple growers proudly demonstrate, day in, day out through the hard work and pride they put into growing the very best quality apples. And this passion for quality allows our cider makers in turn to craft the very best tasting ciders here at Myrtle Farm.

This harvest, as we do every year, we’re celebrating the growers and cider makers that create the British tradition that is cider, from pip to pint.

We are really proud of the fact that we are a family company and craft all our ciders here at Myrtle Farm in Somerset – the same farm that my Great Grandfather, William Thatcher, first started making cider back in 1904. William and his son Stan, my Grandfather, were indeed the original craft cider makers, honing the skills that have now been passed down through four generations, with our fifth generation beginning to make their mark too.

We have growers throughout the West Country, some of whom have worked with us for many years, others are much newer, but they all have one thing in common, and that’s taking great care of their apples and meeting our expectations of quality. Their commitment plays a huge part in Thatchers’ journey of creating innovative, high quality ciders for today’s rapidly changing consumer tastes and demands.

At Thatchers, we are one big family. So each year we hold a growers day, to which we invite all our contracted growers. The day is all about working in partnership, sharing our values, and how we all contribute to making the highest quality cider in this ever changing environment.

This year we updated our growers with our trials of growing traditional varieties on new planting regimes, part of our continuing investment and development of our orchards. For many years we have been researching and trialling new methods of orcharding with traditional and modern apple varieties, in fact we took part in the industry wide research led by the National Association of Cider Makers of 29 new varieties introduced back in 2010.

As the cider market evolves, and tastes change, new styles of cider become popular, and as a cider maker it’s important for us to look ahead and plant the varieties of apple that create contemporary style ciders. Apple trees take up to 7 years after planting to crop effectively, so with our growers we take a long- term approach to the varieties we grow.

“We gain so much from the close relationship we have with Thatchers,” says Herefordshire grower Philip Griffiths. “The annual growers’ day is a great place to share experiences, but most of all it gives us confidence that we’re supplying fruit to a cider maker that is committed to quality through and through.”

“From one family business to another, we love growing apples for Thatchers. Their ethos for quality is exactly in line with how we work. We supply what our customers want, and Thatchers want the best. Their success is our success. So we invest in our farm to make success happen.

“Knowing you’re working with people who have the same values as you breeds a successful working relationship. By talking directly to the Thatcher family, this makes a big difference.”

Philip has been growing apples on his Herefordshire farm for Thatchers since 2016 – and now has 150 acres of orchard for Thatchers, with favourite apples Gilly, Jane, Helen, 3 Counties, and Dabinett chosen, varieties that we select for our range of award-winning ciders.

Meanwhile Robert Lane has been growing apples for us for almost 20 years at his mixed farm in Ilminster, South Somerset. With an almost perfect climate in the cider-loving county for cultivating bittersweet apples, Robert grows both Dabinett and Redstreak on 50 acres, apples that our cider makers favour in our blends for their tannins and body.

“We work closely with Thatchers to supply the apples they want, in the way they want them. Quality comes first every time.

“Attending the annual apple growers day at Myrtle Farm is a really beneficial experience. It's full of useful information and always inspires us when we hear how well cider sales are going. It’s always a motivation to really look after the apples and keep the quality high, as we know they’ll be going into a fantastic end product that people love.”

We always select the varieties of apple we need carefully to make the best cider in the way only we know how, and we work with our growers to reach the highest quality. On his Devon farm, Ian Batchelor grows varieties such as Dabinett, Yarlington Mill and Michelin.

“Different varieties harvest at different times, so this is invaluable when it comes to managing what is already an exceptionally busy time of year for us. The apples are harvested and sent straight to the Thatchers mill for the following morning.”

Ian and wife Yta’s farm in mid Devon is a traditional area for growing apples. With a deep, sandy loam red soil, his ground is free draining and south facing – so the trees absorb the sunlight, all contributing to the best quality fruit.

“Thatchers has given us the confidence to invest in the farm. My father grew apples before me – so as a family we know the industry, but having Thatchers support us all the way makes everything worth while.”

Hampshire Fare: Celebrating 30 Years of Local

Mon, 09 Aug 2021 11:58:04 GMT

Hampshire Fare has been a long standing partner of Love British Food. They are leaders in promoting their county's wonderful local produce across the community and in particular in schools and colleges. This is their story.

Suddenly the conversation is all about local! This is a consequence of the pandemic accelerating an appreciation of local. This is partly in recognition of local producers and independent retailers going above and beyond to keep communities fed and cupboards stocked. It is also in part a move towards more considered and considerate consumerism.

County food and drink group Hampshire Fare is an integral part of this movement. In lockdown Hampshire Fare stepped up its work, supporting members and keeping consumers informed by producing and distributing listings of members’ click and collect and home delivery services. This was followed, as restrictions eased, by the launch of an award-winning #StayLoyalStayLocal campaign.

30 Years & Counting

However, Hampshire Fare has been promoting local for 30 years. It started in 1991 when a small group of farmers came together to form Hampshire Fare, one of the UK’s first county food groups. The purpose was to promote the extraordinary abundance that Hampshire’s diverse landscape of coast and chalk stream rivers, downland, farmland, heath and forest produces.

Three decades on and Hampshire Fare has grown into a dynamic and highly respected community interest community with about 400 members. These include not only producers, but independent retailers and hospitality venues, spread across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight and over county boundaries into neighbouring West Sussex, Surrey, Berkshire, Wiltshire and Dorset.

The remit has developed, too. Hampshire Fare has helped establish new routes to market by fostering connections between producers, retailers and chefs, and created opportunities to raise the profile of Hampshire produce with consumers, both locally and nationally. This has included the hugely ambitious, month-long Hampshire Food Festival, the annual Local Produce Guide, the Great Hampshire Sausage & Pie Competition, the Hampshire Charcuterie initiative, plus taking Hampshire produce to the Houses of Parliament and London’s Borough Market.

British Food Fortnight

Hampshire Fare has also gone into colleges and schools to raise the profile of local among students and pupils. This included Hampshire Fare taking local producers into primary schools as part of British Food Fortnight to run inspiring sessions and encourage children to consider the provenance of their food. As a result, Hampshire Fare won the opportunity to launch British Food Fortnight in 2019, choosing Wicor School as the location for the launch, as it was an opportunity to highlight just what a local primary school can achieve.

Tracy Nash, Commercial Manager, Hampshire Fare, says, “It is hugely satisfying working with students and pupils. I love the way they become really engaged and interested in what our producers are sharing with them and the stories behind local food. It is like planting a small seed that will gradually grow and could potentially have a really positive impact on their lifestyle choices, and benefit local communities and the environment.”

30th Anniversary Celebrations

Hampshire Fare has taken advantage of its 30 ^th Anniversary to create a variety of imaginative ways to share its celebrations. These have included a bespoke, artist-drawn Crest featuring Hampshire’s wealth of produce from the traditional, such as hops, strawberries, trout and watercress, to more recent additions, among them buffalo mozzarella, Black Mitcham peppermint, rapeseed and vines. People may spot the Crest with the slogan ‘Proud to be a Hampshire Fare member’ in the windows of independent shops, cafes and restaurants.

In addition, the same artist is responsible for a specially commissioned area map featuring members’ produce. Following requests, this is now available as an art edition print through Last Maps.

Hampshire Fare has also recently launched the Hampshire Fare Collection of hampers, filled with members’ produce and available through Hampshire Fare member, New Forest Hamper Company. These are a great way to celebrate 30 years of Hampshire Fare while supporting local businesses and enjoying a taste of Hampshire as a gift or a treat.

Finally, following funding for a liveried van, Hampshire Fare continues with its ‘Roadshow’, taking to the road visiting members throughout the region and spreading the word about local.

To find out more about Hampshire Fare’s work promoting local visit www.hampshirefare.co.uk

Photograph above: The Electric Eye Photography

Good things happen through food

Mon, 02 Aug 2021 09:45:28 GMT

... it nourishes community, our health and our land!

A producer said to me recently:

“Good things happen through food!”

It’s a great way to simplify the message around Food, Farming and our Health!

Our farmers have been encouraged to farm intensively over the last few decades: to focus on yield rather than quality, requiring chemicals rather than pasture rotations and heavy machinery, compacting soils already lacking in dry matter still further & reducing soil cover. We now know this isn’t the best way – in turning the tide towards more regenerative farming, good things are already happening through food:

Farmers are reminded of their vital role producing food; it’s not just a commodity which leaves the farm for processing in a long food supply chain, but real food for our nourishment. Real food which still looks like it did when it left the producer!

Increasing biodiversity is leading to healthy soils which smell wonderful again! Full of countless microbes - bacteria, yeasts and fungi which ensure the food they grow, animal or arable, is richer in nutrients and a much more effective carbon-sink. (these microbes happen to be very similar to our own gut bacteria too!)

Food within these systems which farm in nature’s image, is more nutrient-rich & literally feeds our health – too much processed food is one of the main drivers of chronic diseases like Heart disease, Cancer, Type 2 Diabetes and Obesity.

Cows – our great Upcyclers! Beef and Dairy reared on pasture-fed and grass-fed systems work with nature – cows convert plentiful yet inedible grass to nutrient rich food for us! This is a blog in itself so far better to listen to the podcast below, recorded among the pasture leys with insects and bees buzzing, sitting in the same field as some very content Red Devon native cows on Bailey Hill Farm (Native Beef) Buckinghamshire!

Getting back to more local supply systems not only prevents further nutrient loss through processing and transport but crucially gives better returns for our hard-working farmers and the local community – you get to know your food producer too!

It’s all win win!

My visit to Bailey Hill Farm, pasture-fed Beef and Sheep: https://youtu.be/KHfQcBcaegY

A Food Festival for the Autumn

Thu, 29 Jul 2021 17:22:39 GMT

The Thame Food Festival takes place every year during British Food Fortnight. It is one of the best food festivals in the country.

Great British food, wine and music at Thame Food Festival this September.

Love food…wine…music…not to mention fun? Then join us for the return of the Thame Food Festival on the 25th & 26th September 2021, the middle weekend of British Food Fortnight.

The time has come to celebrate everything our wonderful artisan and street food producers offer. This year’s event is promising to be a real foodie destination with a myriad of food and drink experiences. There will be chef and baker demonstrations galore, a pop-up pub, live music and children’s activities.

Over 100 artisan producers will be showcasing their food and drink delights. You will be spoilt for choice…sweet, savoury, hot, cold, vegetarian, vegan – something delicious to suit every taste! Many will be offering samples, alongside workshops and demonstrations; or why not stop by and ask them more about their business, why they created it and how they have found the last year or so.

Topping this will be numerous demonstrations on the main Stoves stage, featuring Alex Hollywood, Steven Carter-Bailey, Tristan Welch, The Crabstock Boys and Jun Tanaka to name just a few. Plus the wonderful Sarah Wyndham-Lewis – a leading Honey Sommelier – from Bermondsey Street Bees will be joining the stage on the Saturday. She will be sharing the principles of making honey infusions and then will finish off with quick honey-based cocktail!

Food Glorious Food Stage

For the first time, there will be the opportunity to get up close and personal with many of our stallholders as they share some of their insights on their business. This will include exploring more about the journey they have been on, why they love what they do and revealing the personalities behind the businesses.

Pop Up Pub

Brought to you by FestivAles, these areas will be packed to the rafters with tasty tipples. This will include a fantastic range of local award-winning brews or if cider is more your thing, then there will be delicious Peto Press on tap. Straight from Iford Estate, where they use their ancient orchards to create elegant ciders they will be available alongside delicious traditional ciders from Lilley’s in Somerset.

Dog Demonstration and Show

Once again, there will be dog shows and demonstrations by Hearing Dogs for Deaf People. Enter your four-legged companion into one (or more) categories on the day. All money raised goes directly to the charity.

More than just food

For the shopaholics out there, step into the marquee of eclectic home and kitchenware with Humble Country. And while you are with us get the festival vibes with the dedicated live music area.

There will also be lots of entertainment for the kids, with a dedicated Children’s Activity Area. Local charity Thomley will be joining with face painting, glitter tattoos, archery, giant bubbles, and more. Plus, there will be all sorts of circus workshops, so if you’ve ever wanted to learn to juggle, polish your hula hooping skills or try you luch on the slackline, then head over to the Flotsam and The Fool Circus Tent. All will be free to attend, but any donation to Thomley will be very welcome.

Come for the day…or the weekend

There’s something to appeal to everyone! Easily accessible from Thame town centre with plenty of free parking if you are coming from further afield - come for the day or extend your visit over the weekend.

You can book with Covid-19 Confidence

Official guidance from the UK Gov, PHE and SODC is continuously being monitored and we will make sure the festival adheres to the latest guidance to ensure all visitors, stallholders, staff and volunteers enjoy a safe time. Should Coronavirus affect our ability to hold the festival, then we will transfer your booking or offer a full refund on your visitor tickets. However, please note that we will not be able to refund the handling fee.

Entrance in advance is £10 (plus VAT and £2.50 handling fee) or per day or £17 (plus VAT and £2.50 handling fee) for an adult weekend ticket. All accompanied children under 16 go free. Buy in advance online and be entered into our Magimix Prize Draw to win a Food Processor. If you join us on the day then entrance on the gate over the weekend is £12 adults (including vat) with no weekend tickets available.

Come eat, drink and do! Join us for a fun, fabulous, feasting family day out!

Please see the festival website for details of artisan stalls, street food markets, and chef and baker demos on the Big Cookery Stage:

www.thamefoodfestival.co.uk

A Story about a Sausage Company

Fri, 16 Jul 2021 12:32:35 GMT

Broad Oak Farm Sausage Company, in the beautiful Essex village of Hatfield Broad Oak, was founded in 1927 by a local GP and farmer using the Doctor's own pigs and a traditional recipe sourced by the Matron of the local Cottage Hospital. This is their story.

Broad Oak Farm Sausage Company was founded in 1927. This Essex business began by producing sausages using local pigs and a traditional Irish recipe. The discernible flavour quickly found favour with its customers.

In 1966 while England was winning the World Cup, the Simons family took over the business. Reg Simons had been working for the local butcher and purchased the business believing he could continue the tradition and quality.

This was to be the start of a legacy of ownership and development by the Simons’ family, now in its third generation. Reg was joined by his son Roger in those early days and then by grandson Christopher in 2001.

Originally operating from small premises in Hatfield Broad Oak the family increased their range of products and gradually expanded the business, eventually moving to a purpose-built factory constructed on nearby land. Broad Oak maintains its roots by continuing to produce quality meat products in the idyllic village of Hatfield Broad Oak, supported by a loyal and dedicated workforce.

These days Broad Oak still has a firm family philosophy with traditional views on quality and variety. Chris is very involved in the day-to-day management, keeping his eye on all aspects of production with his strong management team. Many customers have become firm family friends.

At Broad Oak we are very proud of our reputation which is backed up by our total quality management AA grade certification from BRC (British retail consortium) and numerous industry awards.

We now produce a wide variety of sausages from the traditional recipes such as the Premium Pork, Cumberland and Lincolnshire to our range of flavoured sausages including Pork and Apple, Pork and Honey, Pork and Chilli and many more. Our selection of cooked hams include honey roasted, mustard as well as smoked ham which is traditionally smoked over oakwood chippings using a woodchip smoker.

Our commitment to product development over the years has seen the range expand to include our award-winning hotdogs, burgers and meatballs. All our speciality products are produced using British Farm Assured pork and beef combined with the finest full flavoured ingredients.

With a flat management structure, it means that we can innovate, create, and quickly deliver a variety of products that could take many months in larger organisations.

Every effort is made to source local meat and to support the local economy. We provide a quality delivery service to major supermarkets, local, independent shops, delicatessens, schools, restaurants, pubs, and cafes.

Looking to the future, Chris envisions that the business will continue to develop and grow with product development and continued innovation being key factors. Customers still favour the high-quality traditional recipes but also want the option of a variety of new innovative flavours and ideas.

Broad Oak, making food for moments that matter.

The Broad Oak Sausage Company is proud to be one of Love British Food's 'Food Heroes'. You can buy direct via their website here:

https://www.lovebritishfood.co.uk/food-heroes/food-hero-broad-oak-farm-sausages

Good things happen through food

Thu, 01 Jul 2021 07:20:13 GMT

Love British Food's nutritionist, Lucy Williamson, gives her thoughts on how to simplify the message around food, farming and our health.

A producer said to me recently:

“Good things happen through food!”

It’s a great way to simplify the message around Food, Farming and our Health!

We now know this isn’t the best way – in turning the tide towards more regenerative farming, good things are already happening through food:

Farmers are reminded of their vital role producing food; it’s not just a commodity which leaves the farm for processing in a long food supply chain, but real food for our nourishment. Real food which still looks like it did when it left the producer!

Increasing biodiversity is leading to healthy soils which smell wonderful again! Full of countless microbes - bacteria, yeasts and fungi which ensure the food they grow, animal or arable, is richer in nutrients and a much more effective carbon-sink.

Food within these systems which farm in nature’s image is more nutrient-rich & literally feeds our health – too much processed food is one of the main drivers of chronic diseases like Heart disease, Cancer, Type 2 Diabetes and Obesity.

We’re eating a more plant-based diet, and this is a good thing – science shows our gut health, and our overall health needs more fibre in our diet. BUT, and here’s the crucial bit – ‘Plant-based’ means just that – food choices that are based around plants – 70% of our plate in fact should be filled with them. The other third will do wonders for our long-term health if it’s based on animal sources like Dairy, Meat, Fish and Eggs. These foods help to avoid vital nutrient-gaps like Iron: poorly available from plants but vital for growth & brain development and every system in our body which requires energy. Vit B12: only available from animal foods and prevents anaemia, keeps nerves healthy and helps to preserve brain function in later life. Omega 3: fish gives us the type for its health-giving functions from heart health & stroke prevention to brain health too. Plant Omega 3 is different and difficult for our bodies to use in the same beneficial way.

Cows – our great Upcyclers! Beef and Dairy reared on pasture-fed and grass-fed systems work with nature – cows convert plentiful yet inedible grass to nutrient rich food for us! This is a blog in itself so far better to listen to the podcast below, recorded among the pasture leys with insects and bees buzzing, sitting in the same field as some very content Red Devon native cows on Bailey Hill Farm (Native Beef) Buckinghamshire!

Getting back to more local supply systems not only prevents further nutrient loss through processing and transport but crucially gives better returns for our hard-working farmers and the local community – you get to know your food producer too!

It’s all win win!

Good things happen through food – next time, all the hidden & valuable nutrients in Dairy…

My visit to Bailey Hill Farm, pasture-fed Beef and Sheep: https://youtu.be/KHfQcBcaegY

Calling our Farmers! This year, together with another fabulous Nutritionist, Georgine Rees and Chef and farm shop owner, Katy Brill, I’ve founded The Gut Project. Its aim is to reconnect our health with REAL food & farming… often with the help of our own gut microbes (as well as those in healthy soils). Please get in touch if you would like us to promote your produce, your farming story and its benefits to our health! More here:

https://lwnutrition.co.uk/gut-project/

In Celebration of British Beer

Mon, 14 Jun 2021 16:51:26 GMT

Jane Peyton is Love British Food's drinks ambassador and founder of School of Booze and Beer Day Britain that takes place in the middle of June every year. She writes about why Britain is in a golden age for brewing and recommends some delicious brews made by independent breweries.

Beer is Britain’s national drink, and this country is one of the world’s leading brewing nations. Not only did Britain historically have the biggest influence in spreading the love of beer around the world, but more styles of beer first brewed here are now brewed globally than those of any other brewing nation. These include India Pale Ale (IPA), Pale Ale, Porter, Stout, Imperial Russian Stout, Mild, Bitter, Barley Wine, Brown Ale, and Scotch Ale. Britain’s soils and climate means that farmers grow world-class barley and hops – two of the four primary ingredients of beer (the other two are water and yeast) so there is plenty to celebrate!

The focus of Beer Day Britain which takes place every summer in the middle of June, is the National Cheers To Beer toast at 7pm when beer drinkers around the UK unite at the pub, in the park, or at home to perform the simple activity of raising a glass and posting a social media message with the hashtag #CheersToBeer.

People often ask me what my favourite beer is. I answer by saying that it depends on my mood, the weather, the circumstances, the location, and the company. Two styles I really enjoy are the bitter, aromatic India Pale Ale, and Porter with luscious coffee and liquorice flavours. Those beers could not be more opposite in how they look and taste and are a good example of the diversity of beer styles.

Britain is in a golden age for brewing with hundreds of incredible independent breweries making inventive and delicious brews. Here are five suggestions for British brewed beers to drink on Beer Day Britain and every other day!

Virago IPA by Brewster’s Brewing Company . A scrumptiously aromatic beer where bitterness is balanced with malt sweetness. Match it with a selection of British cheese such as Lincolnshire Poacher, Double Gloucestershire, and Blue Stilton.

British Pilsner by Utopian Brewing. A fabulous version of Pilsner lager brewed with English malt and English hops, including a variety called Boadicea, the world’s first aphid resistant hop. Match it with a Ploughman’s Lunch.

White Noise by Yeastie Boys . This ultra-pale beer contains wheat as well as barley, and has a delicate flavour, with notes of orange blossom and vanilla, and low bitterness. It pairs beautifully with grilled white fish.

Lo-Fi by Signature Brew. Hard to believe by its full flavour and a refreshing hit of citrus that this pale ale is 0.5% ABV and so is classified as no alcohol. To put that in context, 4 ripe bananas contain more alcohol than this beer does. A perfect beer to drink in the sun for an al fresco lunch. It pairs very well with picnic food such as Scotch egg and asparagus quiche.

Full Fathom 5 by North Brewing Company . This is a coffee and coconut Porter. A big full flavoured beer that is fantastic with chocolate or caramel flavoured desserts.

Cheers!

Jane Peyton is an accredited beer sommelier, cider sommelier, drinks educator, and writer. Her latest book is ‘The Philosophy of Beer’ Signed copies available here.

Her e-learning platform offers inexpensive and convenient Beer, Cider, and Wine knowledge courses. More information here .

Why I am happy putting myself out there to promote British farming

Mon, 07 Jun 2021 11:45:39 GMT

Love British Food's new farming ambassador talks about why he feels so strongly about promoting British farming.

I'm Charles Goadby, a 42 year old farmer from Nuneaton, North Warwickshire. I farm alongside my two brothers and dad. We milk 350 Holstein cows housed all year round; 300 of which are milked traditionally, twice a day, and the other 50 through a Lely robotic milker. All of our calves are reared as either dairy replacements or as beef which is taken through to slaughter. We farm around 1,400 acres in total, half of which is owned and half rented. Arable crops grown are wheat, barley, oats and oilseed rape. Until this year we grew potatoes but have decided to stop and allow a neighbour to grow them on our land and we have some of theirs in return for maize, grown for our cattle feed. We also do some contracting, mainly maize drilling and hedge cutting.

While many would label me as an intensive farmer having housed livestock all year round, I also consider myself as a regenerative farmer. Soil health and sustainability are key features to me along with supporting and enhancing the environment, but while maintaining production levels of high quality and welfare produce.

Two years ago I took part in a brand new initiative by a journalist, Anna Jones, called Just Farmers. This gave me the confidence and know how to deal with the media. How to create my story, and how to get it out there into the media. I now feel confident and happy to put myself out there and shout about British farming and British produce be it in written press, radio or TV.

I care passionately about encouraging people to engage with their local producers and find the real story behind their food. And I want to encourage producers to communicate with consumers and sell the story of their produce. Too many people have the misconception that local food is expensive. We need to get people back in the habit of buying local, seeing that it is affordable, but also that by building a relationship with the producer it can lead to tips and new ideas. For example, I have so many friends who would complain that meat is too expensive and often dry or tasteless when cooked. By using a local butcher you can not only get the tips on how to cook each joint purchased for the best results, but also be shown new cuts and joints that will not only save money but also be a better eating experience. Likewise with fresh produce: learn what is in season, when is the best time to eat it and how best to store it to minimise waste.

Much of the disconnect between the consumer and the food they eat is down to education. People have so little understanding of farming and how their food is produced. As a consequence they have little care about what they eat or are easily led into changing eating habits for the wrong reason, based often on a sensationalised headline. Personally I put some of the blame for this onto farmers. Our failure to engage with our customers, the consumer, has led to a void of understanding. For many, that void has been filled with others with ulterior agendas such as the ultra-processed food market using climate and ethical horror stories to try and push their products.

Playing my part in teaching the next generation, I have enjoyed working with schools doing educational videos about farming, through the Soil Association's Food for Life program and several lockdown learning initiatives during the Covid pandemic. I also enjoy doing more educational posts over my social media platforms, @thisfarmlife, predominantly on Facebook, but also Twitter, Instagram and Youtube.

I've also had a number of discussions with local MP's over food and farming standards and policy. When Covid eases I have plans to host my local MP at the farm here for a more in depth chat about the future of farming and food production. I will be focusing very strongly on public procurement of food. This was highlighted to me in article recently in The Independent on schools and hospitals serving sub standard produce from overseas. It is a no brainer that the public sector should buy more British food. And we as farmers need to gear up to supply it.

Small beginnings, bright future. The story of a small food business.

Tue, 25 May 2021 14:19:20 GMT

The history and treasures behind a much loved, award-winning Dorset brand. This is the story of how Cherry Tree Preserves was founded.

Flashback to 1997 in a small village in Somerset where founder Sarah and her Mum, Pearl, lived at Cherry Tree Cottage with Sarah’s brothers, and Step-Dad, Chris. “I was around 17 at the time, and I just remember my Mum always being in the Kitchen making chutneys and she would package them up to sell at our local market once a week, and that’s how it all started.”

The first Cherry Tree Cottage chutney was simple. It used locally sourced ingredients and was made out of a passion for preserving and to make a little money. “The chutney wasn’t the best”, Sarah shares honestly. “It was actually the sticker on the jars that caught everyone's attention. It funnily enough was hand-drawn by my little brother of the cherry tree we had in our cottage garden. Mum then had the drawing transferred onto craft labels and that became our logo.”

So, week after week Sarah’s Mum attended the local Farmer’s Market and it wasn’t long before she noticed customers returning to buy more jars, but not just for themselves for their friends, family and loved ones. “The moment we realised things were really moving on and the demand was growing was when we were approached by festival organisers who invited us to attend and sell our family chutney. We started to attend these big events and realised we wouldn’t have the space in our kitchen to produce enough chutney for the demand, so this is when we decided to partner with Mark and Gavin.”

Mark and Gavin had been working in the food industry working for Dorchester Chocolates, mainly selling to the hospitality industry, when Sarah and her family first approached them to work together and scale-up their fast-growing preserves business.

“We were young, dumb and extremely optimistic” recalls Gavin. “We had little experience at the time, but so much passion and we could see the potential of this home-grown brand, so said yes!”

With this new partnership came great strides for The Cherry Tree Preserves and it wasn’t long before they had their first awards under their belt. Today, the range has received over 180 awards from Great Taste and Taste Of The West, making it the No.1 most awarded preserves brand in UK history. Customers seem to love it too, as they have the highest Amazon and Ocado scores of any preserves brand and thousands of glowing product reviews from customers.

“From the beginning, we have always been selling face to face with our customers,” Sarah explains. “Just like Sarah’s Mum did, our teams who attend farmers markets across the country talk and listen to our customers. We encourage them to be open and honest about our products and we take their comments on board every single week to develop our recipes.”

For two decades Sarah, Mark & Gavin have built their repertoire of flavours, experimenting and ensuring they were always offering something new and exciting (hence the incredible ingredient pairings). Whilst the heart and ethos of the company has stayed the same, the recipes have evolved considerably. “The original set of recipes were inspired by the traditional English style chutneys using onions, apples, pears, plums and sultanas with a small hint of ginger for spice. Mango chutney had also been around for a long time, but that was about it. We worked on branching out and trying new things, particularly on the spice front. We started taking inspiration from Indian cuisine to create new flavours. Mark went to India and worked with some chef’s there and used this as a basis to improve our current recipes. Now we have flavours like garlic, lime, chilli and coriander available.” shares Gavin.

Gavin is the master-chutney and preserve maker and has spent the last 30 years striving to innovate flavours and create the best taste possible. Having learnt his trade under a fourth-generation guru of all things preserved, stirred and delicious, Gavin has gone on to make his own mark. Most notable in creating the Supreme Champion product at the Great Taste Awards, the highest accolade possible in the ‘food industry’s Oscars’. With more than 180 Great Taste and Taste of the West awards to his name, 50 of these coming in the last four years alone, it’s clear that his passion for taste puts as many smiles on the judges’ faces, as it does on those of Cherry Trees customers every day.

During a normal year, every single week the team’s calendar is full, attending food markets, events and shows, encouraging everyone to try and taste their products. Between them, they have traveled across the country meeting millions of new people every year. “They worked hard to make sure they were always there for their customers and as a result of their efforts, millions of people over the years have tasted Cherry tree preserves and took some home with them. They have built a relationship and trust with their customers like no other brand I know,” Head of Commercial Chris explains.

Chris joined the company in 2018 with a mission and passion to make Cherry Tree preserves more available and easily accessible to people all over the world. He comments: “I just rang Mark, one of the founders, one day after I had met his son Jack at the Bournemouth Christmas Market on the stall there and asked for his Dad’s number. The food was so good, and his son was so passionate about his Dad’s company, that I knew this was too good to be kept to just a select few at regional events and markets, the world had to know what a real chutney should taste like!”

To do this, Chris focused on talking to more people through an exciting and thriving online community. “By improving our home-delivery webshop range and service, as well as Amazon and Ocado, we could be there for customers when independent retailers, events and markets weren’t an option, which became incredibly important in 2020 due to COVID-19. We also really focused on our social media community and content, as this meant we could continue to have these great conversations that we’d had in the markets and events for years, as well as inspiring people with new recipe ideas, but we could have them at any time of day with customers and foodies from all around the world. It really meant our door was always open.”

Through these new online channels, the team have revolutionised how people perceive their products. “We want to blow people’s minds with what sweet and savoury preserves can be used for in the kitchen.” explains Gavin. “Yes, chutney works wonders on cheese and crackers but take a loving dollop of our chilli jam atop a simple homemade burger to add a powerful punch of flavour. Or, whip together pancakes on a Sunday morning and thickly spread our Cherry & Amaretto jam for an unbelievably tasty and indulgent start to the day!”

Using online channels to have a conversation with their customers, The Cherry Tree Preserves has built a new reputation of being a larder favourite and chef’s staple cooking ingredient for pros and amateurs alike.

They now sell to over 250,000 customers every year and are stocked in 500 independent stores across the UK, as well as online and overseas. “Our chutneys and jams were exactly where we wanted them to be, but we often felt like there was something missing, and as we had always done, we spoke to our customers through the independent retailers, events and on social media to discover what they wanted to see from us next.” Mark tells us. “They trusted in our products, our taste-buds and our opinion, and they told us that they wanted to know what cheese we would pair with our chutney for instance, what brand of crackers do we eat at home and what combos we would put together in a hamper for a perfect gift.” It was from this that we realised we needed to expand our product range but we were experts at making jam and chutneys, not cheese. So how were we going to achieve this new goal?

Mark was already well acquainted with many award-winning West Country producers after years on the road and selling next to them at events and markets, so naturally, he started here. As a team, they started hand-picking local suppliers they’d like to work with, but it was important for them to only consider those who shared their principles and commitment to quality: “We wanted to partner with producers who were as local to us as possible. It is important for us to keep our food miles down, support local businesses and jobs, but not to compromise on quality. It is also important to us that they respect their customers and their staff, as this is something we have at our core in Cherry Tree.” Slowly but surely they started creating new partnerships and building a new Cherry Tree ‘One-stop-deli-shop’ range. “For example, we now have bespoke crumbly cracker bites and artisan cheeses to compliment our chutneys, coffee to perfectly pair with our breakfast preserves, salad dressings to help build homemade platters and pate for delicious and decadent hampers and gifts.”

So from a simple home recipe of a sweet apple chutney to now over 50 award-winning sweet & savoury preserve flavours alongside numerous gifting sets, biscuits, cheeses, coffee, pate and more, The Cherry Tree Preserves team has built a tremendous foodie kingdom to be proud of and it is clear this is only the beginning for this spectacular Dorset brand.

Sarah explains: “We want everyone to still have a little joy every single day and I believe that food can bring comfort and joy in so many ways. From baking with the little ones for an afternoon of fun, or soothing your mind by concentrating on a new recipe. We want our customers to be able to depend on our products in that way, and to depend on us; To know we are always there for them to listen, to share and to inspire through the good and the bad”

Gavin adds, “We will continue to guarantee great flavour, by ensuring every hand-stirred batch is taste-tested by us. If it doesn’t blow us away, it will never reach the customer’s hands. We have over 70 years of combined experience, and we’ll never put that to waste.”

As I finish writing this someone calls from the kitchens: “Lemon & Lime curd is ready for a spoon-test !” There is always work to be done. The Cherry Tree Preserves story is just beginning!

Why the British love a Sandwich

Wed, 19 May 2021 07:53:57 GMT

The month of May heralds the annual British Sandwich Week. Jenny Jefferies, author of 'For the Love of the Land', relates how we, as a nation, have come to love such a British staple; and how a tried and tested affectionate favourite meal now graces kitchen tables, cafes, restaurants, picnics and lunch boxes all around the world.

Every year British Sandwich Week celebrates the humble sandwich in all its glory as well as the contribution that the sandwich industry makes to the economy. Sandwiches are a British staple to be enjoyed at any time of the day, and as we can see in the latest statistics, it’s very clear that as a nation we still love our sandwiches.

Nationally, the sandwich is still the go-to lunch option for the vast majority of Brits – with 72% of spending at lunchtime going on sandwiches. Jim Winship, Director of The British Sandwich & Food To Go Association behind British Sandwich Week says: “As lockdown restrictions ease and we all start to get back to normality it’s no surprise the love for everything sandwich is reigning supreme. British Sandwich Week celebrates the sandwich in all its glory as well as the contribution that the sandwich industry makes to the economy. This year, it has the even greater aim of supporting the industry as it comes back after a year of lockdowns. Sandwiches are a British staple to be enjoyed at any time of the day, and as we can see in these latest statistics, it’s very clear that as a nation we still love our sandwiches. It’s the perfect time to be exploring the wider range of options that the professional sandwich industry has to offer. Sandwich shops, supermarkets, and retailers will have their fridges stacked high with freshly made sandwiches for British Sandwich Week, so look out for your favourite fillings or try something new."

British consumers manage to munch their way through over 11.5 billion sandwiches each year. If you laid each one end to end, they would go around the world about 44 times. More than half of these were made and eaten in the home.

The apparent story of how the sandwich came to be is that Lord Sandwich, John Montagu, the fourth Earl of Sandwich, in the early Eighteenth Century, didn’t take the time to have a meal during his long hours playing at the card table, or at his work desk, alongside his commitments to the navy, politics and the arts. Consequently, he would ask his servants to bring him slices of meat between two slices of bread, a habit well known among his friends. Other people began to order "the same as Sandwich!", and thus the "sandwich" was born.

Captain James Cook named the Sandwich Isles in Hawaii after Lord Sandwich as he was also Cook’s financial sponsor.

The sandwich is a good introduction to new and different flavours, breads and spreads and can be enjoyed anywhere and everywhere! Such a practical meal that is loved and enjoyed by so many... and you can always add crisps!

I share this sandwich recipe from my first book For The Love Of The Land, kindly contributed by Burwash Manor Farm, as Lord Sandwich liked his sandwich; meat between two slices of bread.

MEATBALLS IN TOMATO SAUCE

“This is the recipe that we use in The Larder for our meatball sub sandwiches, but there are any number of variations on the theme; you could use 100% British beef or any ratio of pork to beef, and they’ll team with any carbs (couscous, quinoa, rice, pasta, noodles, potatoes) or none (finely chopped cauliflower, for example) with gravy, apple sauce, onion marmalade, redcurrant or cranberry jelly, topped with fennel seeds, chilli flakes, or oregano. We’re always keen for customers to tell us what works for them!” - Mike Radford, Burwash Manor Farm

500g British sausage meat (we obviously prefer our own Burwash reared meat!)

1 onion

Knob of butter

2 cloves of garlic

500-700g passata (1 jar)

Salt and pepper, to taste

Dash of Tabasco, if that’s your thing

Preheat the oven to 180 ̊c and grease a deep-sided baking tray. Squeeze the sausage meat into a large mixing bowl. Using your hands, shape the mixture into around 20 small balls, each about the size of a gobstopper. Place these a few centimetres apart on the prepared tray and bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, slice the onion into half centimetre strips and fry gently in the butter. Finely chop the garlic and add to the onion when it has softened. Fry until soft and on the verge of caramelising. Pour the passata over and reduce to a simmer. Add seasonings to taste.

After the 10 minute baking time, shake the meatballs on the tray and pour the sauce over the top, mixing well. Add 50ml of water and put the tray back in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes until the meatballs are cooked through.

Find your crusty bread and grated cheddar cheese, or prepare your pasta and Parmesan, or make some quinoa and salad...whatever you fancy to accompany them!

For The Love of the Land is a 192 page hardback and retails at £22. It is available to purchase from Amazon, bookshops including Waterstones and online from www.mezepublishing.co.uk & www.jennyjefferies.co.uk .

The author, Jenny Jefferies, is a Food Hero with Love British Food

22% of Jenny’s profits from For The Love Of The Land will be donated to The National Literacy Trust.

Follow Jenny Jefferies and For The Love Of The Land on social media:

Twitter @j_l_jefferies

Instagram @fortheloveoftheland

Facebook For The Love Of The Land & Sea

The Importance of Food Banks

Fri, 07 May 2021 08:11:42 GMT

One of the things that Covid has taught us is that buying local is about community. Last year, there was a 33% increase in distribution of emergency food parcels in the UK.

We are a small North London based farm-to-fork delivery service. We have been delivering exclusively UK produced vegetables, meat, dairy and groceries to Londoners for over 10 years.

It is part of the ethos and mission of our business to bring the knowledge and joy of British made food into London; to bring more of us city-dwellers in touch with the plethora of farms and specialist producers that are vital to the diversity and quality of British food.

Buying local is about re-educating ourselves on what food is supposed to look and taste like, but it is also easy to get caught up in the tastiness of new potatoes, the pique of wild foraged nettles and excellence of the first British asparagus.

Buying local is about more than seasonal delicacies. Buying local is also about thinking beyond the content of our fridge. It is about community. If Covid has taught us anything it should be that misfortune can affect us all and lending a hand where we can spare one should be considered a measure of excellence for businesses.

In 2020 the UK saw a 33% increase in distribution of emergency food parcels according to figures from the Trussell Trust. The increase in people needing emergency food parcels is not unique to 2020. Last year was challenging to say the least and the increase was particularly steep that year, but the numbers have been increasing year on year since 2015.

With more than double the amount of parcels given out in 2020 compared with five years ago. Theories abound about this unfortunate development, and there are undoubtedly important discussions to be had. But sometimes doing something good is just better than knowing what is true.

One of the truly enriching experiences we had in 2020 was working with a number of local food banks to help distribute British vegetables to people in need. The food banks all have very different outputs. Some of them serve 50 people a week and others serve 750 people a week. But all of them have in common to serve a vital role in the local community.

We think that ‘Buy British’ or ‘Buy Local’ should be thought of in context of community. And thinking about our community means first and foremost thinking about those that are less fortunate than ourselves. We have learned that it is much easier to contribute to this system of support than we thought. Food banks of course are on the lookout for dedicated volunteers, but they also take small donations of non-perishable food items like cereal, pasta, rice, tinned tomatoes, lentils, beans and pulses, tea/coffee, biscuits and more.

As a business or individual you can get in touch with your local food bank to find out what they need the most. Every little donation counts. We used this website to find our local food banks: https://www.trusselltrust.org/get-help/find-a-foodbank/

Robert Barker is founder of Farm Direct that delivers fresh British food direct to people's homes in London.

Stop Food Waste

Tue, 27 Apr 2021 18:21:50 GMT

33% of all food produced globally is lost or wasted every year.

Choice is a privilege for the developed world and we all have a responsibility to be morally and ethically worthy.

When it comes to food what we choose to eat can often define us, whether we become omnivores, carnivores, vegans, vegetarians, pescatarians or eat just a well balanced diet; we must try not to make any food waste, and consume sensibly and moderately.

Stop Food Waste Day is held at the end of April every year. It is a day when today people all over the world are made aware of the following facts:

33% of all food produced globally is lost or wasted every year

45% of root crops, fruit and vegetables produced globally is lost or wasted per year

25% of the food wasted globally could feed all 795 million undernourished people in the world

8% of all greenhouse gas emissions each year are due to food loss and waste”

I remember visiting Malawi, Africa, and our friends ate the entire chicken, including the feet, and left only the beak. I’m not suggesting we all start eating chicken feet but we can all play our part to reduce food waste.

You can use the bones to make stock, use what’s left over in your fridge to make soup and smoothies, plan your meals ahead, make a list before you shop, batch cook and freeze portions, experiment from what you have in your fridge.

We must not take our abundance of food for granted and feel lucky that we have so much choice, and at the same time we must make sure we don't waste any food.

There are lots of ideas on what to cook and information and stories on their reciprocated recipes, sustainability and food provenance in both of my story/cook books For The Love Of The Land and For The Love Of The Sea published by Meze Publishing.

Available in all good bookshops, Amazon, www.mezepublishing.co.uk and www.jennyjefferies.co.uk

Growing your own… A Growers Perspective

Fri, 23 Apr 2021 13:34:47 GMT

Lee Maycock is a Fellow of the Craft Guild of Chefs, Founder Roots @Foxholes Garden Kitchen and Event Director of the Universal Cookery & Food Festival. He has supported Love British Food's activities for many years.

There is nothing better in life than sitting in the sun with a hard earned cup of tea looking out across your plot at everything you have grown.

This usually happens at dusk or dawn just after a mammoth weeding session or an hour long watering task.

Everything grown from organic real seeds, hand potted and started in the poly tunnel then moved outside once the warm spring whether allows. Letting them out once you feel it’s safe to do so, and not a moment before. It’s a little like watching your children grow, nurturing and helping but also letting nature takes its course, plants and vegetables like children want to grow big and strong and if given the right environment and right foundations they will succeed.

If you take care of the soil, the soil will take care of vegetables, and the vegetables will take care of you. Growing your own is very much a life lesson and we learn from it daily, weekly &

yearly, we constantly battle with nature as much as much as we work with it.

Everyone of gods great creatures seems to want to eat our home grown crops, the brassicas, the carrots, the potatoes all under constant attack non various forms. Rabbits, Pigeons, Slugs, Mice, I even had some goats eat an entire row of sweetcorn one year.

We try to protect them but sometimes natures beats us, then it’s the challenge of too much sun, or not enough sun, too hot or too cold, unexpected frosts, dry periods with days and days of no rain or days and days of constant downpours.

Once the initial challenges have passed and the vegetables are coming on nicely its time to start taking small amounts to feed the family, there is a limited time before everything catches up and you have gluts of produce you can’t eat quick enough.

The courgettes go from beautiful flowing vegetables into oversized marrows in what

feels like overnight. The beetroot tops change from delicate salad items into hardy broad leafs before your eyes, the tomatoes go from green to yellow to orange to red in a heartbeat.

Once the picking season is upon us you realise again how rewarding growing your own really is, picked, cooked and eaten within the hour is second to none. Fresh, simple, natural, real, healthy food is unbeatable. Cutting asparagus, chargrilling and serving with real butter and a little Cornish sea salt will not be beaten in the months of May & June.

Planning your plot, garden or patio correctly will give you an abundance of fruit, vegetables and herbs all year long. If you have a window box you will want a patio, then you will want a garden, then a plot, then an allotment, then a farm…!

Plan to grow what you enjoy to eat, then when the asparagus finishes, the peas start, followed by courgettes, beets, carrots, chard.

Then the colder months will produce purple sprouting, cauliflower, celeriac, Jerusalem

artichokes, pumpkin, butternut etc the list is endless, then waiting for a frost before you pick your parsnips.

Just imagine going into the garden on Christmas morning to pick your Brussels for lunch.

Picking rocket for a fresh salad or taking tomatoes of the vine on a warm summers evening will never be rivalled. Taking raspberries and blackberries off the bush and placing into a bowl of breakfast granola on a summers morning is wonderful.

Don’t forget you will grow your own better and cheaper than any supermarket, farmers market or delivery box scheme.

Once you start there is no going back, its then a matter of what to do with an abundance of raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, cherries every summer. Jams, pies, pickles, chutney

You might need a bigger freezer…

Happy Growing & Healthy Roots!

The vital role that sustainable fishing has to play

Fri, 16 Apr 2021 11:40:11 GMT

The incomplete narrative of the documentary 'Seaspiracy'. Thoughts from Jenny Jefferies, author of For the Love of the Sea.

Whatever diet you choose to live by; whether you’re a vegan, vegetarian, omnivore, carnivore, or pescatarian aren’t we so lucky to be living in a country where we have that luxury of choice? This choice of so much food and produce when so many other people are starving in the world.

One child in every ten seconds dies from hunger. There are currently 830 million people malnourished in the world. As a human race, we all have the same ultimate goal and that is to be sustainable. To think about our future generations, to replenish the oceans and our land. We after all want to be sustainable in all industries; fishing, farming, transport, travel, clothing, the whole country; the whole world. The governments objective is for the country to be net zero by 2050. So when a film comes out about sustainability that really divides us rather unites us, I personally have a major problem with that.

‘Seaspiracy’ in my humble opinion is not a documentary; it is sensational propaganda which is misleading until grotesque. The film oversimplifies a very complicated issue that fails to represent good sustainable fishing practices. Seaspiracy obviously pushed a very biased, and more importantly, an incomplete narrative.

There is indeed a crisis of overfishing in our oceans. However, 3.3 billion people around the world rely on seafood for their main protein needs. With the global population set to reach 10 billion by 2050, the need to harness our natural resources more responsibly is more urgent than ever, in ALL industries. Sustainable fishing has a vital role to play in securing those resources. The Marine Stewardship Council and Seafish, who are both in my book For The Love Of The Sea, are two fantastic resources of further information on fish sustainability. You can go to their websites, and read my book For The Love Of The Sea for further information. The work that they do is exemplary and should be shared and celebrated.

Sustainable fishing is all about the future and means leaving enough fish in the ocean, to maintain breeding and thus sustaining fish stocks, respecting habitats and ensuring people who depend on fishing can maintain their livelihoods for future generations.

For The Love Of The Sea and For The Love Of The Land both champion sustainability and share and celebrate the 'other' side of the story. The beautiful, positive and progressive side. Our farmers and fishermen are the backbone of our country’s food and drink, so remember, buy locally, buy seasonally buy sustainably and above all, buy British.

For The Love Of The Sea is published by Meze Publishing and is available to order from my website www.jennyjefferies.co.uk

A proportion of the profits from For The Love Of The Sea will be donated to the RNLI*.

*22% of the net profit will be paid in support of the RNLI. Payments are made to RNLI (Sales) Ltd (which pays all its taxable profits to the RNLI, a charity registered in England and Wales (209603), Scotland (SCO37736), the Republic of Ireland (20003326), the Bailiwick of Jersey (14), the Isle of Man and the Bailiwick of Guernsey and Alderney, of West Quay Road, Poole, Dorset BH15 1HZ).

The Joy of Mocktails

Mon, 12 Apr 2021 17:04:54 GMT

James Day is an ambassador for Love British Food, founder of GrEATest BRITISH GourmetXperiences and head of the Independent Cookery Schools Association.

The evenings are getting lighter, the weather’s getting balmier and as we move out of lockdown, pub gardens from the coasts of Cornwall to the wilds of Wales have dusted off their outdoor furniture and polished up their cask ale taps, ready to serve eager crowds.

For those who are proceeding with an air of caution and staying home, gardens will likely become a hub of activity this summer - with six-person gatherings, impromptu bbqs and the relaxed delights of outdoor entertaining back on the agenda.

I can’t deny I’m looking forward to that first sip of a cold, crisp glass of wine in the gardens of my local vineyard’s restaurant, or savouring a well-made G&T on a peaceful summer’s evening - but alcohol, for me, has become an occasional treat - rather than a nightly necessity.

Dry January (and Dry February too, in my case!) seems like a very distant memory now, but for me, those 50 days of being alcohol-free were surprisingly enlightening.

It wasn’t just about giving my liver a break. Rather, the disaster that was 2020 has motivated me - like so many others - to take more responsibility for my health and be more mindful of what I’m consuming.

I wasn’t particularly looking forward to it. The first few weeks were a blur of sugar-laden soft drinks and unsatisfying alcohol-free replicas which aimed to simulate the taste of alcohol, without the effects, both of which left me feeling quite bereft.

Eventually, I started to create my own mocktails. Shunning alcohol forced me to be more creative with the ingredients in my glass, and in my quest to recreate the elusive ‘kick’ and complexity of an alcoholic drink, I discovered that all that was needed was a small measure of acidity.

T he satisfying sourness of ingredients like wild sea buckthorn juice and my go-to local discovery, Willy’s organic apple cider vinegar, created just down the road in rural Herefordshire, make for a superb mocktail ‘base’. In fact, ‘drinking vinegars’ like apple cider, with the live ‘Mother’ enzyme are increasingly used as ‘cocktail shrub’ - a concentrated syrup made from fruit, sugar and vinegar to create a sweet or sour acidic mixer.

These can either be enjoyed on their own, or you can blend them with botanical tonics like cucumber or grapefruit, or seasonal fruit cordials like elderflower or and raspberry. If you want to get seriously creative, you can blend in spices and aromatics like turmeric and black pepper, or fresh garden herbs like mint, thyme, bay and rosemary.

But my health kick didn’t stop once I’d perfected the mocktail. Since learning about the importance of pickled and fermented foods for gut health - what many consider to be the source of wellbeing - I’ve incorporated Willy’s apple cider vinegar into all my cooking, adding a dash to everything from hearty stews to zingy curries. I’ve even pickled eggs with it! Delicious, by the way.

The inner wellbeing this has brought simply doesn’t compare to the short-lived perks of a nightly G&T. So if you’re looking forward to outdoor entertaining but you want to put your health first, I heartily recommend getting creative with mocktails - you’ll enjoy a moreishly robust punch, but without the guilt.

Here’s to a gut-healthy 2021 - cheers!

My British food story

Thu, 25 Mar 2021 12:18:18 GMT

Since winning MasterChef in 2016, Jane has taken the bull by the food horns and tested herself further by working with the likes of Marcus Wareing, Atul Kochhar, Jason Atherton, Michel Roux and Michael O’Hare at their restaurants. She is a passionate advocate for British food and is an ambassador for Love British Food. This is her story of how her love for British food stems from her childhood.

I was brought up eating great British food. I lived with my family of three brothers, Mum & Dad & my Nan in Hammersmith West London, so there was no access to the straight off the farm produce that I have now, but WOW the fresh food markets were wonderful.

I remember particularly Hammersmith Market before they moved it. We would buy fresh seafood and eels out of buckets that Mum would take home and cook to make Jellied eels. Early street food of cockles doused in white pepper and vinegar and wonderful butchers. Mum often used to make brawn from pigs heads. Giblet stew was considered delicious, buying boiling birds to make soup and stock was normal. Watercress was always a treat as was crab. Never lobster though. I didn’t try that until I was 40. Winkles were and still are a huge favourite of mine.

Dad also grew seasonal veggies & we bought & ate seasonally too. The excitement of asparagus season and little tiny British Strawberries remains with me. British lamb & beef is amongst some of the very best in the world as is our dairy and cheese.

I could continue to wax lyrical all day, a cornucopia of fabulousness! We didn’t have money, we didn’t waste food but wow did we eat well. So my passion for British food and ingredients is not a fad, it’s bred into my very bones entwined intrinsically with my love of food.

It’s an ethos I carry on today. Buy seasonal, buy local if you can and buy British. I have now had the absolute pleasure of meeting many farmers from the wonderful Jody Scheckter at Laverstock Park to the incredible family farming at Fairking. They are hugely talented individuals with a passion for the British countryside and products often bringing in new products like mozzarella & quinoa & allowing our wonderful cosmopolitan food scene to continue to thrive.

Our farming standards are amongst some of the very best in the world. It’s imperative that we support them and keep the industry thriving & alive during a time when hospitality is struggling and so many sources of income are denied to farmers & producers in Britain during the current situation.

How sad would it be to have a future generation not being able to experience the thrill of food and love that so many of us had and have. Or even to be able to discover it for the first time. I am so proud to be an Ambassador for Love British Food & to be able in my own small way to literally ‘Put My Money Where My Mouth Is’ & proudly buy British.

Jane Devonshire won MasterChef UK in 2016 & is now an Ambassador for Coeliac UK and publisher of two cookbooks Hassle Free Gluten Free & Vegetarian Hassle Free Gluten Free.

Insta @janecdevonshire

Twitter @janecdevonshire

Think Global, Eat and Drink Local

Mon, 22 Mar 2021 11:35:21 GMT

Matt Sworder is chef owner of The Corner House restaurants in Kent and an Ambassador for Love British Food.

If ever there has been a time to reflect on what we do, how we spend our working time, social time, or disposable income, Lockdown 3.0 has provided the opportunity to do so.

Since opening my first restaurant in 2013, The Corner House in Minster in Kent, I have always focussed on seasonal, local produce. This simple philosophy determines the suppliers we work with and our menus in both Corner House Minster and Canterbury.

Back in March 2020 I had to explain to my fantastic team of staff that the restaurants were closing at the end of the week, like every other restauranteur or publican it was a horrific week. But let’s take a minute to look at what then happened, my local greengrocer had no orders, fisherman, butchers, dry stores and wine suppliers. As our dining rooms closed so did their orders. The revenue taps for all of us dried up. Restaurants are at the end of the supply chain, whilst each business has fixed costs to pay we were all in turmoil.

Now these suppliers are all small businesses like The Corner House, so we are all in trouble together. We know the families behind the businesses, we care about each other and know that by working together we can simply create a better community for all and it isn’t all about the money.

You see when you choose to spend your money in a local restaurant you are voting with your cash to promote local and this money supports the local suppliers that in turn helps the community you live in to thrive.

I believe promoting local works on every level, as a chef, taste is the holy grail! I know my asparagus from Mr Spanton in May tastes much better than the Peruvian Asparagus I can pick up at the supermarket 12 months of the year and I am happy to only have it available to me and my restaurants when the product is at its best.

Lockdown 3.0 has got us all taking the planet seriously and given us an appreciation for global warming. None of us want to mess the world up for our children and our children’s children. Let’s think about the Air miles involved in flying the Asparagus from Peru to my restaurant in Minster verses Mr Spanton dropping it off at the restaurant on his way to do the school run!

So it looks like it tastes better local, better for the local economy and better for the planet. Promoting local makes sense on every level.

Let us re-build stronger. Think Global, Eat Local.

Big Love

Matt Sworder

www.cornerhouserestaurants.co.uk

Why buy British

Tue, 16 Mar 2021 12:41:41 GMT

Cyrus Rustom Todiwala OBE, DL, is an Indian chef proprietor of the famed London restaurant, Café Spice Namasté. Born in Mumbai, he has lived in England since the 90s and he is a passionate advocate for British food. Amongst his many, many achievements he has worked with the NHS to create ethnic menus for hospitals; is the first ever chef ambassador for the Rare Breeds Survival Trust; works with HRH The Prince of Wales promoting Mutton on menus; and is long-standing Ambassador for Love British Food.

Why buy British? For me I know of no other country that has such high standards in place from welfare of animals to monitoring of land usage for crops and so on. Yes more is being done and can be done, but we are miles ahead of most in terms of how our resources are managed. On top of all that we have a vast plethora of rare breeds the protecting of which I am deeply passionate about and for their survival into the food chain of the future. Most British rare breeds from the rarest of sheep of the Island of North Ronaldsay to the Derbyshire Redcap Chicken from the south.

The recent movement of Pasture Fed is a great way to acknowledge that the farming community is in itself taking initiatives to ensure that what is produced is the best, most environmentally friendly, animal welfare friendly to the highest standards with a very low footprint. If you are one that believes in animal welfare then you are in the right nation.

Our fishing industry is currently in a tight spot and needs all our support to help our fishermen and women continue their trade and to see the they are succeeded by their family traditions well into the future.

The British public eats very little home grown shellfish and we need to exploit this great national resource more. Not just for its taste but its nutritional values, its affordability and its vast availability, but also for the fact that we have some of the cleanest waters in the world and our seafood is harvested in pristine clean waters. Moreover of the 250 odd species that our waters harvest only a tiny fragment of that is consumed by British diners. There is a greater need for us to explore the many wonderful species we harvest so that we do not put extra pressure on limited stocks of over-utilised species.

What many British people do not know is that when they cross across the waters to enjoy fresh Oysters or Mussels in a French or Belgian town, that seafood probably came from Britain. The best of our Cuttlefish for example go to Europe where the British tourist will pay top dollar for Mediterranean preparations, but not eat the same when cooked and served in Britain. We see little or no Spider Crabs in Britain since almost 99% is immediately exported just like many other species. Currently our fishermen are not able to export Langoustines and it is the perfect time for people in Britain to enjoy this delicacy. So go ahead and order this from your fish monger and enjoy this delicious sweet crustacean for which the continentals are so crazy.

I would like to add one more little story here that gives proof to the fact that we must support British farming more and buy more British simply because we cannot afford to loose what is so inherently British and that is farming for the masses.

Britain has several native pig breeds and some of these are very rare and some near extinction. The advent of publicising non fatty smaller animals for slaughter means that many of our own breeds which are meatier and fattier stand no chance for the consumer to purchase, even though they are tastier, and have been ignored in exchange for imported breeds. Britain has strict rules on pig farming by and large and we take every precaution to ensure that large scale factory farms do not feature in our countryside. For this to prevail, and the best animal husbandry to survive, we must support the British farmer and buy locally bred animals that have been given all the love care and attention they deserve.

Since the end of the second world war fourteen native breeds of pigs have perished and become extinct, due to the acceptance of fast maturing, controlled pig farming from Europe and beyond. We cannot allow this to happen, so we must support the local farmer who is proud of his herd and safeguards their interest. As the Patron of one of the rarest pig breeds, the British Lop, I am very concerned that we may loose a few more species if we are not supportive of British farming and Buy British.

BUY BRITISH!

Good Mood Food

Fri, 12 Mar 2021 14:48:41 GMT

How the power of food can also be transformative for our mental health

Our emotional health and well being is challenged at the best of times with unexpected life events, busy work days and caring for family and friends but never before have we been thrown into emotional turmoil in the way we have during the pandemic. While it’s not always easy, it’s important to try to reflect on our own health and well being and seek to implement some positive changes or form new habits.

The food we eat is often seen as fuel to keep our body functioning. However, the power of food can also be transformative for our mental health. New research and evidence is constantly emerging that highlights the links between the food that we eat and our mood. Finding the right foods and lifestyle that work for our body’s and minds is a unique process.

As a registered nutritional therapist I focus on four key principles, which can help to optimise mood. Becoming more aware of the principles of Balance, Nourish, Real and Mindful and implementing them may help us achieve a good equilibrium.

Balance

Balancing hormones such as insulin and cortisol (stress) can make a real difference to our mood. We ideally want our hormones to be so well tuned they coordinate like a Philharmonic orchestra, which roughly translates to ‘loving harmony’. Unfortunately so many of us have very different tunes playing in our own bodies that are not quite as easy on the ear. The key is focusing on keeping blood sugar balanced throughout the day by becoming aware of the importance of both protein and fibre with all meals and snacks. Protein and fibre help slow the release of sugar in the carbohydrates we eat. When we look at our plate it’s important to include some quality protein. This can take many forms such as meat, eggs, fish, dairy, beans, lentils or other sources such as tofu and the fibre content found in wholegrain foods (complex carbohydrates) and vegetables. Certain foods known as high glycaemic foods can convert to sugar very rapidly so implementing some simple swaps to include more low glycaemic foods into our meals can be beneficial. Examples include brown rice rather than white or whole-wheat bread as the fibre content helps to slow the release of the sugar. Stimulants such as caffeine and alcohol can also affect blood sugar levels so trying to avoid/reduce these may also be helpful.

Nourish

Nourishing our bodies is vital for energy production, our joints and when we’re thinking about mood, the health of our brain and nervous system. The liver and the brain have the greatest energy demand in the body and we can nourish them by including plenty of ‘healthy’ fats such as anti-inflammatory omega-3’s. Oily fish such as sardines, salmon and mackerel, nuts, seeds and extra virgin olive oil are all great sources. Reducing/avoiding foods high in trans fats such as processed ready meals, baked goods and fast food, which have an inverse effect on our bodies can also be advantageous.

Nourishing our nervous system is also vital for our neurotransmitters, the chemical messengers that transmit signals throughout our body’s. Several neurotransmitters are important for our mood and mental health and this includes serotonin known as our ‘happiness hormone’ and dopamine. The foods we eat provide the building blocks for these neurotransmitters and protein rich foods in our diet are important for their production. It is also worth noting that estimates suggest 90 percent of the body’s serotonin is made in the digestive tract which links into the importance of the next principle “real”.

Real

The Greek physician Hippocrates (460 B.C. - 375 B.C.) aka “The Father of Medicine” is thought to have claimed ‘All disease begins in the gut’ and there is certainly a degree of truth in this statement. The evidence around the link between our gut and the brain has been well researched. In fact, our digestive system contains approximately 70-80% of our body’s immune tissues and our gut flora is important for the production of our immune cells. On average an adult has 1.5-2kg of bacteria in their gut and this falls into three categories;

Essential/beneficial, opportunistic and transitional.

In a healthy environment the essential bacteria are in high numbers and they tightly control the opportunistic flora. Focusing on plenty of real, unprocessed vegetables and fruit will support the health of our digestive system alongside foods that contain both pro and prebiotics. Probiotic rich foods include natural yoghurt, kefir, cottage cheese, olives and sauerkraut and foods such as asparagus, onion, garlic and oats are high in prebiotics.

Mindful

There are many lifestyle factors that can also improve our mood including sleep, exercise and daylight/sunshine. Poor quality sleep and insomnia can be a trigger to a depressive episode and can become part of a vicious cycle. The Sleep Foundation recommends 7-9 hours of sleep nightly for adults. A good nights sleep also helps with weight management by balancing the hormones ghrelin and leptin. Developing a good routine around bedtime can be useful and can include setting a bedtime alarm, avoiding bright light and screens after 9pm, Reducing/avoiding caffeine especially after lunchtime, exposure to sunlight during the day and daily movement/exercise. Getting outside every day also links closely to the ‘sunshine hormone’ vitamin D, which supports our immune health and may also improve our mood. As we don’t get exposure to sunshine during the winter months taking a supplement during this time may be beneficial.

These 4 key principles, just like the systems in the body, are intrinsically linked but small changes can make a real difference whether you change your afternoon snack to include more protein and fibre, alter your sleep pattern, put your phone away in a cupboard in the evening or include more nuts and seeds in your diet. It’s about finding what works for you!

Putting these principles into practice can begin with a simple, delicious recipe which encompasses balance, nourish and real.

This Choc Mousse contains fat in the milk and dates that are high in sugar so naturally sweeten the recipe but also contain fibre, which helps to slow down the

release of the sugar.

Choc Mousse

Ingredients:

400 ml double cream (or coconut milk if you are dairy free)

3 tbsp. cocoa/cacao powder

1 ½ oz. dark chocolate

1tsp. vanilla extract/paste

5 oz. soft dried dates

Method:

1. Place all the ingredients into a blender/food processor and pulse until smooth.

2. Divide between 6/8 ramekins/shot glasses and set in the fridge before serving.

3. Top with grated chocolate/desiccated coconut and/or fresh raspberries.

4. Enjoy!

Katherine Tate is Ambassador for Love British Food.

Known as The Food Teacher, she has worked as a teacher and education consultant for over 20 years. Qualified as an award winning registered nutritional therapist, Katharine, runs a busy nutritional therapy clinic offering virtual consultations. She also combines her unique education and nutrition expertise to offer schools, and organisations advice, education programmes, talks and practical workshops. She has written and published several books: 'Heat-Free & Healthy', the award-winning ‘No Kitchen Cookery for Primary Schools’, a series of Mini-Books and has also co-authored the award-winning ‘Now We’re Cooking! Delivering the National Curriculum through Food’. She has also launched a programme of Young Chef awards for schools, which support delivery of the curriculum and nutrition education.

facebook.com/thefoodteacheruk

www.thefoodteacher.co.uk

Why I love British Food

Tue, 09 Mar 2021 19:17:13 GMT

How I balance school menus using fresh vegetables and local ingredients, wherever possible, so that it is always British on the menu at Bartholomew secondary school near Witney.

M y name is Victoria Buob-Aldorf and l am the Head Chef at Bartholomew School, a secondary school in Eynsham, West Oxfordshire with 1280 students on roll, aged 11-18. I started this role on 1st September 2020.

As a Lady Chef I have over 25 years’ experience, including working in restaurant and contract kitchens, running my own restaurant, living and working in France as well as teaching international students in their hospitality degree course at Brookes Restaurant, Oxford Brookes University. These experiences enable me to bring a wealth of knowledge to my current role.

My role as Head Chef is twofold: firstly, to bring an enthusiasm, energy and positivity to the kitchen, enabling the team to work with me to produce well-presented, nutritional food that looks interesting and tastes great; and secondly, to deliver an outstanding service daily for students and staff. Average of 60-100 mains, 300 snack meals. 40 sandwiches and salads. Freshly filled bagels and salads, fruit pots, daily salads. No fizzy drinks and chocolate. Healthy food policy. Cut up fruit – watermelon, grapes, etc. – salad pots. All sells!

The experiences of last year will never be forgotten; starting a new role here at Bartholomew School at the start of Covid, with all the challenges and uncertainty in the world. My dedication and desire to succeed in my new role, however, has driven me forward, enabling me to adapt to the challenges that have come with the on-going pandemic. My role here offers an opportunity for my creative flair to flow, allowing my menu planning to really showcase itself in the food l prepare and love.

As an example of this, within the first few weeks of my starting this role, I became involved in the Love British Food and took part in British Food Fortnight, celebrating British produce through the meals created here in school. Cauliflower shawarma, French chicken provencale, boulangere potatoes, meditteranean stuffed courgettes, to traditional roasts and seasonal fresh veg to the ever popular Italian pasta lunch with homemade sauce, salads and frittatas.

Among the uncertainty and anxiety being experienced in the world at the time, this offered a really positive focus and will remain an on-going part of my responsibility to the students to keep them alert, interested in food and educated in the origin and seasonality of ingredients. I use my experience to balance menus using fresh vegetables and ingredients wherever possible, often grown locally, and have also been sourcing fresh British meat from farms in Barnstable, Devon.

Although l have only been at the school for a short time l already feel l have gained the respect of students and staff and am already planning, in better times, to turn my ideas into reality. I am driven to help young people and relish having such a huge sense of responsibility to deliver healthy, nutritional well-cooked food. I enjoy the connection this offers with students and value being part of the daily event of providing a meal in school that can offer normality and structure to their lives.

I am lucky to work for a school with a strong community spirit and, having had great backing from my manager to go ahead with participation in the Love British Food fortnight, will continue exploring ideas like this. Our Headteacher, Mr Craig Thomas, and many of the staff were very excited that the school were getting involved and I feel proud to be part of something positive.

l look forward to the day when l can teach small groups of children in the kitchen, so we can have some hands-on sessions cooking and learning together about Seasonal British Food. Students were invited to suggest meals during the Love British Food fortnight, so I know there is a keen interest!

As for the future, it is onwards and upwards! I am looking forward to happy times ahead, and in the meantime will be here to support and nurture the young people of this lovely school.

Hereford Beef - A History

Thu, 04 Mar 2021 12:18:38 GMT

The story of one of the oldest and greatest beef breeds in Britain.

By David Deakin, Secretary of the Hereford Cattle Society

Herefordshire and its surrounding areas became known for the size, hardiness, characteristics and high quality of its cattle noted by agricultural commentators in the 17th and 18th centuries, and by the end of the latter, the white face and deep red coat of the present breed were established.

Several local farming families were instrumental in the development of the iconic breed, which was soon to become the world’s greatest beef breed.

After several show successes and a consistently strong trade, this new breed was cemented and the first herd book of Hereford cattle was published in 1846 by Thomas Eyton of Wellington, Shropshire. Since 1886 the herd book has been closed to any animal with a sire or dam not previously recorded, which means for over 130 years there has been continuous breeding from those first cattle.

Originally named the Hereford Herd Book Society, it was founded in 1878 by Mr JH Arkwright of Hampton Court, Herefordshire, under the patronage of Queen Victoria. The organisation changed its name to the Hereford Cattle Society in 1996 but has occupied Hereford House at 3 Offa Street in central Hereford, throughout its history and where the society still operates to this day.

During the middle of the 20th century, Hereford bull sales would attract a myriad of nationalities to the city of Hereford, some farmers in their own right and others working as agents, exporting quantities of cattle for individuals abroad. People travelled from all over the world, from Argentina, Uruguay and Chile to Australia and South Africa, and huge sums of money exchanged hands for these beasts. What would have started as a colloquial meeting of breeders from Herefordshire and the surrounding border counties evolved into a national and international event.

Out of the sale ring, and away from the market, the Green Dragon Hotel on Broad Street served as a hub of social excitement for all involved with a ball held on the Monday night after the show, before Tuesday’s January bull sale. At this time, Captain de Quincey at The Vern, Bodenham and the Lewis family at The Haven, Dilwyn among others, were breeders of highly sought-after cattle. Unlike today’s type, the cattle of the mid 20th century, were much shorter in stature, as per many other breeds of the time, and were known as ‘belt buckle’ cattle. This was the beast the market demanded at the time, and so that is what was bred.

T he importation of continental cattle began in the seventies, which was to change the face of the British cattle industry for many years. These cattle didn’t affect the Hereford breed immediately, but there was a sense of change to come, particularly with entry into the European Common Market and changes to farm support payments. Reacting to this, the Hereford breed underwent a period of breeding for greater size, much like those early day cattle, and this greater stature and quality of animal is what has made the Hereford once again a highly competitive choice of breed in today's marketplace.

Hereford Cattle Society is the only body responsible for the registration and promotion of Hereford cattle in the UK, and as the breed spread around the world from its humble beginnings due to its quality of beef and terrific adaptability, overseas Hereford associations were established to manage matters within those beef producing countries.

The Hereford has been exported to over 120 countries throughout the world, surviving in all climatic conditions. From the pampas areas of South America to the Steppes of Russia, the breed can be found in every inhabited continent in the world and there are now at least 25 countries maintaining their own Hereford cattle records, all relating back to the cattle recorded in those early volumes of the herd book produced by Mr Eyton.

The Hereford is now widely recognised for its ease of management, including at calving and through its docile temperament. It has excellent forage ability and produces marbled beef of superior quality.

After a tough period for the breed through the eighties and nineties, Hereford cattle are now back in demand. Over 9,000 pedigree calves are now registered each year, which is up nearly 50 per cent compared to 10 years ago. Looking at the equally important commercial numbers, over 185,000 Hereford sired progeny are registered annually in the UK, including those on suckler and dairy systems. This is an almost 90 per cent increase over the last decade.

Hereford cattle have been, and continue to be, an important part of the fabric of the Herefordshire countryside. It is their appetite for grass that makes Hereford Beef tender and flavoursome, while also unlocking environmental and health benefits, such as a higher levels of omega-3 content. So when you are looking to buy your next piece of beef, firstly check it is British, and then make sure it is Hereford.New Paragraph

For the Love of The Sea

Wed, 03 Mar 2021 10:18:50 GMT

The challenges facing our fishing industry and why now is the time to boost the domestic market for British fish

The UK’s seafood industry is currently suffering after both the impact of Covid 19 on the hospitality sector and also Brexit-related issues which have tragically obstructed seafood exports to Europe. However that is not the entire problem. The government and news media have recently portrayed this as an overnight ban, but it is important to be aware of the whole story.

Fishing waters are graded according to their water quality; A, B, and C; with A being excellent. Most of our fishing waters are grade B. This means that the shell fish, such as Muscles, oysters, scallops, cockles and clams have to be purified before they can be sold on. As members of the EU we were able to sell on unpurified shell fish quickly which could then be purified at plants in the EU. But now we are a third country our food standards no longer align and legally we are not allowed to export unpurified fish. Some fishing companies have purification plants but many do not. The consequence of this is that many fishing companies and fishermen, some of whom have been fishing for years and years will go out of business. It is not an overnight ban and the government should have been prepared. This issue certainly requires more intensive and detailed reporting and also more transparent action from the government.

I think the conversation has now moved on from whether one voted for Brexit or whether one didn’t vote for Brexit and the conversation is now more urgent and is about asking our government what are they going to do about it and when are they going to do it.

What we can do to help is buy local, buy seasonally, buy sustainably and above all buy British and truly love and support our fishing industry by buying more seafood and cooking it at home.

My new second book For The Love Of The Sea: A Cook Book To Celebrate The British Seafood Community And Their Food is educational, informative and entertaining in a really accessible way.

Over forty passionate people from the British seafood community have contributed both a recipe and a story about what the sea and what British seafood means to them and highlights the hard work and dedication of the men and women who work in the British fishing industry, as well as those who support them including the Royal National Lifeboat Institution and the Marine Stewardship Council.

Among the businesses and individuals featured are Dee Caffari MBE, a British sailor and the first woman to sail solo and non-stop in both directions around the globe; Ashton Fishmongers, one of the largest fish retailers in the country; L. Robson & Sons, producers of the legendary traditional oak-smoked Craster Kippers in Northumberland; Cornwall’s National Lobster Hatchery; and Kames Fish Farming, the oldest family-run fish farm in Scotland famous for its Scottish Steelhead Trout. The book also features a foreword by Marcus Coleman, the Chief Executive of Seafish which works with businesses and the government to support the UK seafood sector.

Recipes in For The Love Of The Sea include luxurious roast turbot with samphire and clams, a classic cod fish and chip supper, Morrocan spiced langoustines, mussels with seaweed, a crispy homemade whiting burger, salmon en croute and lots more. From the kitchen novice to the keen home cook, there’s a dish for everyone and a wonderful range of fish and seafood that takes in popular British staples alongside hidden gems brought to light by experienced and knowledgeable fishermen and women.

In recent years the brilliant variety of our native species has been overshadowed by imports and exotic fish on the supermarket shelves. This book aims to encourage everyone to fall in love with British fish and seafood again, making the most of our rich coastal waters and highlighting the skills and passion of those in the industry. It also champions sustainability and shines a light on women who take up this dangerous profession but whose voices are not always heard. There is a strong emotive thread that runs throughout this book that also showcases the rich heritage, tradition and culture in a very vibrant UK industry that should be shared and celebrated. This is a celebration of British seafood. Enjoy!

For The Love Of The Sea is being published on the 12th April 2021 by Meze Publishing and is available to pre-order from my website www.jennyjefferies.co.uk

A proportion of profits from For The Love Of The Sea will be donated to the RNLI.*

*22% of the net profits will be paid in support of the RNLI. Payments are made to RNLI (Sales) Ltd (which pays all its taxable profits to the RNLI, a charity registered in England and Wales (209603), Scotland (SC037736), the Republic of Ireland (20003326), the Bailiwick of Jersey (14), the Isle of Man and the Bailiwick of Guernsey and Alderney, of West Quay Road, Poole, Dorset BH15 1HZ).

My Life with Food

Wed, 24 Feb 2021 14:15:09 GMT

Love British Food Ambassador, Al Crisci, who is leading the revolution of food in our prisons, talks about where his passion for food comes from.

My first memories of food were sitting on my Godfathers, yes Godfathers, lap! Being fed large chunks of fried steak that he would cut up for me. I would swallow each piece whole to huge applause from my admiring parents. The adulation I received for eating as much possible, as quickly as I could, resulted in 3-year-old me looking like Humpty Dumpty. In the eyes of my Campanian family and friends, this was a good thing, a chubby 3-year-old boy happily stuffing his face with food.

Every two years I remember exciting 2-day car journeys to San Biagio, the small village in Italy my mother was from. Where we would have a month’s holiday in August. The reason it wasn’t yearly was my mum and dad had to save money for the trunks and cases of presents they had to bring with them, piled up on the roof rack, my Italian family thought that as my mother and father worked in England they were rich! My mother would bring all the food we needed for the journey. Rolls filled with breaded minute steaks, chicken breasts and pepperonata, slices of fried battered courgettes and aubergines. I remember my dad being passed cups of strong black coffee from a flask, to keep him awake while driving through the night. I would wake up to a cup of milky coffee that was tainted with flavours of plastic from the old flask. I loved it, it was holiday coffee to me.

When we arrived, I would steel myself for the torture to follow. Crowds of hairy chinned women that smelt of pigs and cows and dressed in black, grabbing and kissing me, paying particular attention to my chubby cheeks which they would grab hard and squeeze, leaving my face looking red raw.

The next day was about waiting for the news that I had arrived from England, spreading to my village friends. “American boy” they would say, even though I was from Epsom in Surrey. All I knew was that for some reason, when I was in the village all rules went out of the window, as far as my mum and dad were concerned I could do what I wanted, go where I wanted and EAT what I wanted. There was a whole village to look after me and nobody wanted to be on the receiving end of the wrath of my crazy uncle if something happened to me.

During the day, apart from playing football on the dusty village church football pitch, which incidentally, we needed permission from the priest to use if you wanted to avoid a whack, we would go foraging and exploring in the countryside on the outskirts of San Biagio. The excitement from my friends was contagious, I would happily follow them for hours through country farms and small holdings, wondering what amazing thing we were going to see, until finally we would stop and stare at a peach tree or a row of grape vines, “is that it” I would think, we have just walked for two hours for a peach or a few grapes! Now I don’t know if it was because we were so hot, thirsty and hungry after our trek but that fruit was the best I had ever tasted. No sooner had we finished eating though, my friends were charging down the road with me and a farmer in hot pursuit! It wasn’t foraging apparently, it was scrumping. We always got away, I think they were too afraid of my crazy uncle to catch us!

The bright, warm, sunny evenings would largely be spent with members of our large family sitting around a long table in the Cortile, eating food and talking about, yes, more food. Who made the best wine, cheese, flour for bread making, who reared the best meat and grew the best vegetables, fruit and nuts. Buffalo Mozzarella was a local speciality, revered all over Italy, so in the early hours of the morning, when it was still dark, my Zia Naninna would come and wake me from my slumber and we would walk to the local dairy, returning a few hours later with still steaming bags of fresh mozzarella, which we would eat for lunch. Not sliced delicately and eaten with a knife and fork but held whole and eaten like an apple with alternate bites of fresh warm casereccio bread.

My Zia Nannina was a very good, self-taught cook. She was inspired by the recipes handed down through the generations, by the matriarchs of San Biagio. She would make fresh pasta on the back of her wash board and cakes with fresh local ricotta and candied peel. My strangest memory was watching her make limoncello in her barn, straining it through an old pair of tights. I used to think “that’s what makes it so yellow”! I am laughing out loud as I write this but is all true, I did really think that.

In short, those heady lazy days were my inspiration for loving food so much and especially locally produced food. When my soon to be born granddaughter, is born this month I want to help her to experience what I experienced, I want to inspire her to make food an important part of her life but without making her into a Humpty Dumpty!

Al Crisci, MBE FCGI

Love British Seafood caught by your local fisherman and fisherwomen

Wed, 17 Feb 2021 13:47:32 GMT

Andy Hunting UK food blogger at Andy’s Kitchen and Adrian Bartlett retired fisherman of 35 years are Love British Food Ambassadors and known as The Crabstock Boys. Here they tell us why now is the time to support the British fishing industry and EAT BRITISH FISH!

Buying British Seafood is now more vital than ever, we must support this industry who risk there lives every time they leave the harbour.

The fishing industry is one of the oldest industries in the UK, and over the centuries the fishing industry have been supplying fish and shellfish within miles of the fishing villages they set sail from, each day landing and providing the local area with their catch caught in calm and gales.

The industry has been supplying sustainable, and extremely healthy naturally caught seafood from around our shores. And then over the year’s markets emerged further inland and into foreign markets.

The UK fishing industry over the last 30/40 years has had to look at the foreign markets for selling there catch simply because the rest of the world understands what the UK fishing industry catches in our waters, ours and your UK seas have the best diverse species in the world with over 100 different species being landed throughout year. Over the years the UK public with no fault of there own have lost the desire to try to eat fish and shellfish outside the main species i.e. cod and haddock and almost certainly cooked in batter.

This time of year (Winter) why not search out Whiting, which is a fantastic tasting fish and a fine substitute for cod or haddock in batter, also Flounder which is lovely oven roasted on a bed of cherry tomatoes and served with couscous, or Dabs just simply grilled whole and served with garlic butter with a squeeze of lemon, just simply divine.

Over the last 10 years we have been walking the boards at various food festival demo stages throughout the land promoting our Great British Seafood, in our very unique way.We really engage with the general public and show them that cooking seafood isn’t hard or tricky, and is best cooked simply.

While Adrian talks about his experiences at sea, and the harsh realities that follow the industry, Andy is cooking up several dishes beside him, with banter and repertoire normally found on a different stage, we certainly like to keep the public entertained but also educating them for want of a better word.

With this awful pandemic coming to our shores in 2020 and continuing in 2021 the importance to eat local is more apparent, all food producers on the land and on the sea produce the best food in the world and all who grow and catch are our Food Heroes and should be supported and recognised.

In these awkward times what is not to love by understanding where your seafood is from and by buying locally caught seafood you are supporting the industry and their livelihoods, the fishing industry is an unseen food supply as their boat is, they live a fisher’s day and when its calm their life is to the horizon and when its rough its 6 to 7 waves and one of them might catch them out

There are many ways to buy and support your fisherman and women, type in on a search engine find my nearest fishmonger, fish delivered to your door, local van fish rounds or if you live on the coast and under COVID-19 rules you will find them in all or most harbours, or you can by direct for the boats go and talk to your fisherman (they won’t bite). Social media is another excellent way to find your shellfish and fish, throughout lockdown we have become home chefs so next time put UK caught Great British seafood on your plate.

Seafood is a Superfood. Eating it regularly will be better for your Heart, Mind & Sole.

The Crabstock Boys championing UK seafood bringing the coast to the countryside.

Andy and Adrian

Less is More- Sustainable animal protein for our health & our planet

Tue, 09 Feb 2021 11:57:41 GMT

Consumers have a rapidly increasing interest in a ‘plant-based’ diet. And so they should. Its abundance of fibre and antioxidants protect us from illness associated with ageing, like heart disease and cancer as well as reducing the risk of Type 2 Diabetes, with much of this protective effect being linked to its role nurturing our ‘Gut Health’. But what do health professionals actually mean by recommending a ‘plant-based’ diet?

Our UK Eatwell Guide, the Public Health England (PHE) recommended balance of foods for our best health, the Mediterranean Diet and even the Planetary Health Diet, described as the optimal diet for people and planet, all value the key role of dairy, meat, fish and eggs from sustainable farming systems, while increasing the amount of fibre-rich food we eat. Just as our own Gut Health is nurtured by more natural food choices, cows reared as ‘pasture-fed’ (their most natural food source) have optimal gut bacteria too, which reduces their methane output & increases healthier, unsaturated fats and Vitamins in their meat. When it comes to animal-protein; we need to choose quality over quantity.

As a Registered Nutritionist and parent of two teens, I’m anxious about the rise in cases in cases of Rickets and Osteomalacia ¹ (soft bones in adulthood), Iron deficiency in teenage girls (we know in the UK that 48% have low intakes of iron ² ), a lack of Vitamin D associated with Covid-19 recovery ³ , the rise in Iodine deficiency in the UK, Vit B12 being crucial for nerve function and to prevent anaemia and our low intake of oily fish (its Omega 3 being associated with heart-health; much more plant omega 3 is required for this effect). Science shows us that animal protein foods are by far the best source of vital nutrients to minimise these diseases, and when it comes to Iron and Iodine, we’re talking about the correct brain development of the unborn baby into the first few years of life.

So how do we ensure this correct balance of nutrients for long-term health, while addressing climate change & the health of our environment?

As Nutritionists, we need to give clarity on the importance of quality animal protein – to tell the story of the valuable ‘hidden’ micro-nutrients it provides for our health when eaten as part of a plant-based diet, and the key role its British farming systems play, in maintaining the balance of our very natural cycle of nature.

37 world-leading scientists from 16 countries who form the Eat Lancet Commission, define the Planetary Health Diet mentioned above as the optimal way to eat - healthy diets from sustainable farming systems, to ensure global food security by 2050 ⁴ while addressing UN Sustainable Development Goals. As their report summary states, ‘Food is the single strongest lever to optimise human health and environmental sustainability on Earth.’

Cows – our great ‘up-cyclers’

So, we need to continue shouting out about our natural resources on this maritime island, which our farming systems embrace. Take our biggest natural resource, grass, plentiful due to our rain, and efficiently converted from an inedible human food to highly nutritious milk and meat, by grazing cows. They trample carbon-rich plants into the soil as they roam, capturing carbon underground thanks to the billions of microbes in every handful, maintaining soil health and a balanced ecosystem. Although UK agriculture produces 10% ⁵ of our greenhouse gas emissions, adjusting for this carbon-capture by cows reduces it to less than 4% ⁶

As a Nutritionist with a background as a Vet, this story which needs to be shared loud and clear in 2021 has become more of a ‘calling’ for me, such is the urgency for our health and our planet. My professional code of conduct requires the use of evidence-based science to effectively advise on good food choices, so...

...this year I’ll be championing our sustainable British farming systems, both arable and animal produce, as not only providing vital nutrients for our health, but being the very cog in the wheel for the health of our environment, both of which are the biggest concerns of our time.

1. Uday, S,. Högler, W., Prevention of rickets and osteomalacia in the UK: political action overdue Archives of Disease in Childhood 2018;103:901-906

2. National Diet and Nutrition Survey NDNS: Years 9 to 11, Rolling Programme (2016/2017 to 2018/2019)

3. O'Shea, P., Griffin, T., Brennan, M., & Mulkerrin, E. (2020). COVID-19: The older adult and the importance of vitamin D sufficiency. Journal of Nutritional Science, 9, E40. doi:10.1017/jns.2020.36

4. Willett, W., et al (2019) Food in the Anthropocene: the EAT– Lancet Commission on healthy diets from sustainable food systems

5. UK Climate Change Risk Assessment 2017 ISBN 9781474137423 ID SGD0013128 01/17

6. Tapio, I., Snelling, TJ., Strozzi, F., Wallace, RJ., (2017) The ruminal microbiome associated with methane emissions from ruminant livestock Journal of Animal Science and Biotechnology ; 8:7, DOI:10.1186/s40104-017-0141-0

Why I am passionate about buying British

Sun, 07 Feb 2021 18:44:07 GMT

Chris is a greengrocer turned TV presenter. Ambassador for Love British Food, he is currently on our television screens as one of the judges on Celebrity Best Home Cook on BBC1 and as presenter of Wanted A Simple Life.

It used to be nice to buy British …. it is now essential.

I would like to say that I am not anti-import. In fact I have spent a lot of my life importing fresh produce from around the world, and there are lots of things that we cannot grow here, but I have always said that what we can grow in this country should be our priority.

Buying British, has always been the right thing to do, it has always been a nice thing to do, always been something that we should do; but now the time has come where we must support our farmers, growers,food producers and fishing industry.

Here in Britain we produce an incredible range of the very very best food you could hope for.

And I am so proud to be an Ambassador for Love British Food.

We have to start taking our own food supply much more seriously. We need to become much less dependent on imported foods. I appreciate that we will never be fully self-sufficient, and nor do we need to be , but we must buy what we can, and support as much as we can our own growers and producers.

We cannot expect our food industry to be on stand by in emergencies if we don’t support them all the time.

I know everyone is busy, and we are bombarded with a million messages a minute, but all I would say is if you can just take an extra second to think, is this British? Is a British version available? And try as much as you can to make that choice of buying British.

It is better for our country, it is better for you and your family and it is better for the environment.

In other news I have just finished filming a new series of Celebrity Best Home Cook which is on your screens every Tuesday and Wednesday evening. It was a lot of fun to film, even with Covid restrictions. I have also filmed a brand new series that is on BBC1 on Monday mornings (times vary) called 'Wanted A Simple Life', which is a show about people taking the lead and moving away form the bigger cities to the more remote rural part of the country. I'm sure you don’t need a reminder of what a beautiful country we live but do in check it out.

Agroecology, regenerative, and organic – what’s the difference?

Tue, 26 Jan 2021 15:41:36 GMT

Domini Hogg considers the meaning of some words that are being talked about a lot at the moment:

Agroecology...Regenerative...Organic. What is the difference?

Domini is the founder of Tried and Supplied www.triedandsupplied.com and is working with Love British Food to develop opportunities for British food producers in the public sector.

Agroecology

Agroecology builds on the knowledge of peasants and indigenous people to create farming practices that mimic the natural function of natural ecosystems. It also envisions the food system as a connected whole, recognising the need for sustainable practice across any added-value production and distribution as well as farming. It looks to connect biodiverse farms with local markets, incorporating local infrastructure such as small abattoirs, mills and microdairies. This approach transforms the dominant model of commodity capitalism and works towards food sovereignty.

According to Michel Pimbert “agroecology is a useful concept when talking to farmers to help them realise that they are using applied ecology to manage their farm and production.”

For those of you, like me, unsure of what ecology is exactly, Merlin Sheldrake’s book Entangled Lives helpfully explains in the context of fungi why ecology is so fundamental to our understanding of the food system: “biology – the study of living organisms – had transformed into ecology – the study of the relationship between living organisms.”

Regenerative farming

Regenerative agriculture stems from the realisation during the shift from industrial to sustainable farming practices that we were working with already depleted soil health and fragile natural ecosystems. Sustainable farming is not enough. We need to regenerate that which we have already destroyed. Consequently, many of the techniques are focused on how to do this, for example the importance of livestock in fertilising the soil and dispersing beneficial microbes such as fungi that grow to form a dynamic soil network connecting plants together and transporting nutrients. Read Merlin Sheldrake’s book Entangled Lives if you want to know more about the enthralling “Wood Wide Web”! It is this aspect of regenerative farming that has recently pitted Regenuary against Veganuary on Twitter.

Regenerative farming incorporates elements of both agroecology and organic farming, but its origins and nomenclature suggest it is a transitional technique. Soil health is shown to increase dramatically after starting regenerative farming especially on particularly degraded soils, but after a few years of good practice, the improvements start to plateau as the ecosystem regains its natural healthy balance. In an ideal world we will only need “regenerative farming” for the next few decades as we transition to a more agroecological system that incorporates many regenerative practices .

Organic farming

Of all of them organic farming is the best known and understood among consumers. It is also the only practice that is enshrined in law and certified through bodies such as the Soil Association. According to the EU standards : “Organic farming is an agricultural method that aims to produce food using natural substances and processes.” This means reducing or eliminating the use of agrochemicals such as fertilisers and pesticides. It also means reducing the use of antibiotics in livestock and encouraging higher standards of animal welfare through practices such as free-range and pasture-fed. There are different standards set by different bodies, but the Soil Association is perhaps the best known and has stricter standards than the EU lays down in law.

One farmer explained the difference from her perspective of implementing both organic and regenerative practices on her farm:

“ Diffi cult to get it all down here but we have been organic for 20 years but have been through a complete change as we have learnt about regenerative agriculture. My certification has never asked about successional state, infiltration rate, c arbon storage in deep soil layers, break down of dung….

Maybe another e xample (at farm level) my organic head records where my animals have been, my regenerative head plans where they are going, building in buffers for flood and drought, increasing animal impact where needed and resting fields for longer where needed. Leading to a much more active soil which grows not just more grass but more diversity.”

What should we focus on for the future?

In my mind agroecology is the most complete vision of what I would like our future food system to look like. In that respect it gets my vote as the ultimate goal. Organic and regenerative practices both fall within its guidance and should be encouraged. However, what became apparent through the conference was the need for a complete mindset shift across the population as a whole, not just farmers, if we are to achieve the transformation to a sustainable and healthy food system for everyone. Agroecology, with its clear and comprehensive vision for the future, is the framework I believe we can use to inspire the wider population.

Organic as a term already comes with baggage that isn’t always positive, such as accusations of elitism. We need to be careful to protect agroecology from the same fate. Food security and sustainability often seem at odds with each other, but they don’t have to be and importantly we must see them as separate challenges. If people can’t afford sustainable, healthy food, that is a social challenge we need to address, but not at the expense of sustainable farming practices.

A full version of this article appears on the Tried and Supplied blog page:

https://triedandsupplied.com/saucydressings/orfc-2021-agroecology/

The future of British farming

Mon, 04 Jan 2021 18:40:48 GMT

An interview with Lord Newborough

When Lord Newborough arrived back home from overseas to help run the North Wales family estate, Rhug he knew that he wanted to turn it into a truly organic enterprise. His passionate commitment and verve to become fully organic initially baffled the home farm team. But for Rhug it has worked. Since he took over in 1998 the estate has grown from 2,500 acres to 12,500 and expanded under his tenure to produce organic salt-marsh lamb, turkey and chickens, geese, sika deer and bison as well as having a shop, café, takeaway and drive-through, the first on a UK farm. Rhug’s award-winning meat has also now become a firm favourite with well-known chefs such as Raymond Blanc and Marcus Waring and restaurants such as The River Café, all serving it to their customers.

‘Demand for our produce is growing faster year on year at a rate of 4 to 5% and particularly in vegetables and salads. It’s a case of adding value where you can.’ he observes. Building up his wild bison herd currently numbering 20 fits neatly into this perspective. ‘With our bison rearing we are adhering to a drive towards the production of leaner, healthier meat. It’s arguably better for health than both chicken and fish as it is higher in omega 3 and low in fat. As farmers we must listen to in-store demand.’ He says adding that three years ago the farm introduced a herd of deer producing venison in an initial response to the rising consumer demand for leaner meat.

Acknowledging the struggle small farmers face in the race to become increasingly more competitive, ‘the smaller you are the harder it is’ he acquiesces, Lord Newborough believes that vertical farming methods will become much more common in the future as the Earth’s arable land declines. The main premise behind vertical farming is that the practice of producing food on vertically inclined surfaces maximises the amount of crops grown in a limited space with this process being further aided by the use of intense, undercover, controlled environment methods. ‘At the same time climate change is also happening which will lead farmers to grow more unusual crops including vines.’ He adds. Alongside some of these changes in farming practices he anticipates a growing move by consumers towards buying better quality food produce as well as continuing to purchase more of the food they eat online.

As British food producers progress towards competing openly in world markets how will they cope? Although the Rhug estate already sells its produce to Hong Kong, Macau, Dubai and Singapore Lord Newborough believes that this will involve a steep learning curve for the UK but he is adamant that by pulling together British food producers and farmers can succeed. ‘There is already much discussion underway and a panel has been set up looking at how we can achieve the same level of food standards as some of our competitors. I think we could get to the same standards as some of these other countries but we do need to learn how to do it successfully. The Southern Hemisphere are light years ahead of us when it comes to presenting their stock in a clean state to the abattoirs, this combined with exceptionally clean abattoirs and immaculate packaging means they are able to give their customers a much extended shelf life on chilled meat products. To compete on a level playing field we must collectively meet these high standards’ He concludes.

‘Feeding Britain – Our Food Problems and How To Fix Them’ by Tim Lang

Mon, 04 Jan 2021 18:28:54 GMT

A review of Tim Lang's much discussed book

It is not often that a book about the future of the British food industry and the UK’s food policy makes it onto a newspaper Christmas book list, but 2020 is like no other year and this is no ordinary book.

The book’s author, Tim Lang has been involved with issues surrounding food policy since he first started working with his viewpoint also shaped by spending seven years as a hill farmer. He is currently Professor of Food Policy at the Centre for Food Policy, City University, London which he founded in 1994 and then directed until 2016. His ideas for reform right down to the grassroots of food production appear highly relevant as the arrival of Brexit threatens to change both the farming and food producing landscape for good.

While Lang sat down two years to research and write this book his interest was originally sparked 40 years ago when he read an early Penguin Special book about preparing for the then approaching war in which food was viewed as a strategic and defence issue. By contrast, he says, in the last half century few in Europe have had to think about the full range of what exactly is meant by food ‘security’ with the term now used mainly for discussions around hunger. The major discovery he made in writing the book he tells me is that the UK’s food system is ‘messier and more fissured by complex mixes of good and bad than even I had suspected.’

Lang believes that the withdrawal of subsidies in favour of environmental reforms will result in a big shake-out in the farming industry. How does he think that UK food producers can step up to the challenge of public preference for cheaper foodstuffs (imports) following Brexit? ‘Maybe remembering the Boston Tea Party and being prepared to take cheap, lower standard imports seriously? Taking the issues to the public – do you or do you not want farmers at all? Start feeding people direct via short supply chains? Lobbying? There are many things farmers can do.’ He suggests.

How can we support British food production and engender better purchasing? ‘The elephant in the food policy room is consumption. Consumers are not being helped. They should be. There is more attention on shaving bits of CO2 from production than on persuading consumers to eat and choose differently.’ He insists.

How then does he think UK food producers and the UK public food buying sector can come together to the advantage of both? ‘It’s difficult when there are long chains. Personal relations and agreement on the values desired are essential even when there are short supply chains.’

For those who won’t make it to reading the whole 500 pages of this thorough and fascinating book on the politics of our food right now, how we got to where we are and how to fix it he concludes: ‘The UK needs to build a more diverse, regional and decentralized food system; decide whether it wants continued economic and market concentration of power in the hands of a few giant companies; rethink land use to give more priority to horticulture and to reduce in a planned way grain-fed animal production being the norm; bring in new legal powers to set strong clear targets for lowering environmental and health damage and to give institutions some leverage to accelerate the change to meeting goals; introduce a more grown up discussion and engagement with consumers about the need to alter diets now.’

Best of British for Winter Health!

Mon, 14 Dec 2020 11:48:59 GMT

With our growing appreciation for food provenance, how do our very British foods keep us healthy through the winter?”

As a Nutritionist with a background as a Vet, I’m never happier than when communicating the benefits of our fabulous, high-quality British produce for our health!

Being awarded Freelance Nutritionist of the Year 2020 recently, was therefore a wonderful recognition of the inextricable links between our British food, the passion of our farmers providing it and the benefits to our health. This is what my Food LINKS project is all about – supporting our British food producers with affordable, evidence-based nutrition advice.

2 020 has been the toughest so far for our farming industry. Having to adapt rapidly to the challenges of Covid, Climate change, Brexit and changing Public Health food recommendations, while still ensuring we have food on the table, our British food producers are indeed unsung heroes! There are huge challenges ahead – adapting to the well-intended Environment Land Management scheme for a start. But, working with farmers this year has highlighted for me the many sustainable farming practices already in place - within our Dairy industry for example - find out more from our forum below, recorded during lockdown.

So, as we seek to build public trust and give our farmers the support they need and deserve, and with our growing appreciation for food provenance, how do our very British foods keep us healthy through the winter?

Our Dairy, efficiently produced by cows from our natural resource of grass (thanks to our maritime climate) into highly nutritious milk, is farmed among the highest welfare standards in the world and contains so many ‘hidden’ nutrients. Whole milk is only 4% fat & contains fat soluble Vitamin A, vital for our ‘barrier’ immunity in our airways. Just 1 glass of milk each day gives children 50% of their daily iodine requirement. Iodine is getting lower in our diet and yet essential for the developing brain during pregnancy. You can read more about the many benefits of dairy for our long-term health here

Our Beef and Lamb gives us Iron that we can easily absorb and use for every process in our body requiring energy. A strong immune system for example! It’s also a fabulous source of the micro-nutrient Zinc, linked to animal protein and vital for our immune system to work well. It’s so easy for teenage girls in particular to become deficient in iron (50% in the UK have an intake below the recommended levels during crucial growth and development ¹⁾ and it’s much harder for our body to absorb iron from plants, so beef is a fabulous source. Pasture-fed beef and lamb, in grazing natural grasses, wildflowers and nitrogen-fixing herbs like clover, has a higher unsaturated fat and reduces the carbon footprint. Benefits to their gut bacteria when grazing this very natural diet, reduce methane output too!

O ily fish like British Trout are one of the few foods to be high in Vitamin D, vital for our immune system and often low in the winter. Its delicate pink flesh provide antioxidants, vitamins and heart-healthy unsaturated Omega 3 oils, vital for our immune systems to work well. Add to that increasing research showing potential benefits on mood and mental health disorders associated with marine Omega 3, and British Trout really is a nutritious winter-food! Our trout farming industry provides vital employment in our remotest communities, it’s also one of the most sustainable fish you can buy. They efficiently convert their feed into a higher body weight and a huge focus on excellent wellbeing now ensures certification for minimal impact on the environment.

Our Seasonal Brassicas with their fibre, vitamins A & C and antioxidants, boost our winter health, as do root vegetables like potatoes and carrots. Try roasting in British cold-pressed rapeseed oil - with the lowest saturated fats of all plant oils, its high smoke point prevents nutrient damage - Hillfarm Oil from Suffolk is rich in colour, flavour and nutrients thanks to this very natural production process, being farmed with maximum biodiversity for nature and soil health to thrive. Vitamin C in seasonal leafy greens also helps us to absorb iron from plants.

B ritish-grown Grains and Pulses provide fabulous fibre to nurture our all-important gut bacteria and their many long-term health benefits. As humans we’ve evolved with bacteria; just as soil health is essential for our crops, our own biodiversity is essential for our health. Read more on all their health benefits here . Start with Winter Porridge every day!

A t a time when the inextricable links between our food, its origins and our health, are so important, I’m excited as we move into 2021 to be working together with farmers and Love British Food to stress the value of buying British and supporting local!

Simon Weaver Organic, How a Small Cheese Business in the Cotswolds is Gaining World-Wide Success

Mon, 30 Nov 2020 09:29:09 GMT

Simon Weaver comes from a long line of farmers. Based in the Cotswolds for three generations and farming in the South West since at least 1570 it was only when the family took over a nearby dairy farm in 2002 already in the process of converting to organic and close to Stow-on-the-Wold that Simon decided to make a bigger move towards organic farming.

Since then things have taken off. With the introduction of an initial soft organic cheese in 2005 organic products have expanded to include artisan award winning hard and soft cheeses with the range including a Cotswold Brie, a Single Gloucester and a new truffle Gloucester cheese. The business, which has grown steadily producing between 60 and 70 tonnes of organic cheese a year, has just sold a major order to the US for the first time and is currently looking at making the first ever organic artisan paneer cheese.

The organic cheese business is also one of only a handful of local cheese firms making Single Gloucester (Simon’s is organic). This cheese can only be made in Gloucestershire and must be produced from the milk of Gloucester cows of which there are now only around 700. It is one of only two British cheeses licensed to carry the newly devised DO label (Protected Designation of Origin) coming into place after Brexit, the other one being Stilton. ‘It’s a really old-fashioned cheese going back hundreds of years and is made using milk taken from cows later in the day.’ says Simon.

‘Live like you’ll die tomorrow, farm like you’ll live forever’ is Simon’s motto. As a result of this the farm’s 250 cows either graze in the summer on river meadows which have never been intensively farmed or during the winter months on higher ground nitrogen-rich clover meadows while their milk production is never forced. A small part of Simon’s herd is based on land owned by the Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust and milked by robot and all the cows are forage based receiving only a small amount of concentrate feed. Meanwhile the energy needed to pasteurise the milk and run the creamery comes from woodchip, a renewable source.

‘You’ve got to know where your food comes from,’ asserts Simon. ‘And the environment is so important in the way we produce food and how we produce it so that it doesn’t do any damage.’

When Simon first started selling the company’s organic cheeses he pinpointed local farmers markets, restaurants and hotels before expanding into supermarkets including Sainsbury and then Tesco which has meant pricing the cheeses so that they don’t appear ridiculously expensive alongside their competitors.

‘The reality of Britain’s shopping habits is that 85% of people shop at supermarkets and buy their food on promotion. We need to remember that shoppers can currently buy French camembert for much less but there is no longer an excuse for us not to be eating more British food. We should take more pride in our own home food produced like other nations do,’ He says.

Asked if he thinks that it is realistic for small producers like him to supply into the public sector he answers, ‘It’s a much bigger market, yes, seemingly with opportunities but in both the hospital and catering sector there is too much buying power in too few hands and the culture of buying the cheapest possible food products has become engrained in the system. There needs to be a change here’. Is he worried about increased imports of food with different standards to our own? ‘I think we can win on standards but not tariffs.’ He concludes.

New Love British Food team member, Domini Hogg

Fri, 27 Nov 2020 11:43:13 GMT

Founder of Tried and Supplied a purchasing solution helping food service source from sustainable systems and now working with Love British Food

Fundamental to the creation of any robust solution to establishing new local supply chains in the food service sector is an in-depth understanding of existing processes, grass roots behaviour, current challenges and success stories. This is why I am so excited to be partnering with Love British Food to uncover these.

Nature is a connected ecosystem. Sustainability is a connected challenge. Our food system is one of the key areas where we need to make significant improvements, but its complexity and diversity can sometimes seem overwhelming. Time is against us and we need to work together for a complete solution. Last year I launched Tried and Supplied to overcome the operational barriers to sustainable sourcing and enable the whole food service supply chain to collaborate better for the benefit of people, planet and purse.

Through the use of improved software and data management, we can break down silos, offer actionable insights, and encourage connected, collaborative thinking to regenerate our broken food system. Imagine accessing all allergen, nutritional and sustainability information at the click of a button. Imagine spotting high margin opportunities to prevent waste elsewhere in the network. Imagine the time and cost benefits of consolidated invoices and deliveries.

Over the next few months we will be building on the already excellent work of Love British Food to encourage caterers large and small to work with more British producers. Our focus will be on conducting interviews with caterers across the public sector, introducing caterers to local suppliers, and following up on case studies. The results will be published as a series of reports in Public Sector Catering magazine next year. These reports will acknowledge differences between public sector caterers and present the challenges and solutions to local sourcing as a practical guide for each individually.

Interview with Phil Shelley, Chair of the Hospital Food Review

Thu, 19 Nov 2020 13:00:48 GMT

Why does it matter that hospitals buy British food?

Hospital menus should reflect the region they are in by using British food. Health care catering requires safety and quality to produce great food that empowers the recovery of our patients.

Why is NOW the time for making British first supplier of choice?

More than ever we are in a time of uncertainty; the dual challenge of Covid-19 and Brexit should drive our focus to purchasing British and supporting our local industries and farming communities.

Which foods are easiest to buy locally for most hospitals?

In most regions, meat, fruit and vegetables can be sourced locally fairly easily with fish also being a sustainable options in most regions too. It is all about having menus that are able to be flexed. The key is having ADAPTABILITY in menus: by this I mean hospitals having Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter menus and changing the ingredients accordingly.

What is the greatest challenge in achieving this?

Interestingly, it is key that our dieticians have the availability to support a regular change in menus as the coding takes time. Catering managers, want our menus to be the very best they can be, whether it is for our patients, staff or visitors. The only way to achieve this is buy buying British, fresh and seasonal. We need flexibility on our menus, quick turn-around from our dieticians and strong relationship with our suppliers.

With potential new trade deals and imports of cheaper food from overseas, will there be the temptation to put price before value? And what incentives are needed to put values first?

The Hospital Food Review stands by the approach of the Balanced Score Card that promotes quality over cost – it is not a race to the bottom but a chance for all to be exemplary. One of the recommendations is to legislate the food standards for healthcare which we know the Secretary of State for Health & Social Care supports.

This is a tremendous opportunity for hospital food standards to be written into law, for the first time which would be a turning point in our standard setting.

Name three hospitals that are shining examples of sourcing local produce.

It is so difficult to pick out 3 when there are so many for us as an industry to be proud of. But if I have to name 3 individuals, I would like to highlight these:

Chris Neale at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust

Tim Radcliffe at East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust

Howard Cartledge at Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust

[Note from Ed. Phil is very modest not to mention the hospital where he works and where the menus are absolutely fantastic…Taunton Musgrove Park Hospital]

Dare I ask you of some examples of hospitals buying overseas when there is a good local supplier on the doorstep?

I feel very strongly that now is not the time to criticise but to encourage. I challenge EVERY hospital to find a way to integrate British products into their menus. Of course, having the distribution systems in place is going to be key.

If you could ask Matt Hancock for ONE thing to make it easier for catering managers to buy locally, what is it?

The recommendations that we have made in the Hospital Food Review will open up our markets for food choice across the board. What we need the Secretary of State to do is to support a visionary approach of widening our opportunities for providing safe, auditable British products on our patient, staff and visitor menus.

As a footnote…it is important that the driver for change is our passion for putting safe, quality food on our patients’ menus, buying British is a fantastic way to achieve success. The message to Catering Managers is “This is our time” – food is at the Heart of our Nation and our principles for excellence are ingrained in using British food.

A Celebration of British Farmers and their Food

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 21:38:09 GMT

If we are able to take any positives from the devastation the coronavirus pandemic has caused, perhaps the way it has given some families a chance to reconnect and take stock of the things that are important to them, is something to cheer. Families used to rushing from pillar to post and grabbing meals on the go have been able to take time to cook and share meals together in a way they had perhaps forgotten. It has given some of us a new appreciation of what the food shop staff, delivery drivers, butchers, bakers, farmers and deli owners do to help us put great food on our table.

I compiled For The Love of the Land; A Cook Book To Celebrate British Farmers And Their Food, published by Meze Publishing, to celebrate the stories and recipes of some of the UK's finest farmers. The farms featured here cover the length and breadth of the UK, and see farmers specialising in a diverse array of produce; from game, pork, lamb, beef, cheese and dairy to the more unusual such as lavender, chillies and edible flowers.

Among those to feature are Michelin-starred chef and Great British Menu regular Tommy Banks, who grew up on a farm in Yorkshire, award-winners Daylesford Organic Farming and dairy farmer, Katie Lowe, also known as the The Female Farmer. Meanwhile the range of recipes is mouth-watering; and often quintessentially British; from Blackbrook Beef Bolognese from a traditional lowland farm in Leicestershire, Reestit Mutton Soup by two sisters who run their family farm on Shetland and Pheasant and Asparagus Bake from a family run game shoot in Cambridgeshire.

For many farming families working the land and raising livestock is a true labour of love, and what they produce is the backbone of the country’s food and drink. The dishes in this book make the most of local and seasonal ingredients, creating delicious meals, puddings and bakes that anyone can cook up at home.

Alongside that, members of these families have told the stories of their livelihoods: from losing sheep in snowstorms to stoking enthusiasm in the next generation, their honesty and passion is an inspiration and an education.

As the landscape of British farming changes, tradition has become intertwined with modernity, sustainability and working in harmony with nature are top priorities, and understanding seasonality to get the best out of British produce is key for our farmers, as their recipes and stories illustrate. To be really interested in food, one has to know and understand how its produced. We need to put British farming back on the map and at the centre of our table.

Along with my book, visiting farm shops, joining in with Open Farm Sunday, buying British produce with the red tractor logo on it; together we can help bridge the gap between city and country, food and technology, to educate and inform, to connect and entertain and to share the dedication of those who produce our food.

After marrying my husband, John, I discovered the wonderful, challenging and sometimes isolating world of farming. I never before quite appreciated where our food came from so it’s been a real privilege to speak with the farmers within this book; they are truly the backbone of our country. They nurture and provide for us; putting food on our table for us to enjoy, so let’s give thanks and praise for all the hard work that they do. Their love of the land is inspiring and should be shared and celebrated. They are the custodians of our countryside.

This book has become a labour of love and I hope this collection of stories and of the farmers’ favourite recipes is simply enjoyed for its food, provenance and for the sharing of good and positive stories. This is a celebration of British farming – enjoy!

For the Love of the Land is a 224-page hardback and retails at £22. It is available to purchase from Amazon, bookshops including Waterstones and online from www.fortheloveoftheland.co.uk . .where there’s free gift wrapping and you can also order a signed copy’.

A proportion of Jenny Jefferies’ royalties will be donated to the National Literacy Trust.”

How Lockdown changed our shopping baskets, and we fell back in love with Local

Tue, 29 Sep 2020 10:13:13 GMT

Before C-virus forced us into lockdown, our food shopping trends were often spontaneous. Many of us would take various trips to the shops each week: perhaps a large food shop and then ad hoc top ups on the way home from work. Add in takeaways whenever we felt like it, leading to throwing out the wasted food at the end of the week.

In the last six months, we’ve had to think more carefully about our food purchases, with fewer trips to the supermarkets, perhaps more use of smaller local shops, and cooking creatively with what we had in. Recent research by wrap.org.uk has identified some surprisingly positive results in our food shopping and kitchen habits over this time.

Their reports in Spring and Summer 2020 identified new ‘Food-Smart’ trends that showed a real revival in good food management skills – home economics as our grandparents would have known it. It was apparent we all rushed to buy flour so we could bake at home, but we were also cooking more creatively and ‘from scratch’, using up leftovers, reducing food waste, planning our shopping trips, and organising our food storage better.

At the supermarkets, we bought less convenience foods. Ready-meal sales dropped, as did short shelf-life foods like bagged salads. Instead we bought robust longer-life veg like carrots, radish and cabbage.

Ruth Gibbons, UK liaison for the International Federation of Home Economics (www.ifhe.org.uk) has thoughts on this resurgence of food and home management behaviour.

“In the UK, domestic science or home economics at school has given way in recent years to food technology. A generation has learnt about the design of a meal as product, rather than food preparation skills and planning. This is not the case in other countries - Ireland and Australia still have a vibrant Home Economics scene, as does Germany. Most notably, it’s the developing countries that have a huge membership of the Federation. Where there are limited supplies, home economics skills are a valuable management tool of resources.”

So perhaps a lesson for us all in living more sustainably in the future? Ruth agrees, “My hope for the future, is that lockdown will have re-generated our smaller communities, encouraging people to shop locally, buying stocks from sources close to them – knowing where their food comes from.”

Maybe the future of learning basic food management skills is through the media? Chris Bavin, author and TV presenter of BBC’s Eat Well for Less programme, helps families struggling with shopping economically and scratch-cooking. He would encourage people to have more confidence in the kitchen.

“We need to be kinder to ourselves and persevere in the kitchen. You don’t need to be a top chef to be able to pull together tasty food. With regard to food storage we can definitely be better at using our freezers. Milk, cheese and bread: these are the key foods which are often thrown away, yet they can all be frozen. Use your freezer properly, stocking it well and not like a museum.”

With experience of being a greengrocer and wholesaler himself, Chris is also passionate about buying from local producers and eating seasonally. He sees the difference that independent retailers have made over lockdown. They are much better placed to be flexible and in touch with their customer.

“We’ve seen how little it took to disrupt our supplies, with the empty shelves at the start of lockdown. We need to have a Plan B - if it wasn’t for the independent sector we would have been caught out. Without our high street and independent shops, what would we have done? And this could easily happen again post-Brexit. We need to look inwardly at our own supply chains within the UK. These are the people that will provide support. They looked after us when we needed them and we should be grateful and support them in return.”

Nationwide, each community has its own new Food Heroes - the companies who worked tirelessly over lockdown, providing box schemes and deliveries when people couldn’t get out to the shops. We have responded by using the local shops more and creating a better circular economy.

Kathryn Nicholson, of Nicholsons Butchers, Whitley Bay and a member of the Q Guild of Butchers knows this only too well. They were snowed under at the start of lockdown and she spent over 13 hours on the phone one day, taking orders from worried customers who wanted to be sure they could get what they needed.

Kathryn explained, “For us, there were really no issues with getting supplies: we have extremely good relationships with all our suppliers, and we were always able to fulfil the orders. We may have had to limit numbers per customer, but no one went without. I felt very supported by our local producers and we have good understandings with them all – I’m very proud of how we coped and what we achieved.

Since lockdown eased, business remains good – approx. 8% up on last year. We’ve had to respond by changing our hours and shop times, ensuring staff get proper breaks each week – plus we needed the time to simply restock shelves.”

Did she see customers wanting to cook more creatively? “For the first six weeks of lockdown, customers were definitely cooking more and they’ve always come to us for cooking and recipe advice. But then they returned to our prepared products, looking for new inspiration. We still have our loyal, elderly customers, who pop by Monday-Thursday, but the trend we’ve seen is that the under 45’s want speed and convenience and shop nearer the weekend. We’ve started a click and collect service and online ordering is perfect for them. Our next challenge will be facilitating the Christmas rush, when we’re limited to just 2 customers in the shop at one time. Hopefully our new online ordering systems will manage that.

I really believe that overall it has made us a better business – we are more reactive in our approach and I feel buoyant for the future - investing in the online technology will help bring in the younger generation.”

It’s great that the UK’s ‘Nation of Shopkeep ers’ is so agile and flexible to react quickly. But Lockdown showed us that our modern, convenient supply chains can be fragile. Buying from British farmers and producers can cut out the middle man and shorten the chain. Even as we re-fill our diaries with appointments and busy-ness, if we can retain just a few Food-Smart habits, we can live more sustainably, support our local economy and the British food and farming industry. If there is a like-for-like choice of products on offer, whether it’s apples, plums, chicken or meat, choose the ones labelled ‘British’, and be proud of making a difference.

- Anne Harnan is a home economist and food consultant. She is an ambassador for Love British Food www.harnan.co.uk

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Fabulous British Countryside and Food - Growing Healthier Together

Tue, 29 Sep 2020 09:33:26 GMT

With our lovable British spirit now steadfast on the journey towards better health, there’s no better time to celebrate our countryside and its guardians - our farmers. In providing our fabulous food, they understand better than all of us the importance of working with nature as far as possible for the health of our ecosystem – soils which allow biodiversity to thrive, crops, animals and ultimately, ourselves.

The country-loving Vet in me knows that our animal welfare standards are among the highest in the world. The Nutritionist in me understands the kind of foods which drive good health – a balance of Dairy, Fish, Grains, Eggs, Meat and more novel crops too. But our health is so much more than just the food we eat. It’s about taking time out to escape the pressures of daily life whether at school, work or home, getting regular exercise, equipping ourselves with healthy minds to make good choices, away from the temptations of our ever-present ‘convenient’ lifestyles. Our British countryside provides all this and more and together with our food they make our greatest asset. So, it seems fitting to celebrate them as we approach another British Food Fortnight!

It’s been especially good to see our Dairy Industry so well supported by Love British Food over the last few months. We all know its benefits for healthy bones and teeth but we don’t often hear about the myth busting facts that even whole milk is only about 3% fat and contains valuable Vitamin A, vital for a strong immunity, its intake is linked with protecting against obesity, its calcium is more easily absorbed than any other food source and it’s a rare source of Iodine, essential for growth and healthy reproduction and now on the World Health Organisation (WHO) list as a leading nutrient deficiency worldwide.

I’ve been supporting the national British Trout campaign recently to build awareness of this sustainable oily fish, which, similar to Scottish salmon and mackerel provide a low fat, high quality protein with types of Omega 3, unique to marine products, known to protect our long-term heart health. Trout in a watercress salad with hard boiled eggs is a firm family favourite!

Our British Beef remains a key component of a healthy diet, not least because the iron it contains is extremely easy to absorb. Iron of course is vital during growth and pregnancy and currently nearly 50% of teenage girls in Britain have intakes below the recommended minimum amount. I waved to Macbeth’s the Butchers in Morayshire recently while on our summer family escape to Scotland – I remember visiting their farm as one of the first female Vets in Moray nearly 30 years ago and it’s great to see their ‘farming with nature’ approach being embraced, like many other pasture-fed systems. Welcome as new members, to Love British Food!

We’re all advised to increase our plant-based eating. This extra fibre in our diet nurtures our billions of friendly gut bacteria which, having evolved together, our health and digestion are extremely dependent on, then of course there are all the vitamins and antioxidants to reduce the effects of ageing too. So, our good old British fruit and veg is of course to be celebrated around harvest time! But let’s not forget the farmers who have diversified along with climate change perhaps, so that we can now buy home-grown quinoa, chia seed and other seeds and pulses… and have you tried British Seabuckthorn berries yet?!

So, as we come out of lockdown, now more than ever, I heartily thank Love British Food for encouraging our schools, hospitals and other establishments to source from our British larder. Britain provides it all - wonderful food and valuable countryside for our long-term health. But there’s always room for improvement. It’s not just farmers who are the guardians of our countryside. We all have a responsibility to do our bit through the choices we make. Let’s embrace all we have, support British producers and move forward together!

What Makes British Farming Great?

Tue, 29 Sep 2020 09:17:37 GMT

What makes British farming great? Our world-class welfare standards? Definitely. Our contribution to the British economy? Sure. But here at KW we think the one thing that truly makes it amazing is the people. Many would say farming isn’t a job, it’s a way of life and we want to celebrate this.

Now, British farming is known to the majority as a more traditional, dare we say old fashioned, occupation. But people in the industry like Sally Spence, UK dairy farmer and KW customer, are changing this and educating us brits on the farm to fork story.

Having recently diversified and installed a vending machine for her local community Sally told us she was so surprised to see how many people didn’t know where their food comes from and how it is produced, ‘kids just think milk comes from a bottle and that’s it’. Although this is a new venture for Sally and the farm, the feedback she received so far has been amazing. Questions are being asked and answered and people get to see what on farm living is really like.

Passed down through generations, Sally is a part of her family run farm who want to make the future of British farming something we can all be proud of. ‘Some people are set in their ways and they say, ‘this is how my father did it so that’s how I’ll do it’ and don’t take on board all the new technology. But if I can see something is going to make our work a little easier, we will trial it as when it is successful, we are more productive on farm and as a business.’

So, what makes British farming great? We would love to hear what you think. Tweet us @KWFeeds or comment on our latest tweet.

Cask Ale - Britain's National Drink

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 22:13:18 GMT

This is a story of Britain’s beer glory namely cask conditioned ale, aka real ale. If you have never consumed that format of beer then you won’t appreciate why I am about to rhapsodise in prose. Cask ale is beer is in its natural state, how nature intended it to be - unpasteurised, unfiltered, not artificially carbonated, and full of flavour.

When you walk up to a pub bar and see an array of wooden posts which resemble balustrades, those are the tools by which the server will hand-pump beer through a plastic pipe from the cask in the cellar into the glass. It’s easy to spot a dedicated cask ale drinker because they have evolved a technique that I call the Real Ale Register whereby they approach the bar with intense concentration as their eyes scan the hand-pumps in super-quick time and their brain makes lightning speed computations about what they are in the mood for, whether they have had a particular brand before, who owns it, is it a local brewery, does it have a good reputation, has it won awards. That’s why colourful pump clips such as Hop Head by Brewster’s Brewing Co (pictured) are designed to catch the eye as well as to market the beer.

Watching real ale being poured is theatre as the person serving it eases the pump back and forth several times and beer sloshes, without spilling, into the glass which is held at an angle and slowly tilted upright as the head forms and a perfectly pulled pint is presented to the customer. In some areas of the country (especially the north) the beer will have a voluptuous firm foam head enhanced by a sparkler on the pump spout. It is a nozzle through which the beer is forced thereby giving it a creamy texture. In parts of the south where a loose, frothier head is the tradition, if it is bigger than a few millimetres, and the customer is a wag, they may jokingly comment that they ordered beer not ice-cream and ask for a chocolate flake to be stuck in the top.

To prepare real ale for sale takes time and skill. Unlike pasteurised beer which is ready to serve the moment it has been delivered to the pub, real ale needs to go through several days of complicated preparation where the cellar manager encourages a secondary fermentation in the beer. This process is called conditioning and it entails the cask sitting for 1-2 days until the beer reaches the optimum temperature (between 11 and 13 degrees centigrade.) The cellar must be meticulously clean because real ale is living food - the beer contains yeast - and it breathes in the immediate atmosphere. If the thought of yeast is off-putting, remember that live yoghurt and non-pasteurized cheese contain micro-flora - one reason they taste so good!

The next stage is tapping and venting the cask by hammering a wooden peg called a spile through a membrane seal. This rouses the yeast and it starts to ferment the beer again, creating carbon dioxide which adds a gentle sparkle. The beer is left to condition for several days and during that time the flavours and character develop fully. There is no rule on the length of time because it depends on the brand. It could be one day, or up to six days. I once knew a publican who talked lovingly to the beer to encourage it during this conditioning period. It was always in superb condition, after all she worked in a caring profession.

Only when the CAT test checking for Clarity, Aroma and Taste has been performed and the publican considers it has reached perfection will they approve the beer as ready to serve. At this point the beer is fresh and luscious but like any living food, it will deteriorate quickly. As beer is pumped out of the cask it is replaced by air, and oxygen is the enemy, oxidising the beer and within days turning it to vinegar. Beer is for drinking not putting on chips!

Cask conditioned ale is almost exclusively a British format of serving beer and with few exceptions it can only be found in the pub. Imagine these pub scenarios – Sunday roast, a country walk, reading the newspaper, winning the pub quiz, meeting friends. All of them improved when a glass of real ale is also in the picture.

In Britain the guardians of the good pint are inspectors of an organisation called Cask Marque who visit pubs to assess beer quality. If it passes all the tests the pub is awarded accreditation in the form of a badge or plaque which is the beer equivalent of the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval. If you see the Cask Marque logo displayed in a pub you know it has well-kept beer.

British Food & Drink Fortnight 2020 coincides partially with Cask Ale Week (September 24th to October 4th) when real ale is celebrated. Knowing the complicated procedure involved in coaxing real ale to reveal its splendour is reason enough to revere it, but just wait until you taste it!

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Jane Peyton is Love British Food’s Drinks Ambassador. She is an accredited beer sommelier, instigator of Beer Day Britain (the UK’s national beer day), and founder of the School of Booze. Her latest book ‘The Philosophy of Gin’ has been published. Signed copies available here: https://www.jane-peyton.com/shop/the-philosophy-of-gin-by-jane-peyton/

Why British Lamb

Thu, 17 Sep 2020 11:46:52 GMT

It is well known that farming practices in Britain are some of the best in the world particularly when it comes to environmental and sustainability issues with our farmers playing an important role in this by encouraging wildlife and natural habitats. Sheep farming itself goes further in protecting rare plant and wildlife species due to the extensive use of grazing involved. Partly as a result of these very efficient production systems emissions from UK livestock are now significantly lower, at around 5% of total GHG emissions, than the estimated 9% EU wide emissions figure for livestock, a significant achievement.

Meanwhile the nutritional benefits of eating lamb are rising. As a source of good quality non-intensively reared protein lamb is becoming unrivalled. It is arguably the most ecological and nutritionally superior meat we eat with sheep relying solely on grass, often unsuitable for other purposes, for sustenance. This is because as much as two thirds of British farmland is unsuitable for growing crops but can be well utilized and indeed improved by the grazing of sheep. Nutritionally lamb is also one of the few sources of CLA which promotes muscle building and fat loss and contains a plethora of other vitamins and minerals including zinc, selenium, phosphorus and iron.

Better animal welfare means that the UK is also now one of the lowest users of antibiotics in Europe and is has also been ranked in the top four countries worldwide for animal welfare standards according to the World Animal Protection Index.

Major UK supermarkets are seeing the growing advantages of British lamb and are pledging their support. Waitrose has just committed to pulling out of supplying any New Zealand lamb from next year and Morrisons adopted an 100% British lamb policy only selling lamb reared in the UK in 2017. New initiatives are also emerging to make local lamb available to consumers via the internet.

All of this means that there has never been a better time to source and enjoy British lamb. In doing so you will also be ensuring that demand for British lamb is maintained and that these ancient protectors of the British countryside do not begin to disappear. For despite the many benefits of eating lamb, sales both worldwide and here in the UK are currently thought to be declining with a 7% drop in production now forecast for this year in the UK due to people eating out less and other production issues to do with lockdown restrictions.

by Nicky Lowe, countryside commentator

Eat More FISH! But, why?

Wed, 16 Sep 2020 11:29:50 GMT

FISH! A fabulous source of high quality protein, low in saturated fat and a great source of Omega 3 unsaturated fat.

Yet, in the UK, 75% of the adult population fall short of eating the recommended amount of 1 lean and 1 oily portion of fish each week. Here I give some answers to commonly asked questions about fish.

Why is FISH so important in our diet?

The unsaturated fat in fish is Omega 3 of which EPA and DHA are the most important types. Fish, particularly oily fish like trout, salmon, sardines and mackerel are our onlydirect source. EPA is crucial for the development of an unborn baby, particularly vision, for optimal growth in children and for long-term health, especially to reduce the risk of heart disease. Although our bodies can make EPA from plant-based food, it’s a complicated process producing far less overall than found naturally in fish. But there’s a lot more to fish than Omega 3! Pink fish like trout and salmon have high levels of antioxidants and all fish are a great source of highly digestible, complete protein (meaning they contain all the essential building blocks of protein that we need). Vitamin D is also present in oily fish. In the UK, our levels tend to be low, so fish provides an excellent additional source.

Why is EPA Omega 3 so crucial?

EPA unsaturated fat is an essential part of our body’s cell walls, so it ensures the cell performs its function correctly. This is especially important for the specialised cells of our immune system and those lining our blood vessels. Excellent research has shown a reduced risk of heart disease and stroke for those with a higher oily fish intake in their diet. Even better, those patients who have already suffered a heart incident or stroke due to a blood clot have been shown to have much better long-term recovery after increasing fish in their diet. Both EPA and DHA have important anti-inflammatory functions too.

What about pregnancy?

Public Health England currently recommends 1 portion of lean fish and 1 portion of oily fish each week during pregnancy to provide enough DHA for healthy eye and brain development in the unborn baby. This amount is still considered to be safe and disproves concerns about higher levels of mercury in oily fish, higher up the food chain. Also, a recent investigation called The Salmon in Pregnancy Study has shown a reduced level of asthma in children over 2 1/2 years old, born to mothers with a good intake of fish EPA – passed on to the baby via breastfeeding.

Why is FISH still such a good choice into senior years?

As fish is such a good source of high quality protein it’s particularly handy later in life when it becomes hard to maintain muscle strength, and when smaller appetites may prevent adequate protein intake. A little bit of fish goes a long way in providing this vital nutrient.

What should I look for when buying FISH?

Take time to check where the fish has come from – much of what we eat in the UK is fished from across the globe. Try to choose sustainably farmed fish, and British when possible! The chalk rivers of Hampshire for example being shallow, fast flowing and highly oxygenated provide perfect conditions for our British Trout. You can read more about this at Chalk Stream Foods , suppliers of local, sustainably farmed Rainbow Trout, known for its high levels of Omega 3 and antioxidants. The Celtic Coast Fish Companytake advice from the Marine Conservation Society on sourcing responsibly caught fish. The Marine Conservation Society even have an app to download that tells you how at risk the types of fish you can find in a supermarket are, and where they may have come from. It’s really worth a look and helps you to play your part in ensuring a better future for our seas!

Frankyln’s Fish Farm is a family-run British Trout company in Hampshire and supporters of The Hampshire Fare . Franklyn’s have been producing Rainbow and Brown Trout responsibly and sustainably since 1978 to re-stock lakes, rivers and reservoirs, and to supply their local customers. They even offer fun fishing lessons for children!

Trout can be enjoyed in so many ways – try with a quick and easy watercress and egg salad in this glorious British Summer!

What about supplements?

Research suggests the function of EPA to be far better when in its natural food source, fish. Indeed, a recently published study shows no beneficial effects on heart health from taking Omega 3 supplements. Buying fresh or frozen fish gives all the other beneficial nutrients too!

Be Brain-healthy with FISH!

I mentioned another type of Omega 3 in fish called DHA. It’s vital for the development of the brain – not surprising as the human brain is about 60% fat. Incidentally, a lot of this is DHA. Current research suggests a link between slowing the progression of Dementia and higher levels of DHA in the diet from fish.

Follow me on Instagram @lucywilliamsonnutrition for regular updates on easy ways to enjoy fish and other fabulous British food!

Reference: Calder PC (2017) Omega 3: The Good Oil. Nutrition Bulletin 42 132-140

Sustainable British Diet

Wed, 16 Sep 2020 10:51:16 GMT

Love British Food Fortnight is here!

Time to celebrate our bountiful British harvest at last.

British food producers are of course working hard year-round, but our harvest is at its most bountiful at this time of year and I for one am always relieved to make it to September when we start to see British apples on our shelves again, if only to combine them with the many blackberries in our hedgerows, into the glorious British crumble!

However, as Global Warming and Greenhouse Gas Emissions (GHGe) become pressing issues of our time, sustainable food production and food choices are becoming key. Globally, food production accounts for 25% of GHGe with the rearing of livestock for meat, dairy and eggs generating 18% of this. But as our population increases, so must food production and our fish supplies are already depleted, despite the wonderful work of the Marine Conservation Society and the Marine Stewards Council in addressing this.

So, what is a ‘Sustainable Diet’ and how can it benefit our British Food Producers/ Providers, our health and our planet? The Food and Agricultural Committee (FAO) provide this definition:

‘Sustainable diets are protective and respectful of biodiversity and ecosystems, culturally acceptable, accessible, economically fair and affordable, nutritionally adequate, safe and healthy, while optimising natural resources.’

Our recently updated UK Eatwell Guide reflects the recommendations – plenty of wholegrains, legumes fruit and vegetables, sustainably sourced fish twice weekly and meat and dairy in more moderate quantities. This move towards a diet higher in fibre, unsaturated fats and plant protein while lower in saturated fats is being shown through extensive research to help promote long-term health, specifically by reducing the risk of obesity, heart disease, Type 2 Diabetes and Cancer, the top causes of premature death. Type 2 Diabetes alone costs the NHS an annual £6 Billion.

Nutritionists have an emerging role to encourage a sustainable diet. However, 54% of teenage girls in the UK have an intake of Iron below the recommended intake and 27% are below that of Zinc ¹ . Red meat is the best source of readily digested Iron; meat and dairy are the best sources of Zinc. Both are essential for functions such as growth and optimal immunity. A sustainable diet is therefore a challenge for Nutrition professionals to promote.

The answer of course is that our food choices should be a balance, ensuring they meet the needs of different age groups while being sustainable choices as far as possible. Choosing British, local and seasonal goes a long way to support this. Choosing seasonal food also ensures the most nutrients, highest flavour and cheapest cost when produce is at its most plentiful.

I was lucky enough during our glorious British summer to hike the entire Ridgeway National Trail with my husband, our two teenagers and Tim the border terrier! It passes through 90 miles of stunning scenery and ancient landscapes from beautiful Avebury in Wiltshire, through Areas of Outstanding National Beauty (AONB) such as the North Wessex Downs and The Chiltern Hills before ending at Ivinghoe Beacon in Hertfordshire. For me it encompassed all that’s good about life – family time together (24/7 in fact!), overcoming difficulties (we all carried our own gear including tents, in over 30 degrees much of the time), celebrating our great and beautiful British countryside (at times it felt more like hiking in southern Spain!) and, of course we passed by and tasted excellent British produce en route.

We celebrated our 21 ^st wedding anniversary at the extremely welcoming Fat Fox Inn in Watlington, one of the most beautiful Inns on the edge of the Chilterns with a locally sourced menu which changes seasonally. What better food to choose than a hearty steak after another day of hot hiking and many miles covered!

Although iron is present in many green leafy vegetables, it’s not in a form that can be absorbed by the body – having an intake of Vitamin C at the same time enables this absorption. The iron in red meat however is extremely easily absorbed and then there’s the added benefit of Zinc which is closely associated with animal protein, so meat and dairy are excellent sources. Both are essential for a strong immune system and of course iron more importantly to prevent anaemia, ensure adequate growth in children and correct brain development in the unborn. My family enjoy vegetarian choices, but we also realise the importance of a weekly intake of red meat and the steak at the Fat Fox didn’t disappoint! It’s worth mentioning that the Coop, who are great supporters of Love British Food, now provide only 100% British Beef and Lamb in their own brand fresh and frozen products.

Dairy is of equal importance in our diet – you can read more about it here , suffice to say calcium, essential for bone health is absorbed better from dairy than any other food source. Cold milk and yogurt were a luxury on our hike!

Many choose a diet lower in meat and dairy and Vegan choices are gaining popularity. Whilst there may be good reasons for this and indeed a sustainable diet should be more plant-based where possible, my previous career as a Vet only served to reassure me of the great care that our British farmers take to ensure the optimal health of their animals. This has only increased over the years – our extremely high-quality British beef and dairy is only possible through high standards of farm animal health and welfare.

Back on the Ridgeway and getting ever-closer to our destination, blisters under control and with dog now in boots too due to sore pads, Fish and chips in Wendover were another highlight! Perhaps cod wasn’t the most sustainable choice (The Marine Conservation Society does at least report a gradual improvement in the status of cod in our seas over the last few years) but we were too far from the chalk rivers of Hampshire for our favourite British Trout !

We became original with ensuring we could still source fresh fruit and veg without detouring off the trail too much – thankfully the Goring Grocer in Goring-on-Thames provided a welcome choice of local veg as did the farmers market in Watlington. Purple carrots, in season until last month looked good in our picnic wraps!

There were plenty of treats along the way and discovering Marshfield Ice Cream at The White Horse Inn in Uffington, after a scorching 16 miles was heaven! Made from their own organic milk, I’m happy to say we also have a local supplier in Rickmansworth at The Café in the Park , who pride themselves in the ethical sourcing of their mostly British food and at their Shop at the Park too. Well worth a visit when you’re next in southern Hertfordshire.

And so, 87 miles later, we made it to the end-point of The Ridgeway after savouring some of the best Britain has to offer.

It’s been a fabulous summer; let’s hope it’s a fabulous Autumn too as we celebrate our bountiful British Harvest!

¹ National Diet and Nutrition Survey Years 1-8, 2008/09-2015/16

Gut Feelings on Farming and Education

Wed, 16 Sep 2020 10:40:59 GMT

As I’ve travelled around various conferences and been hosted by some pioneering British food producers this last month, I’ve been inspired by a move to reconnect our nation, particularly young people, with our land, our Agrifood industry and ultimately an appreciation of its role in our future health.

At the LEAF (Linking Environment and Farming) Education and Public Engagement Conference a few weeks ago, LEAF presented the results of Rothamsted Research they had commissioned involving over 1000 teenagers across the UK. The outcomes of this research will help shape new strategies within the Agrifood industry to better their engagement with the next generation.

Included in this research was a teenage empowerment event day at The Farm School , Harpenden, where the views of our next generation on the future of farming, sustainability and our environment were aired and valued.

Currently within the national school curriculum there is little room for the teaching of food provenance. Technology and indoor lifestyles are additional barriers to reconnecting our young people with nature; but they don’t have to be! Initiatives such as Facetime a Farmer by LEAF and The Watercress Company’s live broadcasting to 1000s of pupils are making farming education more accessible to schools. Farm Schools are starting to provide rural locations for teaching days and even a future possibility of ‘teaching the teachers’ at their venues. So, I’m optimistic that gradually we can build on the enthusiasm of our young in caring for the environment and increase their awareness of Agrifood; I’m looking forward to promoting this further on my various school visits next year.

Having practiced as a Vet for 15 years and now working in the field of Nutrition, I’m fascinated by ‘One Health’; the concept that healthy soils and sustainable farming practices lead to healthy livestock and crops. This food is our fuel; along with our lifestyle choices it acts as a preventative medicine in determining our long-term health. This brings me onto an exciting area of diet-related research which is inexplicably linked with our Agrifood practices. You will have found it hard to ignore the latest media buzz phrases of ‘Gut Health’, be ‘Gut Healthy’ or ‘follow your gut instinct’. I’m all about evidence-based nutrition advice; the evidence for the role of our own gut bacteria in our health is now overwhelming and undoubtedly the future of medicine in years to come. We’ve evolved in a microbial environment so it’s no surprise that research is now showing many crucial roles for our own gut bacteria in optimising our long-term health.

I was privileged to hear Prof Tim Spector from King’s College, London, share his pioneering research as Director of the Twins UK Registry into the effects of our gut bacteria on our health at the Royal Society of Medicine recently. We now know from rapidly growing research in this area that these trillions of bacteria residing in our large intestine have a vital role in the development of our immune system and are protective against disease from allergy to some cancers and mental health. They may even explain why some of us are more prone to weight gain than others and undoubtedly have a role in the prevention of Obesity and Diabetes. Known as our Microbiome, these gut bacteria possess 300 x our own 20,000 genes. The good news is we can all enhance these crucial microbes just by altering our food choices. Prof Spector went to extreme lengths to demonstrate this by living with an African tribe recently for 4 days. Living extremely close to their land, their food and lifestyle practices nurture their microbiome; Prof Spector’s had improved in its diversity by 40% after the experience! This of course is the extreme, but less obsession with hygiene and an increase in sustainable farming practices promoting soil health are steps in the right direction towards better gut health. Most importantly, I’m a Nutritionist after all, eating as wide a range of seasonal vegetables and therefore fibre, as possible is the best thing you can do straight away to nurture these vital health promoters! They gain their energy from fermenting the fibre in our food which we are otherwise unable to digest. The products released from this fermentation; so-called metabolites are the key to their beneficial effects on our health. You can read more about tending your gut bacteria here

The last stop on my recent travels was a wonderful day with Chalkstream Foods (new website coming soon!) in the spring fed, minerally rich and naturally filtered waters of Hampshire. Producing rainbow trout on the two most famous chalkstream rivers in the world, the Tess and the Itchen, they pride themselves in their sustainable farming practices. At Greatbridge Farm in Romsey, I learned more – the fast flow of high quality chalkstream water that they are swimming against producing exceptionally lean fish; trout are extremely efficient at converting their food into a highly digestible and complete source of protein. Our consumption of fish in the UK is below the recommended Public Health England (PHE) intake of at least two portions each week. I hope to help build awareness of British Trout as a fabulous source of vital anti-oxidants, high quality protein, Omega 3 and some Vitamin D too. To read more about why these are all essential (yet low) in our diet, head to https://lwnutrition.co.uk/

A visit to Frankyn’s Fish Farm in New Alresford on my home journey provided yet more beautiful scenery and learning opportunity and I’m extremely grateful to all my hosts.

Tucking into our freshly caught trout and watercress with my family that evening, I for one, felt very connected with our land, as did our two teens!

Watercress - Seasonal Plant Power

Wed, 16 Sep 2020 10:33:27 GMT

Our younger generation (Millennials to be precise, and younger teens too) are to be respected for making choices in line with their values. When it comes to food the focus is on sustainable – healthy for people and planet and inevitably more plant-based.

That’s all fabulous, but with my nutrition hat on, it’s really important to spread awareness that nutrient demands are high for this savvy group of consumers, whether teenage and developing rapidly or Millennials – working hard, planning a family and possibly sports enthusiasts too. It’s important to understand where nutrient-gaps can occur in plant-based eating. Enter Watercress! Just another trendy green or a truly fabulous source of nutrients? Were you born after 1981? Check out these nutrients you need, our seasonal watercress is bursting with them, and decide if watercress should be on your shopping list!

IRON demands are especially high during growth and development, pregnancy, breast feeding and of course, sport. It’s worth noting that the iron in plant-based diets is less easy for our bodies to absorb than the type found in meat, so called haem-iron. Luckily, watercress is high in VITAMIN C which promotes the absorption of its iron by converting it into the same form as haem iron. In fact, 80g of watercress contains more Vitamin C than an orange of the same weight! With 46% of 11-18 year-old girls below the recommended daily intake of iron in the UK ¹ , this is a tick for Watercress. Low iron means we can’t use the energy from our food so well; growth and development are energy zapping processes. Furthermore, avoiding low iron stores during pregnancy is a must, being essential for brain development in unborn babies into the first year of life and also of course to prevent maternal iron-deficiency anaemia. Watercress is a rare green leaf in this respect – a leafy green with good iron availability should be top of the shopping list!

VITAMIN A is also required to improve iron absorption – 100g of Watercress contains more than half our recommended daily intake. Even better – Vit A is required for a strong immune system too.

CALCIUM is of course needed during growth to reach maximum bone density by age 18 – there’s no going back after this, yet nearly 25% of teenage girls have an intake below the lowest recommended daily amount ¹ . Beyond this age group, calcium is always required to maintain bone density and provide for that of a developing baby. Calcium is absorbed better from dairy than any other food source, but dairy may not be on the list of favourite food choices (I wish it was; it really should be). 100g watercress gives a quarter of the recommended daily amount, although much more is required during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

VITAMIN K is also a key nutrient in bone density and Watercress is a Vitamin K powerhouse! It’s not as easily absorbed from plants as it is from food of animal origin but 100g Watercress contains four times our recommended daily intake so it’s a pretty good source of another valuable vitamin.

FIBRE is a type of carbohydrate that can’t be digested in the small intestine. Instead, it passes to the colon (large intestine) where it’s fermented by billions of gut bacteria to produce many compounds essential for our metabolism. Collectively, the genetic make-up of these bacteria is known as our ‘Microbiome’. With 150x our own genetic makeup, our microbiome is to be nurtured; in fact our ratio of human cells to bacterial cells is 1:1 so we’re just as much bacteria as we are human! ² We now know these gut bacteria have key roles in our long-term health, from optimising our immune system to protection against certain types of cancer and obesity. ³ In addition, fibre maintains our ‘digestive health’, helping food to pass more quickly through the gut. In 2016, The Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN), who report the findings of research studies to Public Health England, advised increasing the recommended intake of fibre for children (18g/day) and adults (30g/day), as a result of firm evidence for its health benefits, collected over several years.

WATERCRESS , along with other fruit and veg (diversity is the key to good microbes!) is a great source of fibre but it also has one of the highest levels of ANTIOXIDANTS. Our gut bacteria have an important role activating these antioxidants before we can use them for essential daily detox to reduce DNA damage from the many toxins we’re constantly exposed to – either in the environment or those from metabolic processes within our body.

FOLATE is in all fibre-containing foods like watercress and is needed in far higher amounts before and during pregnancy to avoid neural tube birth defects (Spina Bifida).

SUSTAINABLE food choices are to be encouraged – Food production accounts for a quarter of all greenhouse gas emissions; increasing plant-based foods in our diet is a good step towards a healthier planet (but I always stress beef and dairy can and should be sustainable options too – especially if pasture fed; they’re a valuable source of easily absorbable nutrients). The Watercress Company (TWC) protect biodiversity and ecosystems by carrying out an annual conservation value test on their water outflow, they are economically fair and affordable, and their production methods are safe and healthy while optimising natural resources. They also use biodegradable chilled packaging and when watercress is out of season in the UK over the winter, they transport it from their British farm in Florida using only spare space on Virgin Atlantic Flights! They also develop COMMUNITY based projects, currently supplying free surplus watercress to a community kitchen which is part of the @endhungerUK campaign and collaborating with their local Dorset county hospital Cancer Care unit.

SPORTS PERFORMANCE demands nourishing recovery drinks and in today’s climate of ‘keeping sport clean’, natural nutrients are surely to be encouraged – Vitamin C and antioxidants are valuable in reducing oxidative stress which occurs during intense sport and can lead to DNA damage and prolonged return to training. Oxidative stress can also weaken the immune system, so a great source of Vitamin C, like watercress, can be a valuable ingredient in any sports recovery drink. Moreover, watercress is a low sugar, low salt food with its high protein content accounting for half its calories!

So, calling all Teens and Millennials!

Smoothie it, soup it, salad it, drink it…however you choose to enjoy it, Watercress is a fabulous green and one worth celebrating!

‘Lucy is our Registered Nutritionist and Love British Food Ambassador

With a Masters’ degree from King’s College, London, she works to inform and inspire better health for all. Previously a Vet and with a family of her own, her Nutrition Consultancy aims to promote happier, healthier lives by sharing an understanding of sustainable, good food choices amid confusing ‘healthy eating’ messages. Lucy provides evidence-based nutrition support for British food producers with a sustainable focus, keen to communicate the health benefits of their produce. You can read more here https://lwnutrition.co.uk/foodlinks/ , or contact Lucy for any enquiries: info@lwnutrition.co.uk ‘

References:

¹ NDNS: National Diet and Nutrition Survey, UK. Continuous survey carried out by Public Health England and the Food Standards Agency to assess the nation’s food intake. Data taken from latest update, 2018.

² Sender, S., Fuschs, S., Milo, R (2016) Revised estimates for the number of human and bacteria cells in the body https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/036103v1

³ Valdes, A.M., Walter, J., Segal, F., Spector, T (2018) Role of the gut microbiota in nutrition and health

British Medical Journal: 361 K2179

Gut Health 101

Wed, 16 Sep 2020 10:19:05 GMT

Rapidly growing research is showing the crucial role that our gut microbes play in our long-term health and wellbeing. Read on for the key evidence-based facts about Gut Health and why this is nutrition science to shout about!

Microbes were on earth long before we were – we’ve evolved together in a microbial world. Nature, which we are part of, depends on valuable microbes for many processes. For example, plant roots depend on certain bacteria to extract nutrients more efficiently from the soil and to protect them against unfavourable, soil-borne disease. This symbiotic relationship, where one organism benefits from another, is crucial if nature is to thrive. It’s no surprise then that clear research is now showing that we too depend on our gut microbes (our gut bacteria) for maximum benefit from the food we eat and to promote our long-term health. With 150x our own genetic makeup, our microbes are to be nurtured; in fact our ratio of human cells to bacterial cells is 1:1 so we’re just as much bacteria as we are human!(1) Scientists researching this field are seeking to understand the many ways which our human genes and our microbiome, the genes of our bacteria, combine to determine our long-term health.

What does ‘Gut Health’ actually mean?

Eating fibre-rich and fermented food, which encourages a good and diverse range of gut bacteria is the start. Fibre of course maintains our digestive health by ensuring the food we eat passes more quickly through the gut. More importantly, our gut bacteria then ensure we benefit from key nutrients in our diet. By fermenting the fibre we eat and digesting it for us they gain their energy. They’re also crucial in activating many antioxidants in our food. Their products of digestion, known as metabolites, then carry out vital roles essential for the health of our gut, but also for many other body systems:

80% of the cells required for our immune response to infection are located in the wall of our gut – our gut bacteria and the chemicals they produce are essential in the development of these cells to ensure we develop a strong immune system. Current research is showing an association not only between our microbiome and our ability to resist infections but also our risk of autoimmune disease such as Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) and Multiple Sclerosis (MS).

In fermenting fibre in our diet, our gut bacteria produce fatty acids, one of which Butyric Acid, or Butyrate, has a vital anti-inflammatory role, providing energy to maintain the health of our colonocytes, the cells which line the wall of our gut. Current research shows links between our microbiome and Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) and Colorectal cancer. Butyrate also has an antibacterial function against less favourable bacteria.

Further studies are showing potential roles for our gut bacteria in our emotional wellbeing – they’re key in the production of the amino acid tryptophan which is required by us to make our ‘happiness hormone’, serotonin. But also, we now know that products of our microbiome stimulate nerve endings within our gut wall, the pathway of our ‘Gut-Brain Axis’, another term we’re starting to hear more frequently!

Then there are many more emerging roles for our gut bacteria from keeping cholesterol levels favourable to pivotal roles in maintaining a healthy weight and reducing risk of chronic disease like Type 2 Diabetes. (2)

How much fibre should we eat?

In 2016, The Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN), who report the findings of research studies to Public Health England, advised increasing the recommended intake of fibre for children (18g/day) and adults (30g/day), as a result of firm evidence for its many health benefits, collected from rapidly growing research over several years. (3)

Helping nature to thrive

But just as nurturing our microbiome looks after our long-term health, it also begins to help nature to thrive – the foods which are key in encouraging good gut bacteria are also part of a sustainable diet – good for us and good for our planet! Eating seasonal (and therefore British) fruit and vegetables, wholegrains like oats, barley and even British chia seed and Quinoa now being farmed in Essex, ensures plenty fibre in our diet.

Gut Bacteria, Cows and Greenhouse Emissions!

However, there’s more to nurturing microbes than just our own health – cows are responsible for 4% of greenhouse gas emissions in the methane they produce – the same as from the airline industry. Researchers at Aberdeen University are discovering that certain types of gut bacteria in cows result in lower methane production. Science is showing associations between these potentially beneficial bacteria and cows fed entirely on pasture and of course let’s not forget the carbon recycling in all those country pancakes!

G etting down to earth with all of this, it’s clear that by living ‘closer to our land’ and being less obsessed with hygiene, eating fibre-rich food in its most natural form and enjoying fermented foods too are simple steps we can all take to improve our gut health. Choosing wholegrains, skin-on fruit and veg, beans, pulses, nuts and seeds, keeping our soils healthy with responsible farming and eating as sustainably as we can, including dairy, beef and fish, is all part of the bigger picture to nurture the future health of ourselves and our planet. Most importantly, spare a thought for our microbes, tiny and silent yet essential for the health of ourselves, our plants and our animals! (4)

References:

1. Sender, S., Fuschs, S., Milo, R (2016) Revised estimates for the number of human and bacteria cells in the body https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/036103v1

2. Valdes, A.M., Walter, J., Segal, F., Spector, T (2018) Role of the gut microbiota in nutrition and health British Medical Journal: 361 K2179

3. NDNS: National Diet and Nutrition Survey, UK. Continuous survey carried out by Public Health England and the Food Standards Agency to assess the nation’s food intake. Data taken from latest update, 2018.

4. The microbiome: human medicine and agriculture in a microbial world. Conference report, 5 October 2018

Great British foods to build your natural resistance

Wed, 16 Sep 2020 10:00:43 GMT

Most of the following ‘down to earth’ great British foods have a firm evidence-base for key health benefits.

Other novel foods mentioned have fabulous potential for our health, but without enough evidence yet to make specific claims.

All can be part of a balanced diet = more plant-based, with fish twice a week minimum (at least one portion oily) inclusive of some red meat and dairy (or suitable alternatives for vegans and vegetarians) and as such have important roles for our immune systems too

Fibre: natural prebiotic for gut health

Over 80% of the cells which make up our immune system are located in the wall of our intestine. Gut bacteria here support a well-developed immunity. Fibre is a type of carbohydrate that can’t be digested in the small intestine, passing instead to the colon (large intestine). Here it provides fuel for billions of these beneficial gut bacteria, which ferment it to produce many compounds essential for our everyday metabolism and the correct functioning of our gut wall. Collectively known as our ‘Microbiome’ and with 150x our own genetic makeup, our microbiome is to be nurtured! Our gut bacteria also have an important role activating antioxidants in some foods which are also beneficial in boosting our immunity.

Skin-on Veg and Fruit, Nuts, Seeds, grains like Oats and other Wholemeal Cereals, Brown & Wild Rice, Wholemeal Pasta, Quinoa, Beans, Peas and Pulses like Kidney & Fava beans, Chickpeas & Lentils.

Fermented Foods: natural probiotics for Gut Health

These foods have been fermented so are already brimming with good bacteria and their beneficial products of fermentation as described above.

Bio-live yogurt, Yakult, Actimel, Marmite, Vegemite, Sourdough (bacteria inactivated on cooking but beneficial fermented products still present), Blue cheese.

Less well known but wonderful! Sauerkraut, Kimchi, Miso & Kefir – an ancient fermented milk drink (meaning ‘Live Long’ in Turkish) bursting with billions of beneficial bacteria and yeasts. Now being made with British milk – UK suppliers below.

Fish

Oily, pink fish are especially good choices as they contain Astaxanthin, an antioxidant and precursor to Vitamin A, both of which have a role in ensuring the cells of the immune system function correctly. Two types of Omega 3 in fish are also well known to regulate the immune system. (see below)

British trout (often good value), mackerel, salmon and even tinned sardines☺

Antioxidant-rich foods

These micro-nutrients constantly protect us from cell damage by removing potentially harmful by-products of our ‘everyday’ metabolism. This ensures our cells are able to function correctly. As the immune system has many different types of cells with many different functions, antioxidants are essential. We make our own antioxidants but when our need is increased, extra from our food is a great help.

Brassica vegetables like Sprouts, Watercress, Broccoli, Cabbage, Kale and Cauliflower, colourful fruit and veg like Carrots, Tomatoes, Beetroot & Sweet Potato, Spinach Blueberries, Blackberries & Apples (skin on). Pink Fish. (Happily – Dark Chocolate, Red Wine☺, Tea, Coffee and also Green tea, Matcha tea, Turmeric and Olive Oil)

Vitamin C

Our immune system has a high demand for energy due to constant cell multiplication and the movement of these immune cells to potential infection sites around the body. Vitamin C has a key role in making the energy in our food available for our body cells. Vitamin C also enables immune cells to kill germs and recover afterwards and is important in the chemical signalling which attracts immune system cells to the area in the body that needs them. We also need Vitamin C to make our own antioxidants.

Tomatoes, Watercress (weight for weight more than an orange!), Spinach and other green vegetables, Potatoes, Oranges and other Citrus fruits, Berries, Peppers, Kiwi & British Sea Buckthorn – see note at end.

Vitamin A

Essential to ensure immune cells are able to function correctly as well as providing ‘barrier’ immunity within the mucosa of our gut wall and airways.

Meat, oily Fish, Poultry, Dairy (especially whole fat as this is a fat-soluble vitamin), Liver and Kidney, Carrots, Sweet potatoes, Watercress and other leafy greens, Tomatoes.

Vitamin E

This fat-soluble vitamin is an important part of cell membranes and has a vital antioxidant role. More recently it’s been associated with improved immune responses with increasing age.

Cold Pressed vegetable oils especially Rapeseed oil, Cod liver oil, Olive Oil, Nuts especially Almonds and Seeds, Wheatgerm, Potatoes, Green Leafy Veg, Fats and Spreads and fortified Breakfast Cereals.

Vitamin D supplement 10 mcg daily, all age groups and pregnancy

95% of our Vitamin D comes from the action of direct sunshine on our skin, so our stores are always low after the winter. Vitamin D is required by our immune cells in addition to its better-known role regulating calcium. (For healthy adults, 25mcg/ 1000IU is still well within the maximum safe daily dose.) Available in all pharmacies. If you already take a multivitamin or similar, check for its Vitamin D content.

Oily Fish such as salmon, sardines, herring and mackerel; Red Meat; Liver; Egg Yolks.

Unsaturated Fats; Omega 3 and 6

Both of these in the right balance have many health benefits including essential regulation of the immune system. Two types of Omega 3 are especially important and abundant in oily fish. Plant Omega 3 however needs to be converted by our bodies into these two forms already in fish, before we can get the same benefit, so non-fish eaters need a lot more from plant sources. (and most plants contain much more Omega 6)

Omega 3: Oily fish like trout, salmon, mackerel & sardines. Plant Omega 3: Rapeseed oil (also great for cooking as not denatured at high temperatures), Flaxseed, Walnuts, Almonds, Hemp and Algal oil.

Iron

Iron is used by our body cells for every energy-zapping process. The immune system has a high requirement for energy and iron stores can easily become depleted during growth and pregnancy or intense sport training programs. Top Tip for non-meat eaters – Iron in plants (non-haem iron) is poorly absorbed by our body as it’s in a different form to that found in meat (haem iron). Vitamin C and A convert this plant iron into a much more absorbable form so always make sure you have foods rich in Vitamin A and C in the same meal. (see above)

Red Meat (once weekly) Watercress & other Green Leafy Veg, fortified Breakfast Cereals, Quinoa, Wheatgerm, Bran, Tomatoes, Lentils and pulses.

Folic Acid (Folate) and Vitamin B12

Both of these are needed for the normal functioning of the immune system. Folate supplements are recommended before and during pregnancy when demand doubles. (400mcg daily). Vitamin B12 deficiency can occur in older age as long-term medicines and changes in the lining of the stomach can reduce our ability to absorb it from our food.

Vit B12: Fish, Meat, Dairy, Eggs, Fortified Breakfast Cereals, Marmite

Folate: Fibre-rich food (see above) including Leafy Greens, Beans and Pulses. Fortified Breakfast Cereals, Breads and Eggs.

Keep calm, keep active, get plenty of rest, eat and hydrate well!

Shout Out For British Trout

Wed, 16 Sep 2020 09:45:05 GMT

Lucy discusses the benefits of British trout and the vitamins and minerals you can get from this delicious and often overlooked fish.

Celery Convert

Mon, 14 Sep 2020 10:32:45 GMT

I have to confess that I haven’t always liked celery. Yet I have many emotional memories attached to this misunderstood vegetable.

For instance, I adored the smell of celery on my Granny’s hands and have been known to chop a few chunks just to evoke the memory of her. In my first ever Home Economics lesson I was taught to make celery soup. And the first time I stayed at my school friend’s house, her mother served spag bol with slices of celery incorporated into the mince - I was not impressed.

I became a celery convert in my late teens when I was ‘reliably’ informed that celery contained negative calories. That I could eat as much as I liked of the stuff and I would lose weight; that it would burn more calories to consume than to intake. Having just been described as a Michelin man by the boy I fancied, this information was like finding the golden ticket. Stalk after stalk I chomped through until I realised there was no scientific foundation to this whatsoever. Nor to the concept that it is an aphrodisiac or even a hangover cure. Although it has to be said, it is a seriously healthy snack with two stalks containing just 25 calories. And a friend has recently used it in a soup with tomatoes, a cabbage and an onion and claims it is the sole cause of her losing several pounds.

By my twenties, celery was firmly established in my top three of favourite British vegetables. It is awesome stuff. I use it as a base for home-made tomato sauce – I sweat it with onions before adding a couple of tins of tomatoes and simmer it for ages. Despite my earlier dismissal of celery in mince, it now features in every cottage pie, burger and bolognese I make. I just cut it a little smaller. I use it when cooking lentils. I regularly make celery soup – often just celery, garlic, and stock if I want something speedy. It is a foundation ingredient in my savoury pie-fillings, stews, curries and casseroles. Known celery-haters have happily consumed the vegetable at my table in blissful ignorance of its presence. That is another reason it is so fantastic – depending on how you cut and cook it, it can become the dominant flavour or not. It doesn’t need to take over.

When I roast meat, celery is integral. I snap off some sticks and lie them at the bottom of the roasting pan and put my chicken, pheasant, venison, beef, even pork on top. The smell that emanates from the oven is sensational and the flavour the celery adds is just fantastic. Who needs salt? Still not convinced? Then have a look at the list of ingredients on your tomato ketchup bottle.

I once described beetroot as the mother-in-law of the vegetable world. To create a similar analogy with celery, I would compare it with one of those friends who you have known for decades - always in the background, always a bit annoying and never really A-list status. Only you and your life would be half of what it is without them. Trust me, a stew without celery - however irritating it is- is a fraction of the dish it could be, regardless of how many glugs of wine or ale are thrown in. And no, no amount of bouquet garni can compensate for its absence either.

Hopefully I have convinced you, if you needed to be, of the flavour and health benefits of celery. But in case further persuasion is necessary, consider the pedigree of British celery. When picturing this original and characterful vegetable please don’t think of pale, insipid and limp stalks that have been left too long in a glass on the kitchen side - a well-known and let’s face it, rather pathetic attempt to replace or distract the desire for biscuits. Think of crunchy, robust, green celery, which originated from the Fens. Fenland celery, recently revived in Cambridgeshire, has the coveted protected geographical indication (PGI) status.

Regarded as a medicinal plant in the Middle Ages, treating ailments such as anxiety, insomnia, rheumatism, gout, toothache and arthritis, celery began to be enjoyed as a vegetable in its own right in the fifteenth century.

It wasn’t until Victorian times when Fenland celery's popularity really began to soar. Harvested in September/October it became a traditional salad vegetable to accompany the cheese board served at the end of meals over the Christmas period. The season for Fenland winter celery was by its nature short and unpredictable, and people began to want more of it - for longer. Around 50 years ago other varieties were introduced to the UK, a paler celery available from July. Thirty years on, British consumers began to demand greener-looking celery all year round. And, ironically, it was these greener varieties, related to the old Fenland ones, which were selected by retailers.

So if you have always considered yourself a celery-loather why not push yourself this weekend and give it another go. Just make sure it is good British celery and you will be converted.

You will find three main types of celery product for sale:

Whole head: coarse outer stalks and leaf tops removed. Use the outer stems for cooking and the more tender, inner stalks for eating raw.

Hearts: more of the outer stalks have been removed, so there is less waste.

Sticks: celery sticks, pre-washed and ready to eat.

The Harvest

Mon, 14 Sep 2020 10:29:38 GMT

The Harvest

©Henry Birtles, 31st July 2013

Read by the actor Damien Lewis in Love British Food’s Harvest Service

in Westminster Abbey in 2013

Let’s gather as a band of one, in symphony across the land

To thank our Lord for Harvest reaped and gratefully as one let’s stand

To think of those, for all their toil who’ve readied plough, who’ve nurtured soil

The farmers in the fields, the cold; the hardened hands, the fens, the wold

So many aspects of a life, a challenge most will never know

For we in houses snugly sleep, whilst in the biting winds and snow

The men and women of their earth prepare a ground for springtime seeds

That one day will produce our bread, our milk, our food, our daily needs

And through this nation memories walk, a depth of image ever strong

Of distant days and innocence; of man and Shire Horse ploughing on

Of wheatsheaves standing in the sun and laughing land girls coming home

The orchards, meadows, hedgerow birds; the pitchfork and the haystack dome

Though now they rest in picture form, the people, beasts and tools long gone

The land they worked is constant still; the boundaries, fields, the far off hill

The skylark’s song remains the same; a trout will rise below the mill

For all the romance of these scenes, look not through glass of tinted rose

Ask farming people what it’s like and though the job is one they chose

It takes its toll; the troughs are long and cold and deep

The flattened barley, missing sheep and so much more that blights their show

But on and on and on they go, until that day of days has come

The tractor’s parked, the combine’s quiet; the crop is in, the Harvest done

Celebrate British Food Fortnight with a Plum

Mon, 14 Sep 2020 10:24:54 GMT

Plums are traditionally the last fruit of summer and the first fruit of autumn.

Referred to in the writings of Chaucer, they are a truly British fruit not least because they nurture the nation's idiosyncratic nature. Every early September they are like the long-lost friend that comes to visit. They are either greeted with utter relish and devoured on the spot or treated with an initial disdain, then later consumed in the guise of a jam, chutney or a form of baked pudding. Plums can also tend to outstay their welcome, once a good harvest has been utilised in every known form.

Plums are traditionally the last fruit of summer and the first fruit of autumn. Referred to in the writings of Chaucer, they are a truly British fruit not least because they nurture the nation's idiosyncratic nature. Every early September they are like the long-lost friend that comes to visit. They are either greeted with utter relish and devoured on the spot or treated with an initial disdain, then later consumed in the guise of a jam, chutney or a form of baked pudding. Plums can also tend to outstay their welcome, once a good harvest has been utilised in every known form.

The brilliant thing about plums is, rather like beetroot, it doesn't matter if you are not a fan of the raw product. Incorporated in a cobbler or served alongside duck the taste is far more subtle. Rich and tangy, without the sharpness of the raw deal. The drawback is that you either can't seem to find a British plum anywhere or you are overwhelmed by them.

Unfortunately, due to imported produce having a higher profit margin, many supermarkets tend to sell Californian Santa Rosa plums or something similar. If you are having difficulty finding British plums try your nearest pick your own or farmers markets. If you are fortunate enough to live near Burnham Market then go to Leith House Orchards www.pmfarming.co.uk. They have 3,000 plum trees and 36 varieties, including rarities with serial numbers not names because they never made it into commercial production, where you can pick-your-own. Foraging is another option. Carefully scoured hedgerows, particularly in North Wales can often yield wild plums. The wild plum tree is very similar to the blackthorn, about 6 meteres high with dark oval leaves. The fruit are usually ripe by the end of September. Wild plums are dark purple with juicy, green flesh. Of course the easiest, most cost efficient and environmentally friendly way of obtaining British plums is to grow your own. Varieties such as Marjorie's Seedling and Victoria are easy to grow and will have you deep set in plums for years to come. As with all fruit, it's better to buy trees from a specialist nursery, such as Brogdale Farm in Kent, home of the National Fruit Collection. You will be amazed, in a good year, how many plums your tree will yield. You will then wonder, as any scrap of space diminishes from your freezer, what you are going to do with them all.

Comfort yourself by knowing generations of ancestors have faced similar conundrums and they did not have fridges or freezers. Plums are just as good a component of savoury dishes as they are of sweet ones.

A plum sauce can enhance the flavours of pork, poultry and game dishes. Duck or partridge with spiced plums is a delicious autumnal supper. Similarly a plum salsa is fantastic with mackerel or herring. For vegetarians, a plum and brie tart is easy to make. In fact plums sit very well with cheese be they in pastry, as a jacket potato filling or simply on a cheese board. How about a plum chutney and cheese sandwich? Plum preserves are a great way to galvinise a glut. Plum jam is utterly divine be it on a thick wedge of fresh bread or on toast. It also makes a wonderful present. And 'Pershore' plums make excellent jam or chutney.

Why I Love Being a British Food Ambassador

Mon, 14 Sep 2020 09:39:00 GMT

Milly Fyfe – Love British Food Ambassador

I’ve been an LBF ambassador for nearly 10 years now, time has simply flown.

Looking back, I have seen the organisation grow from strength to strength with new partners coming on board, organisations become more engaged and implementing change, and most importantly the campaign messages has been far reaching. More people know about Love British Food. Great.

The ambassador team has grown so much and it’s amazing to think that I am in the same ‘group’ as some pretty inspiring people who LOVE food. Quite surreal really. Of course, Raymond Blanc has been a stalwart member and without his influence, things may have looked somewhat different. Having met him a few times, his passion for English food, with a clear supply chain, and quality ingredients, just oozes from him. Just check his twitter account out (he is worth a follow!)

I was honoured to be asked to deliver a reading at the Westminster Abbey harvest festival in 2013. It will forever be in my thoughts and often is recalled at dinner parties and social gatherings. Speaking in front of royalty, being a minder for Martin Clunes, Damien Lewis introducing himself to me. I still have to pinch myself. What an event is was. Westminster Abbey was packed; the school children prepared some amazing harvest displays and the news coverage was buzzing. The LBF team worked their socks off to make it happen and they are probably just getting over it now!

And whilst time has moved on, the foundation of the organisation remains the same. To highlight, raise awareness and promote British Food as well as encouraging the likes of retailers and suppliers to make British Food the food of choice. #BritishFoodIsGreat

I am now looking to the future with how I can continue to support the campaign. Having taken a career break to raise my children, and support my husband on the family farm, has given me a refreshed outlook on where I would like to focus my energy.

I adore photography and enjoy taking pictures of the animals on the farm, the food that we grow, the meals that I produce and we eat as a family. We definitely belong to the clean plate club in this household! And so, I want to build upon these foundations by ensuring my social media accounts are flooded with crisps images and videos, carefully documenting the whole food chain process, in order to share our pocket of the countryside.

What’s more, is that I’d like to help other small food businesses to do the same. I’m therefore hopeful that if I am successful with a funding proposal that I have put together, that I will be able to deliver on my desires to showcase British Food to the wider world.

It doesn’t stop there. Being a busy parent, people often ask me how I produce healthy, nutritious meals for all the family, that children will eat too, that they can replicate. I’m keen to launch a blog to share my top tips, highlighting no fuss recipes and accessible ingredients. I will have to keep you posted!

You can follow my journey on Twitter and Instagram @MillyFyfe

Dr Lucy Williamson discusses British Trout

richard@innuo.co.uk (Richard Jaques) — Fri, 07 Aug 2020 10:03:47 GMT

In a new range of Vlog’s Love British Food’s resident nutritionist Dr Lucy Williamson is exploring great British foods and the health benefits behind them. In her latest video, Lucy discusses the benefits of British trout and the vitamins and minerals you can get from this delicious and often overlooked fish.

The many nutritional benefits of drinking British Milk

richard@innuo.co.uk (Richard Jaques) — Fri, 07 Aug 2020 10:01:10 GMT

Rather than her traditional written blog posts, Love British Food’s resident nutritionist Lucy Williamson has recorded a vlog. In this video, Lucy discusses the benefits of drinking great British milk and the nutrients you can get from milk and dairy products.

Stichelton Cheese

Fri, 07 Aug 2020 09:59:26 GMT

A creamy textured, mellow blue cheese made from raw cow’s milk. Flavours range from tangy green apples to savoury beef stock, with toasty notes toward the rind.

Blue cheese made with raw milk to a Stilton-recipe had been extinct for 18 years after a dairy had wrongly been linked to an outbreak of food poisoning in 1989 and there was a ban on production. Despite the cheese being incorrectly blamed, Stilton went on to be awarded Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) by the EU in 1996, but with the caveat than only pasteurised milk is used… until American cheesemaker Joe Schneider came along

Schneider began a partnership with Randoph Hodson of Neal’s Yard Dairy and in late 2004 they discussed the possibility of recreating an unpasteurised Stilton-style cheese. Unable to be described as a Stilton due to the PDO, so they looked into an early name for the village of Stilton and choose Stichelton instead which was found in a record dating back to the 12th century. The name is derived for the old English ‘Stichl’ meaning a style and ‘Tun’ meaning village or hamlet.

The first Stichelton cheese was produced in October 2006, reportedly from a starter culture from the original producer by Hodgson’s colleague, and subsequently kept alive for eighteen years.

Today, Stichelton is still produced by Randolph Hodgson in small batches in a dairy on Collingthwaite Farm on the Welbeck Estate on the northern edge of Sherwood Forest. He uses raw milk from Friesian-Holstein cows from the morning milking, very little starter and it takes 24 hours to make the cheese, allowing the natural flora in the milk to bring out the flavours. The curds are hand ladled, which gives a delicate texture. Each cheese is tested for ripeness before it leaves the maturing room. There can be a great deal of variation in how the cheese tastes from batch to batch and seasonal variation is a factor too.

Like many other regional British cheese, Stichelton is in danger of being lost forever if people don’t buy it. Please support small British producers and enjoy this unique and tasty cheese.

Baron Bigod Cheese

Fri, 07 Aug 2020 09:57:48 GMT

A creamy white, bloomy-rinded cheese made on Fen Farm Dairy in Bungay on the Suffolk-Norfolk border. It is described as having a smooth silky texture and a golden curd, with long lasting warm earth, farmyard and mushroom flavours.

Jonathan and Dulcie Crickmore and their team make it to a traditional French recipe using raw milk from their herd of French Montebeliarde cows. It is the only traditional unpasteurised Brie-de-Meaux style cheese made in the UK and still relatively new -the first batches were produced in January 2013.

The cheese is named after 12th century Earl of Norfolk, Baron Bigod (pronounced By-god). He was originally from Normandy, where bloomy-rinded cheeses such as Brie and Camembert are well known, but came over to Britain during the Norman invasion. The Baron owned the land where Fen Farm now stands, but ended up upsetting King Stephen by building a castle in Bungay (which overlooks Fen Farm) and was packed off to fight in Syria as punishment!

Producer Jonathan likes to think that if he were still around today, he’d love that a quality French-style cheese is available in his home town!

The cheeses are handmade in small batches early in the morning using the raw milk, still warm from the cows. Special cultures are added and it is carefully poured into vats so as not to damage the delicate cells and fat molecules, then rennet is added. The resulting curds are hand ladled into large moulds. Young cheeses are hand salted then wrapped in paper and left to mature in the cold room for up to 8 weeks. In these conditions the cheeses break down from the outside-in without drying out.

When it is ready the cheese has a smooth, silky texture and distinctive long-lasting flavours and aromas. It is a truly unique regional cheese, owing to the milk produced by the cows which graze on the grasses and herbs unique to the Stow Fen basin marshland.

Support British regional farmers to ensure these special cheeses and cheesemaking skills last long into the future.

love-british-food

Feeding the Future: Why School Food Reform Must Back British Farmers and Producers

Love British Food at 25: Strengthening British Sourcing in Public Sector Catering

Love British Food’s 25th Anniversary: Driving Sales and Opportunity across the Industry

Inside Britain’s Sourcing Story winter edition – Milton Keynes University Hospital

Inside Britain’s Sourcing Story winter edition – Meallmore Care Homes

Inside Britain’s Sourcing Story winter edition – Local Food Links Feeding Dorset – The local sourcing story behind 5,000 school meals a day

Feeding Dorset – The local sourcing story behind 5,000 school meals a day

Love British Food Crown Champion of Change 2025

The Queen joins National Harvest Service at Westminster Abbey

Industry leaders unite to champion putting more healthy, sustainable British food on menus

British Food Fortnight returns for a record event across the public sector

Communities unite for British Food Fortnight 2025 to champion our farmers

An exclusive peak behind the scenes - join us at the bakery to celebrate British Food Fortnight

How Celebrating British Food Fortnight 2025 is good for business

Love British Food seeks Champion of Change

Could you be Love British Foods’s Champion of Change?

Proud partners of Love British Food, Fresh Direct strengthen sustainability through LEAF Marque certification

Industry leaders unite to support Love British Food’s ‘Make the Switch’ pledge

Small switches add up to a better British food future

Farm-to-fork collaboration in action - Bon Culina and Glebe Farm Foods unite to champion British food in public sector catering

A special Love British Food interview with Jayne Jones, Chair of the Public Sector Catering Alliance that Love British Food is fortunate to be part of.

Farming our Health with seasonal, British food

Get Seasonal for the summer with the chef-led podcast from Love British Food

Building a movement – Love British Food changemakers visit Courteenhall Estate

Love British Food welcomes partnership with Derbyshire Catering Service

British Food Fortnight 2025 seeks to strengthen consumers’ connection with UK farmers

Public sector caterers urged to ‘Champion British’ during British Food Fortnight

Champion British Food Fortnight to reconnect the industry with its food roots

Champion British Food Fortnight to reconnect the industry with its food roots

Be a ‘champion of change’ this British Food Fortnight

British Food Fortnight 2025 seeks to strengthen deep rooted connection with UK farmers

Love British Food cohort of change makers continues to grow

Building Britain’s only farm-to-table gluten free oat supply chain

Homegrown in Cambridgeshire

Sustainable farming practices

Zero-waste, powered by nature

Leading the way in low-carbon food

Be inspired by the brand new Get Seasonal podcast for chefs

Public sector caterers invited to Love British Food farm-based sustainability training day

Love British Food Pledge Launched at TUCO Competitions Event

NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde (NHSGGC) - How We Source Our Patients Food

Milton Keynes Hospital

Our Journey So Far

Catering at Yeovil Hospital

Love British Food Podcast Shortlisted for Marketing Award at Public Sector Catering Awards

From estate to plate: How Islay and Jura introduced local wild venison to the school menu

The relationship between NHS and farming

Love British Food & ‘No Farmers, No Food' Partnership Announcement

Cathy Amos Joins Love British Food as Non-Executive Director

British Hamper Company

Our family business, the British Hamper Company, was founded in 2014 by our eldest son James, together with my husband and me.

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Soil Associations’ Food for Life and Love British Food join forces to amplify the need for British food to be accessible for all

Trimsaran Primary School announced as Love British Food’s Community Competition winner

British Food Fortnight 2024: celebrating the Best of British Produce

Love British Food Encourages Wholesalers to Include Dedicated 'Buy British' Categories

Love British Food Calls on New Government to Embrace a Community-Focused Food Strategy During British Food Fortnight

British Food Fortnight, the biggest celebration of British food, starts today

Love British Food Launches Community Competition for British Food Fortnight

The Family Tree of Beer

More Plants, Better Meat

Countdown to British Food Fortnight - a fortnight to go until the annual national celebration of British Food

Love British Food completes 9th farm visit for the NHS and launches new film to inspire catering teams

How Your Restaurant Can Celebrate Provenance in Meaningful Ways

Love British Food Releases New Report on the Benefits of the Public Sector Buying British, following landmark meeting with Public Sector Stakeholders

Industry-first as public sector providers, leaders, farmers and suppliers gather to discuss ‘Buying British’

The Chefs of Tomorrow

Westminster Kingsway College is one of the largest further education colleges in central London with a diverse student body of around 14,000 learners.

Love British Food’s inaugural ‘Public Sector Influencers event’ to connect public sector buyers with British farmers, producers and suppliers

Opportunities and Challenges in the Hospitality Sector

Love British Food transforming into a ‘Social Enterprise’ to enable its work to grow

The Importance of Offering Nutritious Patient Food

Christmas British Turkey and the trimmings on the bbq

The entire Christmas lunch

Preparation makes it easy

BBQ Christmas Dessert

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Frank Fiore’s approach of sourcing local to provide best quality meals for the NHS patients

A very British supply chain partnership