The Source

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.