British Includes information for restaurants, pubs, shops and food service companies on how to take part in Food British Food Fortnight The Basics Index Details of the national promotion 3 A buyers’ guide How retailers can support British food 4 How pubs and restaurants can to quality British food support British food 4 Welcome to this guide to sourcing and promoting British food in the retail and How caterers and food service companies catering sectors. can support British food 5 This guide focuses on the ‘basics’: meat, dairy, fruit and vegetables. It provides advice on Food and drink in tourism 5 what to look for, information about seasonal and regional varieties and details on how to source. It explains the assurance schemes and quality marks that exist for the different food groups: what they mean, why they are important and how sourcing food that carries Advice on where to source British food 6 them will help you meet your customers’ growing demand for high quality food and drink with clear provenance, thereby increasing sales. Assurance schemes for British produce 7 It also gives you details on how to take part in the national promotion, British Food Fortnight, which is a time when your customers will be particularly receptive to buying Beef 8 British food. We hope you will organise promotions and special menus in your shops and restaurants Lamb and mutton 9 so that you, like retailers and caterers who have participated in previous years, will benefit commercially from sourcing, serving and promoting British food. Pork, bacon and ham 10 “Today’s consumer wants value when they are shopping or eating out and Poultry and game 11 value is no longer just about price. Increasingly people want tasty, fresh, healthy, seasonal, local, regionally-distinct foods with visible traceability back to the Dairy 12 producer – all distinctive qualities of British food.” Fruit and vegetables 13 Alexia Robinson, Organiser, British Food Fortnight “70% of British Invitation to work with schools 14 shoppers would buy local food if they could.” The Guardian “Campaigns like British Food Fortnight work and should be renamed British Food “The British regional Forever.” food industry is going from Tim Kershaw, MD, Libra Europe, strength to strength. British consultancy to the food supply chain shoppers increasingly recognise industry that British regional food and drink is top quality and tastes great.” Kirsty Grieve, Regional Foods Manager, Food from Britain 2 An invitation to take part in the national promotion British Food Fortnight was conceived in response to the fact that, though there are numerous food initiatives, projects and events taking place across Britain, there was no overall flagship event to bring them to the public’s attention. It was held for the first time in Autumn 2002 at the same time as the Harvest Festival, the traditional time for celebrating our food. The event has established itself on the national calendar extremely quickly. Thousands of activities are thought to have taken place during the Fortnight and have included promotions, tastings and special menus in shops, pubs and restaurants – many of them based on stocking new British products in addition to their normal range. Media coverage of the event is seen or heard over 300 million times every year. It has included coverage in every national newspaper; storylines on BBC Radio 4’s The Archers; a special edition of Blue Peter; daily BFF recipes on Teletext’s homepage and headlines on the BBC website. British Food Fortnight has a serious impact on sales Up to Sales of regional food and drink increase by up to increase34% in sales per store as a 25%increase in footfall £2,000 direct result of the event in participating outlets per store ✝ (50% increase in sales of products offered for tastings) during the Fortnight during the Fortnight. ✝ Figures from promotions run by Budgens, Londis and independent stores during British Food Fortnight. Aims make the public – and in Capitalise on the promotional opportunities provided by particular young people – aware of the diverse and delicious food and drink that British Food Fortnight: Britain produces and the many food experiences available increase awareness of the pleasures of eating quality, ● Increase your stock of British food or put it onyour menu during the Fortnight.You fresh, seasonal and regional could even tryrunning special promotions,in-store tastings or a BritishFood Fortnight produce menu with all dishes sourced locally. increase the amount of food education in schools by encouraging teachers to hold ● Decorate your establishment with bunting and display theevent’s A3 poster and Love special events for young people British Food POS material,downloadable from www.lovebritishfood.co.uk during the Fortnight in the hope that this will generate the ● enthusiasm & interest Monitor customer response. If well received,run similaractivities long term. necessary to sustain similar activity year-round ● Tell the organisers of British Food Fortnight what you areorganising.To have your shop, encourage producers, retailers, restaurant or pub listed onthe website and included in information to the media,goto restaurants, pubs and tourism www.lovebritishfood.co.uk. outlets to all take a proactive role in educating the public – and in particular young people –about the food and drink that their region produces. And ultimately to nurture a renaissance in the pleasures of preparing and eating British food. For further information on how to take part see www.lovebritishfood.co.uk 3 How retailers How pubs & restaurants can support British food can support British food Why it is in your commercial interest to do so Why it is in your commercial interest to do so ● You will attract new customers. ● You will attract new customers. ● You will increase sales from ● The demand for quality, fresh, seasonal and regional produce is increasing – existing customers who will “I would and customers are prepared to pay more for it. use more of their weekly ● If you are a pub, the opportunities to use regional foods to complement spend in your shop. recommend any retailer to beer and wine sales, and to drive menu sales, are increasing. ● You will establish a point of get involved with British Food difference between your Fortnight. It creates so much shop and those that stock We would like to suggest you undertake some or only mainstream brands. awareness for the store.” ● The demand for British food Malcolm Bodell, all of the following to help promote British food in is increasing. Londis Bridge Stores, Bow ● Buying British is affordable and your restaurant or pub adds real value to your profits. ● Put British food on your menu. Either adapt your existing menu or create a special board focusing on regional produce. Sample regional menus are provided on our website www.lovebritishfood.co.uk Use the advice on We would like to suggest you undertake some page 6 to help you source regional produce. ● Display the origin of food on your menu. For example, Braised Lamb from or all of the following to help promote British xyz farm in abc county. And display the name and contact details of producers so that customers can order direct where appropriate. food within your store ● Include a seasonal section on your menu or your special board with changing ● Increase your stock of British food - see www.lovebritishfood.co.uk > dishes according to what is in season. See advice on ‘What’s in Season’ on Buying British for advice on what to stock. the event’s website or go to www.eattheseasons.co.uk ● Offer regular tastings and promotions to highlight new products. ● Remember regional cheeses for your cheese board. Britain produces over 700 named cheeses made from cow, goat, sheep and even buffalo milk. For ● Encourage producers to come into your store to conduct tastings and to some ideas for your regional cheese board see page 12. meet your customers. ● Team up regional foods with beers, ciders and wines. Contact the Campaign ● Position a board either in your window or outside the store telling for Real Ale or English Wine Producers. customers which products are being tasted today. ● Hold a special event – themed menus… ● Consider installing a chill-counter so you can sell fresh, delicatessen-type food. ● Produce ‘X% off’ vouchers to distribute in local shops and markets. ● Speak to your local pub, restaurant and hotel about them putting regional food on their menus. ● Tell your regional tourism information centres so that your restaurant or pub may be promoted as part of your region’s tourism food & drink experience. See tourism advice on opposite page. ● Reconsider your children’s menu – think beyond the chicken nugget! This advice has been provided by the British Hospitality & Restaurant Association and Punch Taverns. Eynsham store holders proudly displaying British produce Photo: Helen Peacocke “We had lots of interest from customers and the press. Sales doubled on the products being offered for tastings Menu The Mermaid Inn each day and sales of other products Cambridgeshire increased by 10% as a result!” “British Food Colin Broomfield, Starter Broomfields Farm Shop, Fortnight has given Oven Roasted Autumn Vegetable Soup with Garlic Croutons Nr Worcester us the opportunity to Terrine of English Smoked Bacon, Lincolnshire Pork Fillet, Roasted Red capitalise on our Onion and Orange Mustard Sauce unique approach to Salad of William Pears, Stilton, Garden Herbs and Dressing providing fantastic, Main Grilled Breast of Suffolk Chicken, Crushed New Potatoes, freshly