The Fruit and Vegetable Committee for the Loire Valley is set to launch a UK consumer and trade marketing campaign to promote French lamb’s lettuce.
The project will run from May to October to capitalise on the increasing popularity of lamb’s lettuce in the UK, communicating the health benefits of Omega 3 and the versatility of the salad vegetable.
This will be the biggest lamb’s lettuce campaign to be run in the UK, with an investment of £58,000.
UK imports of lamb’s lettuce from Nantes have tripled in the last five years, aided by the growth of the ready-to-eat bagged salads.
The trend for Omega 3 ‘super foods’ has encouraged campaign organisers to step up their promotion.
A 100g lamb’s lettuce contains 0.24g ALA Omega 3, compared to 0.13g in spinach and 0.02g in watercress and broccoli.
The Nantes region of the Loire Valley is among the world’s largest lamb’s lettuce producers, comprising 5,000ha, 170 farms and 250 producers.
Britain accounts for 16 per cent of the total export of lamb’s lettuce, second to Germany who receives 60 per cent.
The media campaign will target key health and consumer magazines, as well as the food service sector.
The UK’s top 600 gastropub chefs will be invited to enter a lamb’s lettuce recipe competition, and a recipe book will be distributed to the catering press in association with Chalice Infused Oils, from Prep Foodservice.
The campaign will also reach the 1,500 members of the Craft Guild of Chefs through its website and magazine.
Pascal Poiron, of the Fruit and Vegetable Committee for the Loire Valley, said: “Lamb’s lettuce from the Loire Valley is a wonderfully light leaf with a soft, silky texture that’s great for fussy children or vegetarians who want to increase their Omega 3 intake without having to resort to stronger tasting fish oils.
“Plus its mild nutty taste doesn’t overpower other foods, so it’s a great ingredient for chefs.”
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