Cornwall Taste of the West was set up in 2001 as a subsidiary arm of the regional food group, Taste of the West, to act as a marketing programme and trade development initiative, in line with the EU-funded Objective One grant scheme. Its aim is to help companies develop their marketing strategies and secure independent grant funding.
The £5.3 million project has been funded by the European Agricultural Guarantee and Guidance Fund (EAGGF) and Defra, matched by the private sector.
The project is set to wrap up in June, and a question mark hangs over what will happen next in the region, although Taste of the West will continue its work. The food group encompasses Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Devon, Dorset, Somerset, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire, providing key support for the economic development of the food and drink industry throughout the South West. The mostly small- and medium-sized members range from primary producers, to wholesalers and foodservice companies, to added-value services, including manufacturers and processors.
The Cornwall Taste of the West projects range from supporting the creation of marketing campaigns and helping fresh produce companies develop their own brand, to undertaking market research as a valuable tool for local businesses. “The focus of the funding is to kick-start projects - it is not meant to be ongoing or continual funding, and once a project or a campaign is established, we leave them to get on with it,” says Angie Coombs, who heads up Cornwall Taste of the West. “The businesses that we have worked with throughout the project were not necessarily members of Taste of the West, and we hope to keep doing this developmental work.”
The initiative has spearheaded a number of projects and campaigns in Cornwall, yielding some impressive results.
A trade development programme saw the development of a marketing campaign for Cornish early potatoes, from 2003 to 2006, with the Deliciously Dirty logo used by 18 growers on what is called the golden mile stretch of land.
“The aim was to raise the profile of Cornish earlies, for the growers to maintain a better price for their product and help them penetrate major retail markets,” says Coombs. “We also wanted to raise awareness in the foodservice sector in order to boost wholesale trade in the region. This work was done in conjunction with the Penwith Farm Business Centre and with input from growers, and was intended to capture the imagination of the consumer and create a campaign that retailers would notice.
“We provided a PR company and a website, as well as promotional literature, and the initiative had a very good reception - and it was just one of many projects that we have worked on.”
A key aim for Cornwall Taste of the West has been to improve communication throughout the supply chain. The best way to build bridges between growers and suppliers is for them to come face to face, and the food group has thrown its weight into organising meet-the-buyer events, from local public procurement opportunities to assisting Tesco to launch its regional sourcing strategy in 2006.
The Tesco South West office now oversees Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Wiltshire, Somerset and Gloucestershire, stretching from Swindon to Land’s End, and shares its catchment area with Taste of the West. “We have helped growers carve out better opportunities for getting their products into regional hubs,” says Coombs.
But establishing long-term relationships does not stop within the industry, and Cornwall Taste of the West has reached out to consumers with a series of events every year. The Cornwall Food and Drink Festival, now in its fifth year, attracts more than 25,000 people to the three-day event, held in Truro. The event is aimed at encouraging consumers to understand more about where and how their food is produced, and introduce them to tasty and great value local produce. A top line-up of Cornish chefs, including consumer favourites Kevin Viner, Ben Tunnicliffe and Nathan Outlaw, have supported the event.
The success of the festival shows the value that local produce has for consumers, particularly those living in the county. Few could deny that the emphasis on local produce has made a positive impact on Cornwall and changed the shape of the industry in the region, with retailers, wholesalers and the catering trade catching on to the concept and looking to source regional product as much as possible.
“The county has become a food haven and a place where people come to for food tourism, with a lot of focus on fresh, local food and ingredients,” says Coombs. “There has been a big development in the quality of restaurants in Cornwall and the food they serve over the last five years.
“In line with this, there has been a big growth in the number of farm shops that have set up in the county, again over the last five years, and many are growing the produce themselves.
“Cornish consumers are very loyal to local produce when it is in season, and they want it to be labelled as such so that it is easy to find, and both restaurants serving local food and farm shops have grown up on the back of this.”
But the popularity of Cornish produce is not contained within the county, and its reputation has made it a valued source across the UK. “Cornish produce is highly valued in other parts of the UK and there are a lot of connections with the industry in Cornwall and restaurants in London,” says Coombs. “The landscape is beautiful and natural, with a maritime climate, and the perception of the environment is that it is clean.
“There is a whole range of products that Cornwall is famous for, and fresh produce is definitely one of those things - with early potatoes, brassicas, and strawberries some of the top lines. The fact that a product is grown in Cornwall is often taken as a mark of quality in itself.”
Research on the Cornish food sector and how it fits into the rest of the UK has formed the backbone of the work of the organisation. Back in 2003, an in-depth study in partnership with Exeter University was carried out to identify the volume and type of food produced in Cornwall, and what happens to it post-production. This had never been done before on both an industry-wide and county-wide basis. The results revealed that the food sector in the county, excluding foodservice, restaurants and hotels, was valued at £1 billion.
The same research was carried out again in 2006, using the first study as a benchmark, to quantify progress and development over the three-year period, and identify any issues and consider future opportunities. A second strand to the project assessed how the Cornish food industry sits within the UK framework.
The results showed promise, with a 50 per cent sales growth over the three years to an estimated value of £1.5bn, and signs that gaps in the market were being filled and supply chain opportunities were being snapped up.
The 2006 report concluded that strategic support in the form of the Objective One project and its affiliated initiatives, which together ploughed £240m into the area, had achieved results and, importantly, boosted confidence in the county.
But the findings showed that commodity production was still difficult, and that improving the value of primary production remains a challenge, with at least 25 areas of market opportunity awaiting development.
The food industry in Cornwall cannot afford to lose its momentum if it is to continue its growth, and the fresh produce sector will play a key role in the ongoing drive. “The Objective One scheme has given us the opportunity to bring about rapid change and growth,” says Coombs. “Consumers identify with Cornwall and its underpinning values, and this is very valuable for the county and its food industry - we must continue to build on this.”
BFS CALLS ON KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER PARTNERSHIP
A government-funded scheme has given wholesale distributor Bristol Fruit Sales the opportunity to recruit its brand development manager, Mark Oughtred, pictured, on a two-year placement.
The Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) is a one-, two- or three-year collaboration between a business and a university, college or research organisation.
The initiative, established in 1975, is designed to improve the productivity and competitiveness of businesses. The aim is to match the needs of a business with academic knowledge and expertise, to help bring about strategic change.
The scheme, which is part-funded by government organisations led by the Technology Strategy Board, combines expertise from an academic institution - in this case the University of Plymouth - and the appointment of a recently qualified graduate, known as a KTP associate, who works within the business or organisation on a strategic project, jointly supervised.
Each partnership employs a recently qualified person to manage on a day-to-day basis, in roles that are central to the needs of the business. Every associate benefits from a structured management training programme, recognised by the Chartered Institute of Management.
Oughtred graduated with a degree in food marketing from Newcastle University in 2006, and his two-year KTP programme started in October last year.
Nick Matthews, joint managing director at Bristol Fruit Sales, was introduced to the KTP programme at a Taste of the West supplier development programme last year, during which the University of Plymouth gave a presentation on how the scheme worked. “We had the idea that we wanted to develop our own brand for local produce, but realised that we did not have the necessary skills within the company to push it through,” he says. “We could have employed a marketing company on a consultation basis, for a limited number of hours and at a cost of thousands, or we could get involved with the KTP scheme - which is what we opted for.
“We have made a two-year commitment to the university and we have the option to offer a permanent position when the time is up. “Mark is bringing a lot of new ideas to the business.”
Oughtred is looking forward to developing his input throughout the placement. “This KTP programme is a fantastic opportunity for me to apply the knowledge I have acquired through my university degree to a real-life business situation, where I can really make a difference,” he tells FPJ. “It is an excellent scheme to be on, as it is an all-round win-win situation for all parties concerned.”
BRAND NEW APPROACH FOR BFS
Bristol Fruit Sales is preparing to launch a new premium brand for the county named Growfair - Pride of Cornwall, which is set to hit the market in March.
The initiative will fill a gap in the market for a strong Cornish fresh produce brand.
The first branded products will be early Cornish asparagus and early Cornish new potatoes, before the scheme is extended to a wider range of products associated with the region.
“Cornwall is rich in heritage and has a very proud community - couple this with the extensive tourism industry that the county enjoys, especially in the summer months, and you’re presented with a real opportunity to promote local produce,” says brand development manager Mark Oughtred. “There is an extensive seasonal range of produce here in Cornwall, and the favorable growing climate encourages superb harvests, often before the rest of the UK.
“The problem is that, yes, there are plenty of local growers out there, but there is not an overarching brand that represents them. This is where we come in. By creating a premium brand, packaged and promoted appropriately, we can unite local growers in a mutually beneficial way.
“Bristol Fruit Sales has an established reputation for quality and service, so this brand ties in very well with our own business culture.”
The brand was developed with support from the University of Plymouth and Cornwall Taste of the West, in line with what Bristol Fruit Sales found its customers were looking for. “We are continuously listening to our customers, and what they are saying to us - and what we have learned from the market research we have conducted - is that there is an increasing demand for locally sourced produce,” says Oughtred. “We want to draw attention to the feel-good factor that Cornwall has about it - people associate it with memorable holidays and beautiful surroundings, and this is something that the fresh produce industry should use to its advantage.”
The Growfair brand will encompass only the very best produce from growers that have long-standing relationships with Bristol Fruit Sales.
“We hope that, when the brand gets off the ground, more growers will come on board, because the larger the portfolio we have, the better,” says Oughtred.
The premium brand could also carve out a route into the London markets, he adds.
Bristol Fruit Sales was established in 1957 and now has depots dotted across the South West, with its headquarters in Bristol, and branches in Bodmin, Cornwall, Paignton in Devon, and Cardiff. The 13,000sqft depot in Bodmin has a fleet of temperature-controlled vehicles, which complete a series of runs in order to cover the entire county.
“Produce from local growers is either delivered to us by the individual grower or picked up on one of our routes, in which lorries stop by the farms to collect supplies and bring them to the depot,” says Oughtred. “All imports come through Bristol every day, and are delivered to the Bodmin depot around midday to be quality control checked before being accepted for sale.”
The wholesale distributor sourced from 22 Cornish farmers in 2007 and, of those, 14 will now supply Growfair-branded produce.
The main Cornish lines supplied by the wholesaler in Cornwall are vegetables, at around 75 per cent, while trade in salads makes up some 20 per cent of the business, and fruit five per cent.
CONSUMERS TAKE THEIR PICK WITH BOX SCHEME
An organic box scheme that allows consumers to choose what they want in their order has shown promising growth in Cornwall and Devon.
WJ Oliver & Son Ltd launched the scheme three months ago to capitalise on the growing demand in this market.
Timothy Oliver, who manages WJ Oliver & Son Ltd, says the initiative has created an alternative market for the firm to supply into, alongside its retail commitments, but he insists that only top-notch produce goes into the boxes. The scheme is growing in popularity, with orders increasing every week.
“There are three different-sized boxes for customers to choose from,” Oliver says. “For each box, depending on size, there are between three and seven products that consumers have to have, and they can choose the rest of the products from a list of 18 lines.
“The selling point is that customers can choose what they want in the box and, at all times, we try to supply the best produce, keeping in mind that we are only as good as our last delivery.”
The idea for the scheme was developed after a visit to a trade show on natural products and organics in London last April.
“We took our own vegetables to the show and had a lot of interest from people with their own box schemes, and we realised that we could work with the demand for organic vegetable boxes,” says Oliver.
The fourth-generation family business is a long-standing part of the community, and has been operating in Cornwall since 1902, based 19 miles from Land’s End, between Helston and Penzance.
The business concentrates on supplying winter vegetables, including cauliflower, cabbage and spring greens, as well as early and salad potatoes in the summer months, to the major multiples.
The firm has linked up with 19 other Cornish growers to produce conventional lines on some 1,800-2,000 acres.
The business moved into organic farming four years ago and has planted 288 acres of organic vegetables, providing enough home-grown product for the fledgling box scheme.
CLEAR OBJECTIVE TONES
Cornish Horticulture Enterprises has the broad remit of leading and supporting the commercial development of the horticultural sector in the region and, to date, has ploughed nearly £4 million into the area, in line with the Objective One grant scheme.
Some 40 per cent of the total fund awarded to the initiative has been invested in the fresh produce sector in Cornwall.
The first stage of the project, from 2000 to 2003, saw it operate strictly as a delegated grant scheme, with less of a strategic development role and more focus on economic development, before the scheme took on a more cross-sector approach in phase two, to 2008, looking at strategic investment for economic development.
“The main aim through both phases of the project has been economic development, with a focus on shifting the bottom lines for businesses and the creation and sustainability of jobs,” says Steve Tones, scheme manager at Cornish Horticulture Enterprises, pictured. “The horticulture sector is innately conservative and concerned with what is happening this year and next year, rather than longer term issues.
“But there was a realisation in phase one that there was a requirement for a more strategic approach and, in phase two, we developed strategic projects to identify the need and potential for the industry where we could see a long-term pay-off for the industry, and provide investment.”
The organisation has worked with the conventional supply chain into retailers, undertaking projects with businesses including Riviera Produce and WJ Oliver & Son, in order to help them meet supply chain requirements. A number of satellite projects with up to 30 smaller-scale growers contracted to Riviera Produce has helped improve packing facilities in the area.
A number of smaller-scale local producers have benefited from the Objective One initiative, which has worked to develop the local supply chain. “There are a lot of smaller family firms in Cornwall that have been able to expand on a smaller scale as a result of funding, and supply independent retailers such as farm shops, or local restaurants,” says Tones. “This may not have contributed to the Cornwall GDP, but it has created and maintained jobs in the area, with women in particular coming forward.”
Cornish Horticulture Enterprises has linked up with both private and public sector organisations to achieve the economic development of businesses in its remit. Tones stresses that all ideas and projects are developed in line with what the industry needs. “People are concerned with replacing imports, as well as the changing weather patterns and the opportunities and challenges that this could bring, and the production of new crops,” he says. “These are issues for the future.”
The concept of novel crops is on the agenda in Cornwall, and Tones says he expects work in this area with the Eden Project will make progress within five to 10 years. A list of 100 ideas for novel crops generated by the collaboration has been whittled down to the top 10 that offer real opportunities.
“There is a real demand for local fruit, such as traditional apple varieties, as well as berries - including opportunities in blueberry production - and weird veg, like yacon, a sweet root vegetable that originates from the Andes. In Cornwall, what we try to do is build on the shoulders of the season,” says Tones. “There is a growing demand for high-quality, full-flavoured fresh produce from local producers.”
Cornish Horticulture Enterprises is waiting on the South West of England Regional Development Agency (SWERDA), which oversees the Objective One initiative in the area, to approve a new programme and funding for the next stage of the scheme, following a consultation with the industry.
“They are saying that they do not see themselves gaining further economic development by investing in one specific area of a sector or in one business and, in terms of a broader understanding, that is correct,” says Tones. “We will need to see more creative, more innovative ideas and strategies, and some joined-up thinking.
“The next stage will be about projects with the top 20 per cent of the industry, because that is where the ideas come from and they have the most credibility.
“This is not to say that small businesses do not innovate, but we have to start with the front runners, then move on to and consult the smaller-scale, local businesses.
“My task is to break down barriers and show businesses how joined-up thinking can work for them, and facilitate networking,” he adds.
So what lies in store for Cornish Horticulture Enterprises and the economic future of fresh produce businesses in the region? Tones says that, as yet, there is no consensus across the industry, but that he intends to take a firm leadership role. “My view is that, in terms of the larger fresh produce businesses in Cornwall, we have achieved our objectives - they are competing on a level playing field with the rest of Europe,” he says. “To continue investing in these businesses would distort the market, even though they will always be hungry for support. It is often forgotten that the creation of a level playing field is our underlying objective.
“The question is, how can we develop local supply chains without damaging the businesses already in them? And how can we take environmental and social issues into consideration at the same time?”
FROM GREENVALE TO GINSTERS
Cornwall is synonymous with the production of superb-quality early potatoes that have a unique place in the marketing calendar, says Angus Armstrong, chief executive of Greenvale AP. With its favourable climate and attractive landscape, the county has captured the hearts of many visitors who have witnessed first hand the value of freshly produced vegetables.
The promotion of locally produced food by resident celebrity chefs, such as Rick Stein and Jamie Oliver, has led to an increase in use by the Cornish hotel and catering industry.
Cornwall has become a year-round holiday destination, thanks to improved travel links, and this has increased demand for local produce. Recently, the Cornwall health trust introduced an initiative aimed at maximising the use of fresh local meat and vegetables to reduce reliance on ready-prepared meals.
A number of Cornish farmers and marketing groups were able to take advantage of EU funding by constructing potato storage, which has enabled them to keep local markets supplied later in the season, thus reducing reliance upon imported produce and road miles.
Continuity of potato supplies has enabled Cornish pasty makers Ginsters to increase its utilisation of local produce so that it can claim that its products are “100 per cent made in Cornwall”.
Through a combination of marketing initiatives and technical advances in variety management, Greenvale has been able to extend the supply season and provide the marketplace with a range of innovative products.
The Cornish King brand is now firmly established among both multiple retailers and traditional marketing networks, and provides a standardised potato product that meets the quality expectations of the discerning consumer.
Greenvale has sought to build on this reputation by developing varieties to extend the season, without compromising on culinary performance. Through a combination of applied agronomy and improved storage techniques, Cornish potatoes are now available all year round, and we are currently procuring 8,000-10,000 tonnes out of the county from dedicated suppliers, working with a technical procurement manager based in the South West.
Responding to consumer demand for convenience products, Greenvale has developed a range of salad and baking potatoes that can be successfully stored to retain their freshness when delivered to the market.
The combination of established markets and integrated supply chains has provided security to many potato producers in Cornwall. No longer reliant on price fluctuations that prevail in the early potato market, an ever-increasing proportion of the crop is now produced to contract.
Last year proved to be a challenging year for the whole of the potato industry, and it is pleasing to report that despite the vagaries of the weather, most Cornish producers fared well. Controlling blight and other diseases that could impact on storage potential has, due to the mild climate, always been a challenge in Cornwall. Thanks to the use of blight monitoring programmes and effective application of fungicides, disease was kept in check and crops were harvested into store in good condition.
This year looks too early to call, but thanks to a wet January, planting progress has been slow. It has been interesting to note that thanks to improved milk and wheat prices, there is noticeably less land available to rent for potato production, and so plantings are likely to be restricted to land already secured.
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