Coinciding with the start of the new apple and pear season, British Food Fortnight will celebrate home-grown food. The event begins this weekend and over the two weeks, home-grown fruit and vegetables will take centre stage, according to organiser Alexia Robinson.
UK-grown fruits such as cherries and blueberries have caused a stir this year, with volumes substantially higher compared to previous years. With plantings set to rise in future, growers are hoping to capitalise on the interest.
A wide number of initiatives are being planned for British Food Fortnight and a strong emphasis is being placed on tomorrow’s consumers. The organisers have teamed up with the department of health’s 5 A DAY campaign and for the first time, special promotions and activities will run in universities and children’s centres.
British Food Fortnight coincides with freshers’ fairs and at least 20 universities are expected to participate. University caterers are invited to run promotions in student cafés and canteens and stalls at freshers’ fairs are being set up to promote the healthy benefits of British seasonal food, in particular seasonal fruits and vegetables.
Sticking with the education theme, the campaign is expanding into Sure Start children’s centres. Parents in the participating centres, which are in a number of major UK cities including Manchester, London, Newcastle and Liverpool, will be taught how to cook, where to buy healthy food and how to incorporate 5 A DAY into their family meals leading up to a British Food Fortnight Harvest Feast in each centre.
The foodservice sector is also lending its support and according to Robinson, nine of the largest foodservice companies and eight of the biggest pub groups will run promotions this year.
Brakes Group is heavily involved in the event and is encouraging its customers to do the same. The group is working closely with the education sector during the campaign and is asking catering managers at further and higher education institutions to design the perfect British main course or dessert - with a strong emphasis on healthy, low cost British ingredients.
The winning menu will be offered to The University Caterers Organisation’s (TUCO) catering managers during British Food Fortnight.
Brakes Group recently picked its winners for the BritDish chef competition, in partnership with John Lewis, in which participants created mouth-watering dishes using British seasonal ingredients and the five winners, all John Lewis partner chefs, will see their dishes served in John Lewis Place to Eat restaurants nationwide during the fortnight.
Detailed research is also being conducted into how people eat in different parts of the UK, from the most popular regional dishes and styles of cooking to unusual snack foods.
“We’re hoping the national study will uncover a revealing picture of diners’ relationship with British food and will prove essential reading for the foodservice industry,” says Heidi Easby, group food development and innovation director for the Brakes Group.
The retail sector is also lending its support, with a number of chains coming on board.
Budgens is sponsoring British Food Fortnight for the seventh year running and says that the event is becoming firmly established in the food calendar. “The campaign highlights real food for today’s communities, bringing together all that’s good about Budgens and helps retailers to support their local communities at the same time,” says Dan Quest, Budgens sales director.
The retailer is launching a Grow Your Own campaign and Quest says this is a great opportunity for local primary school children to grow their own fresh herbs from seed. Grow Your Own packs include 30 pots, seeds, a plant growth diary and a template for each child to complete and draw their plant’s fantasy home.
There is a huge list of reasons to choose British food, say supporters, and the website - www.lovebritishfood.co.uk - insists that consumers will benefit both financially and in terms of health.
No comments yet