This year's fifth annual British Food fortnight was the largest celebration of British produce to date, organisers have announced.
Running from September 23-October 8, the fortnight’s activities reached an unprecedented amount of interest from the public, indicating that support for British produce is thriving.
Thousands of events were held across the country with food festivals in the East Midlands, West Sussex, Lincolnshire, Malvern, Yorkshire, Bath, Devon, Cornwall and Bath.
This year's theme was “Are You Cooking it?” and the fortnight was sponsored by foodservice specialist Aramark, as well as Budgens, Londis and Nationwide, and this year featured the Pyrex Cooking Challenge for schools.
According to organisers, British food was promoted more than ever before, and for the first time, three of the biggest supermarket chains ran British promotions during the event.
Participating shops, including Budgens and Londis stores as well as a number of independents, experienced 25 per cent more custom during the two-week period and sales of products offered for tastings in stores increased by 50 per cent.
Catering became the focus of the fortnight for the first time. Five major foodservice groups, three major pub groups and the country’s chef associations promoted British food by putting it on thousands of menus in pubs, restaurants, hospitals and staff canteens
The emphasis on cooking also extended to local schools. Some 26,000 schools were given a guide to including cookery within the curriculum in the run up to the event, resulting in thousands of children being given lessons during the fortnight, organisers claim.
Children’s were also encouraged to cook with British fresh produce with a number of competitions. Budgens and Londis stores launched a competition in local schools entitled ‘Chef’s Hat’ featuring local produce; Aramark asked children to ‘Create a Bramley Apple Recipe’ and all schools were invited to enter the Pyrex Cooking Challenge to find the school that incorporates cookery within the curriculum in the most innovative and imaginative way.
Alexia Robinson, organiser of British Food Fortnight, said: “Every year British Food Fortnight gets bigger and more successful. It gives retailers and caterers a commercial incentive to stock British food thereby making it more accessible to the public and it inspires schools to include it within their curriculum teaching.
“Organisations representing 43,820 shops, 11,560 pubs, 43,300 restaurants, 5,800 chefs; tourism outlets receiving 16 million visitors and groups representing a quarter of a million volunteers now participate in the event each year. It is the only event bringing all these groups together. With this show of support British Food Fortnight is well placed to change the eating habits of the nation.”
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