Communication was the key word of the day at the Local to London trade event held on Wednesday at New Covent Garden Market (NCGM).
Covent Garden Market Authority (CGMA) chief executive Jan Lloyd kicked off the morning’s activities. She said: “We have to keep the communication channels between growers and their customers open, and NCGM can help in this role. This event is all about partnerships.”
Catering firms, chefs, wholesalers and distributors gathered at the market to meet a range of producers and growers from eastern and south-east England.
Tom Beeston, who heads up Local to London, which is jointly funded by the South East England Development Agency, CGMA and the London Development Agency, said that the venture is starting to make a difference - but the problem now is getting the growers on board, as there seems to be “a systematic plan in this country to annihilate them”.
He told FPJ: “Catering is a big, big market, but the policy makers have not thought about how to take it forward. We can’t wait for the government any more - DEFRA is a waste of time and has not focused at all on sending UK producers into the growing catering market. It is wasting money on public sector procurement initiatives.”
But London Mayor Boris Johnson is firmly behind the local food initiative, according to Rosie Boycott, chair of London Food. “Boris is really behind this and there is an army of us out there ready to act,” she said.
Masterclasses in fresh produce, meat and fish were held on the day. Mathew Prestwich, a partner in R&G Fresh Herbs, who conducted one of the classes, told FPJ: “The critical thing is getting the people we supply via the market to come and see what’s happening. A lot of the market is still driven by price, but we want them to get to know the flavour and characteristics of the herbs they are buying. I would really like more contact with the end consumer.”
The event heralded the start of the inaugural London Markets Month, which will see a range of events take place across the capital to highlight the significant role markets play in the city’s food network.
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