Western Morning News (Saturday)
Major boost for South West’s food producers
THE South West is to be a testing ground for a project to ensure ingredients grown and produced in the region end up in food served up in schools, hospitals, prisons and other public institutions.
The initiative brings new hope that a long hoped-for boost for Westcountry farmers and food producers will now be possible, with food from the region being purchased in the region to be served to school children, hospital patients and others here.
A Community Interest Company, the South West Food Hub, has been set up to make it work.
AMAJOR initiative is to be trialled in the South West which could help ensure that ingredients in many thousands of meals a day served in places like school kitchens across the region are sourced from local small businesses.
A Community Interest Company called the South West Food Hub has been formed to help prepare the region for the pilot of the high-tech procurement platform being developed by the Government’s Crown Commercial Service.
The initiative, due to be launched early next year, will make it easier for chefs and catering and procurement managers in places like schools, colleges, hospitals, prisons and military bases to purchase fresh supplies that have not been flown halfway around the world, but which have been sourced across counties like Cornwall or Devon, Somerset or Dorset.
Covid-19 has highlighted fractures in food supply chains and the launch of the hub is being regarded as timely, and is also being seen as part of the Government’s call to “build back better”.
“It will allow the region’s food network to buy local and establish sustainable, shorter supply chains across the South West’s food sector, focusing primarily on public procurement,” said Ellen Bright, project coordinator for the South West Food Hub.
The launch comes in the wake of a specially commissioned report which found that more than a third of South West food and drink businesses have experienced a 70 per cent drop in revenue caused by the lockdown.
The hub initiative is supported by local organisations including the Heart of the South West LEP, the University of Exeter, Exeter City Futures, POM Support and the National Farmers’ Union (NFU).
“The pilot, a new dynamic online purchasing platform, will open up public sector food procurement to local producers and suppliers,” explained Greg Parsons, co-founder of the South West Food Hub.
“The hub will work with anchor institutions such as schools and hospitals to mobilise the pilot, whilst supporting food and drink SMEs to meet entry criteria and prepare to supply through the new platform,” added Mr Parsons, who has experience in large scale procurement though his company POM Support – he also helped source supplies for the massive workforce at the Hinkley Point C construction site.
Commenting on the initiative, Alex Stevens, regional policy manager at the NFU, said: “This is a region united by food – and a strong food and drink sector will be crucial to getting the economy back on track when life returns to normality. This initiative seeks to link the region’s food producers and farmers with outlets for their fantastic produce.
“NFU South West is excited to work alongside these fantastic local companies and support the South West Food Hub.”
He echoed the fact that Covid-19 has highlighted problems within the food supply chain, adding that the South West Food Hub will call upon the “collective expertise, experience and connections” of those involved to support the regional food community during the difficult times arising from the pandemic.
Devon cheesemaker Mary Quicke said: “It’s lovely to see this local initiative connecting the people who want great local food with all those people and small businesses who can accommodate supplying this food.
“Together, we can keep our gorgeous local food ecosystem in good shape.”