Growing regions need to work together across the UK while tightening up supply chains, to ensure that home-grown produce excels over imports, according to a regional development agency.
The Regional Food Group (RFG) for Yorkshire and Humberside urged regions to follow its lead in initiating Meet the Buyer sessions.
The RFG exhibited in the Speciality & Regional Food From Britain area at the International Food & Drink Exhibition in London this week. The body hoped to reinforce its goal of presenting strong regional identities, while ensuring that consumers maintain a UK focus.
RFG chief executive Jonathan Knight told freshinfo: “Of course there is some regional competition, but really our view is that home-grown is better than exports and we have to look at an affordability alliance of regions.
“Seeing things grow from the Yorkshire soil definitely helps us show what the region has to offer, especially as there is now such a focus on what comes from where.”
The RFG has five regional food technologists, as well as aiding its members, which have grown by 35 per cent in the last year, in distribution, growing to contract and public sector procurement.
The body is hosting a national Meet the Buyer event on April 22 in Leeds, when 100 producers will be invited to pitch to around 50 of the UK’s largest retail buyers.
Brian Charlton of Axgro Foods, whose Yorkshire beetroot recently won the Quality Food Awards fresh produce category, told FPJ: “We are tightening up the supply chain to include chefs, and really look at what the end user wants to give them more.”
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