The Local to London campaign stepped up its efforts to bring the capital’s supply chain together this week, with a Breakfast Club meeting at New Covent Garden Market.
The meeting was attended by growers, catering companies from the market and chefs, among others, to help fresh produce users throughout the supply chain understand the different stages that fruit and vegetables go through to reach them.
The Breakfast Club was invited to tour the market and meet with wholesalers to see how produce is presented, packaged, sold and delivered to buyers.
Tom Beeston, who organised the event, told FPJ: “We need growers to focus on the wholesale market, not just to go chasing the supermarkets. Then we need market traders to get them here, and farmers need to eat in the restaurants they supply.
“We talk about teaching children about food, but we don’t see chefs visiting farms and seeing where [produce] comes from. A lot of business came out of today’s event.”
Cyrus Todiwala, executive chef at top Indian restaurant Cafe Spice, said: “I believe in British food and you can get a lot of specialist stuff at Covent Garden.”
Rob Davies, director of catering firm Fresh Source, said: “You have got to get a relationship and know who you are dealing with. I think chefs should come down to visit the market every three months. It has to be a regular thing and we have got to keep the momentum going.”
Paul Bishop of P&I, whose company has exclusivity on Kentish cauliflower grown by Chris Bones, believes branding and packing product correctly will help chefs gain confidence in the quality of British food. He said: “People want English fruit and veg but there is not that much money in fresh produce, so we have got to keep the growers in business. There is a stigma attached to English produce because we hear all the time that it is expensive and retailers are worried they can’t shift it. It is up to us to create a passion and desire for English produce.
“The best businesses always survive, and those growers who cut corners on quality will not.”
Zeenat Anjari of food and farming lobby group Sustain said: “Chefs in London want to know what is in season and when. The demand is out there, you just have to make people aware.”
The Breakfast Club will convene once a month to continue bringing growers, wholesalers and caterers together.
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