Some of the contributors to our 2008 predictions article - ‘A year to buck the trends’, published in last week’s bumper Fruit Logistica issue - were swift to point out the great potential that local sourcing initiatives will offer the industry this year.

As you can see from our front page story this week, they didn’t have to wait too long for the crystal ball to prove them right. Local sourcing is already all the rage in farmers’ markets, farm shops and, to a certain extent, the retail sector - and the foodie trend has finally filtered down to the wholesale and foodservice sectors.

The launch of New Covent Garden Market’s local food network is undoubtedly encouraging news for producers near London, and the wholesale traders themselves - not to mention the capital’s vibrant catering and foodservice sector, which is growing at an unprecedented rate thanks to the rise of the cash-rich, time-poor consumer.

But before the initial rush of enthusiasm surrounding any new project of this kind inevitably fades away, it is important for all parties involved in the initiative to strike while the iron is hot and take positive action. A 10-month lead time from preliminary discussions to an actual launch is highly commendable, but this terrific momentum must be carried forward in order to ensure this project turns into the success it fully deserves to be.