Foodservice suppliers should pay the same attention to getting across strong provenance stories as retail suppliers do.
That was the message from Sandy Anderson, fresh foods buyer at foodservice specialist Elior, who suggested suppliers label packaging with crop and farm details such as when and by whom it was harvested.

"Our clients all want to know where their food comes from," he said. "We must give the good news stories and fly the flag for British produce on our menus."

Anderson also suggested producers should work together to supply what can be a difficult segment: "The route to market can be complicated. How can we get more suppliers into the supply chain? Maybe working collaboratively."

Some 25-45 per cent of the fresh produce Elior buys is UK product, depending on the season, with Anderson also saying the foodservice sector offered more stable supply. "I won't screw the farmers down like some supermarkets do," he insisted. "If you produce the right quality, I'm happy to pay for it. The reality is foodservice is a bit gentler."