Industry-first as public sector providers, leaders, farmers and suppliers gather to discuss ‘Buying British’

Love British Food’s ‘Public Sector Influencers’ event took place on March 20th at Hammonds End Farm in Hertfordshire, owned by Stuart Roberts. Aimed at connecting public sector decision makers with British food producers, farmers and suppliers.

Attendees included Phil Shelley, Chair NHS Food Review and National Lead for Net Zero Food, NHS England, Tim Radcliffe, Net Zero food programme manager at NHS England, Chair Public Sector Catering Alliance Matt White, TUCO, Sodexo, Brakes, Compass, OCS, and many more (full attendee list below).

The group was given a tour of the farm, seeing everything that Stuart does to farm in a sustainable way that contributes to a beautiful environment and glorious biodiversity, thereby learning the value of making British food first supplier of choice. Everyone then gathered on straw bales in the barn for a wide-ranging discussion, led by public sector leaders, on everything from how farmers and suppliers can engage in the tendering process to the contribution of different farming systems to the nutritional value of food. The consensus was an agreement that the public sector is a hugely overlooked market for British farmers. 

A report is being prepared that will be distributed, with a new Love British Food podcast launching in April where the discussion with leading food service providers, suppliers, buyers and producers will continue.

The agreed objectives from the event are as follows:

• Inspire public sector providers to work with farmers and food producers to achieve robust supply chains of nutritious food.
• Enhance understanding of exactly how farmers can supply the public sector.
• Promote the public sector as a customer to encourage more farmers to invest in supplying it.
• Explain to public sector caterers why buying from British farmers will help them meet their sustainability and net zero targets and deliver social value and the nutritious food they need.

Alexia Robinson, Love British Food Founder:

“There is a huge appetite across the entire public sector to ‘buy British’ - it’s all about inspiring and enabling both public sector caterers and farmers/suppliers to make British food first supplier of choice. Buyers, whether in the NHS, Local Authorities or universities, must be encouraged to consider where their food comes from and how the way the food is produced contributes to delivering on the many targets they are being set. Everyone on the day agreed that the best way of meeting these targets - net zero, sustainability, social value – is to prioritise buying British and ask their suppliers to provide as much British food as possible. There is also an acceptance that more needs to be done to encourage farmers to view this sector as a customer. We do not produce enough food in this country to meet the full public sector requirement so there is a clear business opportunity.

We need a universal commitment from across the food service to put British farmers first. A big, but realistic aim, as looking at the enthusiasm of everyone who attended there is common agreement on this. Love British Food and our partners have already moved the public sector dial on this - we aim to push it even further. I wonder if the time is right to propose a Buy British category in all food service provider food listings; similar to the Buy British button that many are adopting.”

“Events like this one generate a much-needed debate, with serious players in public sector catering. We know that Government won’t act with the pace or impact required, so we will do it ourselves.”

Phil Shelley, Chair NHS Food Review and National Lead for Net Zero Food, NHS England:

“This was the first time that public sector leaders, providers, suppliers and farmers have gathered together to discuss the supply chain. Momentum is building as we in the public sector, want to buy more British food.

I hope this event gave farmers the confidence to invest in supplying the public sector and helped all the buyers who attended understand the true value of buying British. There were plenty of frank discussions. What better place to have them, than on a farm. Thank you to Love British Food for organising.”

 Tim Radcliffe, Net Zero food programme manager at NHS England

 "We need to embrace our British produce. We need to ensure that the food we serve reflects our culinary heritage and embraces our farming community. We have great producers of food here. We have great producers of food in this country. What we need to do is ensure it gets onto hospital menus. This is an amazing event!”

Cathy Amos, Brakes Head of Customer Marketing 

“We’ve supported Love British Food for eight years now and we supply everybody with loads of great British produce and meats and poultry and we do everything we can to work with seasonality, we buy direct from growers, we buy direct from farmers, and we have lots of local small suppliers for our cheese and dairy and breads. So, it’s our ambition to grow our British offering, we want to work with more people and we want to support everybody to understand the importance of supporting the British and everything we produce and grow.”