Brakes put focus on provenance at best of British event
Brakes celebrated the best of British on Wednesday (22 August), highlighting the importance of provenance in supply, with the help of celebrity chef brand ambassadors Mark Sargeant and Gary Maclean, at its British Food Fortnight 2018 event.
In a presentation to attendees from its head office in Covent Garden, Brakes said provenance had taken on a new level of importance among customers. Brakes brand manager, Laura Stockley added: "Increasingly, we don't know where our products are coming from.
"This is creating a culture of distrust and as a consequence we're seeing consumers opting for locally sourced produce more than ever before.
"According to data from Love British Food 56% of Brits are looking for locally sourced ingredients on a menu and 74% claim they would like more foods made in their local region or close by. And, although Brits are dining out less frequently, we know that when they do they're willing to spend more.
"This, coupled with the fact that they're looking for provenance, represents a good opportunity for premiumisation. Furthermore, the most important categories to focus on in order to add this provenance, regardless of the sector, are dairy, meat and fish,"
Figures provided by Brakes from MCA's UK Eating Out Market Report 2018 state that, with regards to food service, sale frequency is down 6.2% across every meal occasion, but spend has risen by 2.3%.
After his cooking demonstration, Masterchef: The Professionals winner Maclean said: "As a chef and lecturer I know first-hand how important locally sourced food, with strong provenance, is to chefs and consumers.
"The team at Brakes Scotland and Brakes have so much passion and enthusiasm for Scottish and British produce.
"It's fantastic to see the work the company is doing to support Scottish suppliers, including collaborating with smaller suppliers, and I'm genuinely proud to have worked with the company for almost two years and to see the local lines flourish.
"I have always been a huge advocate of Scottish produce across the seasons, from shellfish to fresh berries, and I believe Scotland is the envy of Europe in terms of the quality of produce we have on our doorstep."