Retailer Morrisons has begun a search for local food producers, as a new report calls for the UK to be more self-sufficient in food consumption.
The initiative ‘The Nation’s Local Foodmakers’ will see Morrisons aim to recruit more than 200 new suppliers from across England, Scotland and Wales in the first year.
A series of 12 regional events beginning in March will invite foodmakers to pitch for their place in the retailer’s 491 stores nationwide. The aim of the scheme is to provide customers with the option of being able to buy food that was grown, made, picked or packaged within 30-60 miles of their local store.
The move comes following a report led by Professor Tim Benton from the University of Leeds and commissioned by Morrisons, which highlights that only half (52%) of food eaten in the UK comes from UK farmers.
Andy Higginson, chairman of Morrisons, said: “Our customers tell us they want to see more food that is made just down the road from their own communities and that’s why we are looking for the next generation of British and local foodmakers to serve our 12 million customers.
“We want small UK food suppliers to become bigger ones – the Innocent Smoothies of tomorrow – and we also want to give our customers the option of more food that meets their local food tastes.”
“Morrisons is already British farming’s biggest single customer and the publication of the report today from Professor Benton makes us more determined to produce more of our food and source more from local British suppliers.”
This story was originally published on a previous version of the Meat Management website and so there may be some missing images and formatting issues.
