The National Trust have announced the launch of a range of
branded food and drink products, representing the best of British fare at affordable
prices. First to launch will be potatoes and beer. The range will include breads, biscuits, meat
products and prepared foods will begin to appear from October 2009. The
products take their inspiration from the National Trust itself – both from the
Trust’s own produce and from traditional recipes in the Trust’s extensive
archive.
All products are produced under licence by specialist
suppliers, as part of a long-term brand extension programme developed by the
National Trust with The Licensing Company (TLC). The programme currently
involves thirty partners who supply products across six market sectors,
including house and home, gardening and leisure activities.
The National Trust is one of the UK’s largest owners of farmland
with 500,000 acres of food-producing land and over 1,500 tenant farmers.
It is supported by over 3.6 million members and 52,000 volunteers.
Rob Macklin, the National Trust’s head of agriculture,
commented: “We are running several campaigns that promote the idea of
sustainable food, but this is the first time that we have been able to put our
ideas into practice by creating a range of high quality, affordably priced
foods and drinks.
“What makes these products different is that we are working
directly with a number of our farmers and estate managers to bring their
produce to a commercially viable, national market, at the same time as pursuing
sustainable and environmentally responsible farming practices.
The National Trust is involved in the whole food chain, with 500,000 acres of
food-producing land, over 150 restaurants and tearooms, historic kitchen
gardens, orchards and mills. The Trust is actively campaigning to
encourage the public to think and learn more about food and where it comes
from.
The National Trust:
- believes
that cooking and eating sustainably grown local and seasonal food is easy,
tasty and fun – and makes for a better quality of life
- is
passionate about food and is involved in every stage of the food chain
- is
committed to growing, cooking and promoting local and seasonal food
Find out more at: http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/food.