Don't Miss Out on the Action at British Food Fortnight

In 2012 British Food Fortnight will be held during the Olympics.  Businesses that take part often report 30 -40 % increase in sales as a result of that activity. Imagine the attention brands and businesses could get by taking part in 2012.  The Food Network is working with BFF and West London Business to help businesses from all over London make the most of this – workshop on May 13^th, more details to follow.

January 2010 Food News Update from British Food Fortnight team

Bringing you the latest news on British products in the supermarkets; here is our round-up for January.

The days of misleading country of origin labelling whereby the term ‘produced in Britain’ is used on imported meat that is processed here and then sold as ‘British’ could be nearing an end!  Tesco has changed 1,000 food labels on meat and fish products to indicate correctly their country of origin; Morrisons is ditching the term ‘produced in the UK’ on products manufactured here but made with non-British meat; and Marks & Spencer is claiming to be the first major retailer to clearly state the country of origin on all its dairy products, following the introduction of country of origin labelling for all fish and meat products at the end of last year.  Asda and Sainsbury’s have also signed up to the new practice, promising from 1 February to only label their pork products ‘British’ if the animals have been born, reared and slaughtered in the UK.

Look out for the new Reared by Us meat range in The Co-operative.  Produced on the retailer’s own farms, it follows the success of its Grown by Us range of products such as honey, carrots, onions and peas.

Asda is re-introducting butcher counters to its stores seven years after pulling the plug on them. The new Fresh Meat Counters are already in 33 stores and 17 more are planned this year. Check them out and see how much of the meat is British!

All the chicken and pork in Waitrose’s new Frozen food range is British.  The range also includes forgotten cuts of meats with slow-cook dishes such as British ox cheek in Boddington Ale gravy. 

The 25th January is Burns Night, the time to indulge in haggis.  Don’t be put off by the unappetising sounding ingredients (sheep’s stomach stuffed with spices, oatmeal and offal).  It is delicious and most of the supermarkets sell it.

Finally, Cornish sardines have become the 40th UK food to be granted protected food name status by the EU in recognition of the way they are caught and their historic links with Cornwall.  Fenland celery which is grown in black soil in the Cambridgeshire Fens around Ely and has a nuttier flavour and lighter colour than standard celery has recently also applied for the status.  If successful, they will join Jersey Royal Potatoes which are currently the only UK fresh produce item to have protected status.

Seasonal foods at their best to look out for in the supermarkets this month: 
British winter fruit and veg is not just for Christmas; feast on it as Spring is not long in coming!:
Vegetables: beetroot, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, celeriac, celery, chicory, horseradish, Jerusalem artichoke, kale, leeks, parsnips, potatoes (main crop), salsify, shallots, swede and turnips.
Fruit: apples (stored) and pears (late).
Herbs: almonds, brazil nuts, hazelnuts, truffles (black and white) and walnuts.
Meat: duck, guinea fowl, hare, mallard, partridge, pheasant, turkey and venison.
Fish: brill, clams, cockles, coley, conger eel, haddock, halibut, hake, john dory, lemon sole, monkfish, mussels, oysters, plaice, sea bream, skate, turbot and winkles.

See at the touch of a button all the British produce currently available in the supermarkets - [search Want to Buy British by product or by supermarket].

( info taken from www.lovebritishfood.co.uk)