Catering Trends: Locally Sourced Produce

 The UK restaurant industry is worth in excess of £38 billion. With over 86,000 restaurants in the sector, 1.7 million Brits are said to eat out at least once a week spending an average of around £18.

Along with veganism, sustainability and technology, people's tastes and preferences are changing. Now more than ever, the industry is having to adapt to changing consumer habits.

Consumers are wanting to become more aware on where the produce their eating comes from, this year it is expected that locally sourced produce will be a demand from consumers when going out to eat. In a recent survey more than a quarter of customers said they would be willing to spend 25% more on their food if it was British produce. On top of this 51% of Brits say they prefer to eat locally sourced produce and we can’t help but wonder why this is, therefore we are on hand with the benefits of sourcing food locally and why it’s a hit with consumers and chefs.

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Benefits of Locally Sourced Produce

Fresh and Tasty Dishes. Ingredients will likely be fresher when coming from a local source due to the reduce in food miles (read more about food miles here), the freshness of the produce would have been maintained due to not long ago been grown and picked. When sourcing food globally it would have gone under much preservation, this then has an impact on the flavours and aesthetics of the produce. It’s clear that consumers are already seeing the benefits to eating locally sourced produce as in a recent survey 63% of people said they buy local produce such as fruits, vegetables and cheese. When sourcing food locally all produce will be in season, which ultimately tastes better than fruit or vegetables that are forced to grow out of season. To reduce the reliance on unseasonal food, make sure you’re aware of what’s in season when to get the most out of the produce.

Creates A Great Restaurant Reputation.

By sourcing local produce, it shows consumers that you care about serving tasteful and fresh food that is free from pesticides and preservatives, this is sure to go down well with consumers that are mindful of what their eating and where it is from. Consumers want to know that they are eating isn’t pre-cooked, processed or packaged foods and the demand for sustainability and organic produce has increased drastically as founded by The 2019 Organic Market Report which saw a 5.3% growth in 2018 and expects to reach a target of £2.5bn in 2020. By having a menu with food completely sourced locally it raises consumer numbers and shows that the restaurant cares about environmental impact and wants to support local farmers.

Rabbit

The ‘Rabbit’ is a restaurant situated in Chelsea, London that offer freshness and vibrant of the English Countryside. They pride themselves with having a daily-changing menu full of seasonal and sustainable produce, the Gladwin Brothers use all things ‘wild, foraged, and locally grown including sustainable livestock’ from the Gladwin’s family farm in East Sussex. The locally sourced produce doesn’t stop there as they source their wines from their vineyard in Pulborough, this shows the extent of how and what you can source locally, and the ‘Rabbit’ have succeeded in this area. You can read more about the Gladwin brothers here

Take a bite out of the countryside at Rabbit with our Sundays on the Farm. Tuck in to tender roast Sussex beef and Oxford Sandy and Black Pork dripping in jus and complimented by skyscraper Yorkshire puds. Wash the glorious dish down with a signature Bloody Mary made your way! ______________________________________ #gladwinbros #localandwild #sundaysonthefarm #sundayroast #sundaylunch #yorkiesofinstagram #yorkshirepudding #roastbeef #roastpork #sussexbeef #bestofbritish #sustainableproduce #eatseasonal #seasonaleating #sundayroastlondon #foodiesoflondon #foodiesofinstagram #eaterlondon #eeeeeats #kingsroadlondon #chelsealondon #londonist

45 Likes, 3 Comments - Rabbit Restaurant (@rabbit_resto) on Instagram: "Take a bite out of the countryside at Rabbit with our Sundays on the Farm. Tuck in to tender roast..."

Chef Choices of Local Produce Dishes

Local Asparagus, Morels and Wild Garlic created by Avrum Frankel would look divine on our Artisan Crème Deep Island Plate, bringing out the vibrant colours of the locally sourced Asparagus.

Local Chicken and Corn created by Stuart Collins would look luxurious plated up on texturised Churchills Garnet Raku Plate, allowing the dish to have a visually stunning effect.

Whether you’re a consumer or chef it’s clear that sourcing food locally is in high demand due to the benefits above, this catering trend is only going to be one that grows. It’s important to think about the action that we can take to add more locally sourced produce into our daily lives, by doing this we are supporting locally grown food. How can you add organic and local food onto your menu?

Enjoyed this article? Read our Catering Trends: Convenient Food article where we talk about the ins and outs of convenient and pre-packaged foods within the food industry. Read it Here