Over 500 local suppliers enter Morrisons’ search for UK’s best food
Morrisons has revealed that over 500 small foodmakers have signed up to its search for local and British food in the first two weeks.
Potential suppliers for the supermarket’s Nation’s Local Foodmakers programme showcased their products to Morrisons’ buyers, customers and staff, as well as a local Women’s Institute, at the first selection event in Yorkshire this week.
The supermarket said products ranged from cheeses, milk and pork to natural fruit vinegars, craft gins and gluten-free pies and pasties.
Morrisons is hosting a further ten regional events as it looks to identify a new crop of local growers, farmers and food makers this summer.
The nationwide search was started after a UK food report commissioned by Morrisons revealed that the UK exports £18 billion of food, compared to £39 billion of imports. It also highlighted a growing appetite for local produce from British shoppers and demonstrated the potential benefits to the countryside of putting more British produce on supermarket shelves.
The programme is aiming to add over 200 local suppliers in 2017 alone.
Richard Jones, food quality expert at Morrisons, said: “It’s been a promising start to our nationwide search. We’ve been impressed by the quality and innovation of the foodmakers who have applied.
“We hope to give many of these foodmakers an opportunityto grow their businesses and and give our customers the opportunity to buy even more food made in their communities”
