The biggest foodservice distributor in the UK, Brakes, has joined the drive towards locally-produced food by launching a new regional-sourcing initiative.
It follows rival 3663 First For Foodservice's foray into local sourcing from the beginning of this year. Its fourth region, Wales, was added to its list just last week.
Brakes is focusing on five regions initially. Scotland and Wales, plus, in England, the south west, the east, and Kent and Sussex combined have been chosen to start the scheme because of their strong regional identities.
Brakes customer Russell Roberts of the White Hart in Marden, Kent, welcomed Brakes' move. Roberts said: "Being in the centre of Kent, we have lots of local produce and it would be great to get that on our menus if we can. The company seems to be following the examples of the supermarkets and has to be applauded."
Roberts added it would be good for business. "Customers notice things like this, especially here in a rural area," he said. "It's important to our customers to know where food comes from."
Brakes is sending booklets to customers showing new and existing regionally-sourced products, including eggs and fresh produce from Kent and Sussex, lamb and Welsh cakes from Wales, cheese and pasties from the south west and turkey, pork and duck from the east.
Brakes group commercial and marketing director Stuart Smith revealed that the demand for regional food was continuing to increase.
"Brakes is also an intrinsic part of the communities in which we serve, as an employer and a major purchaser of products from regional suppliers and manufacturers," said Smith.
The scheme was announced as new figures revealed sales of frozen ready meals fell by 8.5% over the past year because shoppers are starting to view them as "cheap and tacky," according to The Grocer magazine.
Sales of frozen meats dropped 8.1%, with sales of frozen vegetables also down 3.5%.
The figures were gathered from 20,000 households throughout the UK.