Change menus regularly to beat cauliflower shortage

Some publicans have had to swap out cauliflowers for other vegetables amid a national shortage of the vegetable. 

Prices of products have soared and some operators have found similar vegetables such as cabbage, broccoli and Brussels sprouts have also been difficult to source. 

Most of the UK’s supplies are grown in Lincolnshire, with this year’s yield severely damaged by heavy rain and flooding experienced in June. 

Diane Grey, owner and chef at the Butcher & Beast, situated in the affected area of Lincolnshire, said the pub had ran out of cauliflowers.

She said: “We use cauliflowers as one of our vegetables and especially on a Sunday lunch.

“My supplier contacted me on Tuesday (13 August) to explain about the shortage.

“We will just have to change to another vegetable, but he also said broccoli could be affected soon.” 

Mixed reaction

Gordon Stott, owner and head chef at the Purefoy Arms in Basingstoke, Hampshire, said the pub avoided feeling a hit from shortages by stocking locally and switching its menus on a regular basis.

Stott explained: “With using as much local produce where available, we haven’t been massively affected by the shortage. 

“All our produce is from local farms and if it’s not available, we simply won’t use it. 

“This is the advantage of a regularly changing menu. We are able to adapt this straight away and avoid price increases or shortages.”

UKHospitality chief executive Kate Nicholls said: “If restaurants are unable to get their hands on cauliflower that is obviously going to cause a nuisance.

“Thankfully, most should be fairly adept at substituting cauliflower for other items on their menus so, hopefully, customers should not be unduly disappointed.”

Other areas with cauliflower crops include Cambridgeshire, Kent and Cornwall, with some food service businesses having to order exported produce from the Netherlands.