Sainsbury’s pledge to source more UK food

As well as sourcing the likes of homegrown figs and cranberries, the supermarket giant plans to work with its suppliers to increase yields and extend growing seasons, Sue Lockhart said.

Speaking ahead of an event hosted by the Future Farmers of Yorkshire at the Great Yorkshire Showground in Harrogate this week, the supermarket chief told Country Week that the company’s sustainability plan is creating opportunities for farmers.

“As we work towards our target to double sales of British food by 2020 as part of Sainsbury’s 20x20 Sustainability Plan, we will be looking to work with farmers, growers and suppliers that are closer to home,” she said.

On how its target would be reached, she added: “Higher yields, extending seasons where sustainable and trialling products that you’d ordinarily find abroad such as figs or cranberries, but can be grown here.

“Sainsbury’s Veal Development Group is a great example of higher welfare British meat and last year we moved all our fresh pork to be 100 per cent British, and a number of our producers are in Yorkshire.”

Elizabeth Hudson, project manager of the Future Farmers group, said Sainsbury’s willingness to source more homegrown food was typical of the sentiment across the retail sector since the horsemeat scandal last year.

“There seems to be a greater willingness from the supermarkets to link in with the farming industry and I think that’s partly to do with the issues over the integrity of the food chain last year, where the pursuit of cheaper food had dire consequences for consumer confidence,” she said.

“We are certainly seeing that the major retailers are trying to work with us more closely than they ever have before and, while not everyone may be a fan, a vast amount of food is sold through supermarkets.”

Attendance at Thursday’s meeting was proof that the region’s farmers are up to the task of providing more food for the supermarket shelves.

“Our young farmers are enthusiastic about meeting a growing demand for good quality British food and events like this, which has attracted 140 people from across the industry and the region, just goes to prove that.”

Food producers James Potter and Angus Wielkopolski spoke at the meeting about becoming successful suppliers to major retailers.

James Potter Yorkshire Farmhouse Eggs is the region’s largest, and the UK’s second largest, producer of free range-only eggs.

The family firm, which records an annual turnover of £18m, involves 200,000 hens producing eggs for Tesco, Asda and Sainsbury’s.

Meanwhile, Angus Wielkopolski and his wife Kathleen founded the East Yorkshire-based St Helen’s Farm brand, growing it into the sole UK supplier of fresh goats’ milk to Tesco and Sainsbury’s.

Water summit is next

Future Farmers of Yorkshire hold their next event at Fera, Sand Hutton near York on February 11 when DEFRA Minister Dan Rogerson is set to speak at a Water Summit.

It will be followed by a visit by the group to Sir Ken Morrison’s farm at Myton on Swale for a tour with deputy farm manager Richard Pennock on June 24.

Farmers, vets and industry supporters with a passion for the agriculture industry are welcome to join the group. For more details, email futurefarmers [email protected]