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Public Procurement


Date: 26/02/2007
Chef Jamie Oliver’s recent campaign to shake-up school meals highlighted the need to improve food standards within the public sector. The government’s subsequent school meal reforms, introduced last September, have seen healthy and nutritious meals dished out in school canteens across the country. However, with food miles and traceability at the top of the consumer agenda there are calls to go one step further, and introduce local food into schools, hospitals, prisons and the armed forces.

Currently, public sector catering is dominated by wholesalers and distributors, operating on a national and even international level. The size and buying power of these suppliers often dwarfs that of small, local companies, and in such a restrictive environment, it is little wonder that local produce is largely excluded from public sector catering.

This is a problem that the South East Food Group Partnership (SEFGP) is keen to resolve. Having launched an initiative to support public sector procurement, SEFGP is bringing together producers and buyers, with the aim of promoting sustainable food and farming.

A recent event at The Hop Farm, Paddock Wood, brought together buyers, suppliers and interested parties from across the South East. Under the banner ‘Choosing Local Food and Choosing Health’, delegates discussed the barriers to buying local food for hospitals, and the importance of including locally sourced ingredients in Kent’s hospital menus. Produced in Kent Chief Executive, Tim Read, outlined Produced in Kent’s role in the county, and offered continued support for the project, which aims to make local food a key component in all areas of public sector catering.

SEFGP have already proved that local, seasonal food is a viable choice for caterers, with a series of pilot projects proving beneficial for both buyers and suppliers. For example, new school meal requirements stipulate that schoolchildren should eat oily fish at least once every three weeks. Meanwhile, south coast fishermen have long been seeking a more profitable outlet for smaller mackerel. With the help of children and a school nutritionist, a recipe for mackerel fishcakes was developed, providing the ideal solution to both problems. It is a scenario that SEFGP and Produced in Kent are keen to see repeated throughout the county.

Produced in Kent is encouraging its members to get involved. At an upcoming event on the 1st March in Dorking, local producers have the opportunity to meet NHS buyers, seeking to provide fresh, seasonal produce for the South East’s hospitals. Lead by SEFGP and NHS Supply Chain, this event provides the perfect opportunity to learn more about public sector food procurement.

For more details contact Melissa Love, SEFGP’s Public Procurement Project Manager
Email: melissa@sefgp.co.uk
Telephone: 020 7871 5200
Mobile: 07904 382 754

Alternatively, contact Produced in Kent Ltd
Email: Info@producedinkent.co.uk
Telephone: 01732 853170
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Download: Working with SEFGP - Buyers

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Download: Working with SEFGP - Suppliers

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Download: NHS event 1st March