Celebrate UK food in promo fortnight
Licensees are being encouraged to boost business by getting involved in British Food Fortnight.
The annual celebration of British produce takes place from 19 September to 4 October and is an opportunity for pub caterers to run special events and promotions.
Pub companies including Enterprise Inns, Everards, Marston's Pub Company, Punch Taverns and Young's are joining the promotion.
Organisers believe British Food Fortnight is an excellent opportunity for licensees to get PR, increase Christmas bookings and launch a retail service to compliment menus such as ready meals or a produce range. Licensees could run a special two-course British Food Fortnight lunch menu or link up with local suppliers to run a joint promotion.
Event organiser Alexia Robinson, said: "Licensees taking part in British Food Fortnight have proved that buying British is affordable, adds real value to profits and is a powerful way to differentiate themselves from the competition.
"The buzz of the national food promotion makes it an attractive time to experiment with new suppliers, explore alternative supply chains or, if you already source British, to shout about the fact that you do."
Organisers are also encouraging pub chefs to get involved in its cooking-with-schools initiative. In the build-up to the fortnight, 30,000 schools are being given information on incorporating cookery and food-related topics into their curriculum teaching for the fortnight and are being advised to seek help from local chefs to achieve this. Pub caterers are being advised to give cooking lessons in local schools or to host cooking or food lessons at their pubs.
Robinson said: "British Food Fortnight is also an opportunity to teach the next generation how to cook. The event's initiative inviting chefs to work with schools to teach children how to cook is the largest volunteer movement educating children about food — organisations representing over 9,000 chefs are taking part."
For more information visit www.lovebritishfood.co.uk.
