As part of our commitment to sustainable agriculture and wellness, the US business has implemented various initiatives to support local farmers nationally. One such example is a promotion called ‘It Takes You - Eat Local’, where sites around the USA feature locally grown produce and provide information about their local farms. Under this initiative, ‘buying locally’ is defined as food grown within a 150 mile radius and helps to educate consumers about sustainability practices and how buying local affects the communities in which they live. Looking ahead, we plan to develop partnerships with 2,013 American family-run farms by 2013.
One further example of our commitment to local sourcing is the new initiative, ‘Truly Local, Truly British’ launched in October 2009 in the UK. The initiative sets strict criteria such as buying locally directly from growers and producers, often family run businesses with strong links to local economy, within a 50 mile radius of a unit and traceability, again buying British products direct, not through wholesalers. For too long there have been misleading claims around what 'British' and 'local' sourcing mean. In some cases, companies claim they source locally when in fact they source from a local wholesaler and there are no guarantees that the products are genuinely British or local. 'Truly British' and 'Truly Local' tackles the confusion in the marketplace around what British and local sourcing really means. Our aim is to give clients and consumers the information they need to make informed choices and to establish a benchmark for the foodservice industry in the UK.