Baxterstorey commits to using 100% British meat

For over three years, the caterer, which serves over 25 million meals every year to workers at companies including Barclays Bank, Virgin Atlantic and Selfridges, has ensured that the lamb, beef, pork and poultry it prepares and serves carries appropriate Quality Assured certification and is acquired from only British farms. In total, these meat groups comprise 95% of the fresh meat the company uses, with the remaining 5% being bacon. All dining, hospitality, deli and grab and go services provided by BaxterStorey and its sister companies, Cater Link and Holroyd Howe Independent will use only British sourced fresh meat. Since 2008, Baxterstorey has been working closely with foodservice distributor, Brakes, to identify a UK based supply chain which could fulfil its requirement for the final 5%. The creation of this alliance ensures that BaxterStorey's demand for six million slices of bacon every year will be met solely by British farmers. Furthermore, all bacon will be certified by the Red Tractor quality assurance scheme. John Bennett, managing director of BaxterStorey, said: "For us this means using produce which has been reared to the highest standards and is not forced to travel across international boundaries for rearing or processing. Meat which moves from farm to fork in the speediest time means our chefs have the highest quality ingredients with which to create phenomenal food. "Our success is dependent upon a thriving domestic agricultural market and we are determined to help UK farmers prosper. Our farming sector has suffered a torrid time over recent years. Take pig farming as an example, this has declined by 50% over the last decade alone in the UK. Farmers must be supported by a food service industry which recognises the effort required to deliver the quality we seek and which rewards it fairly – something we are extremely proud to say we do." Since 2006, BaxterStorey has banned all fish species listed on the IUCN red list and it is currently working with the Marine Conservation Society and the Marine Stewardship Council to further develop its sustainable fish policy.