They say: “Schools are signing up to take part with themed British Food Fortnight menus, family celebrations and meals are being planned on a smaller scale and many independent shops are working on listing more British products and themed window displays.
“With the hospitality trade back up and running, they do need our support.
“We will be on hand to suggest themed menus, food and drink matching, supply promotional material plus ongoing support on social media encouraging customers to visit and support the venues taking part in celebrations.”
Alexia Robinson of Love British Food, who founded British Food Fortnight in 2002, says: “Whether you are a large contract caterer or a meal provider to a single school, taking part in British Food Fortnight – the biggest national promotion of British Food – increases sales.
“You can attract new customers, increase spending from existing customers and establish a point of difference between your company and those that serve only mainstream products.
“Promotions during previous British Food Fortnights have proved that it has a serious impact on sales – one restaurant increased sales by an astonishing 300% during the event.
“You don’t have to restrict yourselves to British Food Fortnight either. By sourcing and promoting British food in your establishments year-round, you are showing that you are serious about food sourcing and provenance, and are helping the British economy as well as helping yourselves.
“Catering establishments taking part in British Food Fortnight have proved that buying British can be affordable and add real value to profits.”
Tips for maximising sales during British Food Fortnight include:
* Promote your participation in the national food promotion by displaying POS material using the British Food Fortnight logo or Union Jack on menus and in restaurants.
* Communicate menus in advance, for example on employee intranets.
* Run a competition or prize draw to highlight the new menu. Aramark ran an ‘Around Britain in a Fortnight’ menu and gave every customer who ate in their restaurants during the event a gamecard featuring ‘just for fun’ questions about British food that could be entered into a prize draw.
* Ensure the whole catering team knows about the new products and suppliers and encourage them to communicate this to customers while serving food.
* Include a ‘Chef’s Special’ on the menu to give you flexibility in your ordering process.
* Use phrases such as ‘seasonal veg’ on the menu that enable you to take a variety of stock from different suppliers.
For more information visit: https://lovebritishfood.co.uk