Rich Watts, senior Catering Mark manager at Soil Association Certification said: “To reach 1.6m Catering Mark meals is no mean feat and we are in awe of those who have helped us reach this point.
“But to grow even more we realise that we need to improve wider public awareness of the scheme. If in future people are demanding Food for Life Served Here then its reach and positive impact will multiply.”
He said that in just seven years the Food for Life Catering Mark had grown to 1.6m meals served every day across the UK. The success had been achieved through the support of caterers and policymakers.
“The updates to the scheme identity are designed to aid the next stage of growth and continue to help caterers make more healthy, sustainable food changes.
“To grow meal take up in more public catering venues, enable more caterers to tick the sustainable and the local boxes, as well as make sure nutritious food is available in all the places that most need it, creating consumer demand for the award is essential.”
Soil Association research has shown a desire among consumers for fresh, local and healthy food. It also suggested that a change of could help improve understanding.
As a result the Catering Mark will carry a new logo and a supporting marketing campaign will go live in the spring.
Watts added: “In terms of scale, and reach across so many sectors and areas of public policy, the scheme has already created an awareness of the importance of healthy, local food.
“But so far it has been driven by policy and industry, and to grow further we need people to be demanding, and actively searching out Food for Life Served Here venues and caterers. So it’s our responsibility as a sector to drive consumer demand for this type of food – which in turn will increase footfall through the doors.”