22nd Sep 2009 - 00:00
Abstract
As British Food Fortnight gathers momentum, Compass Group in the UK has announced that from October all of its fresh beef will be sourced from Britain.
Compass Group UK is part of the world's largest contract caterer and purchases more than 2,000 tonnes of fresh beef every year, spending in the region of £6 million per annum. Fresh minced and diced beef, joints and steaks are used throughout Compass' 7,000 sites in meals ranging from cottage pie, chilli con carne and casseroles to the finest cuts of steak in premium catering and hospitality. Chris Ling, meat buyer for Compass Group UK & Ireland, explained the reasons behind the decision: "The purchasing team is constantly looking for ways to improve the sustainability of the food we source and committing to British beef is just one step for us in improving our provenance. We want to explore more avenues to ensure we use ingredients of the highest quality and support our local farmers and growers wherever possible." Ensors, Nigel Fredericks and Campbells are the principal approved beef suppliers which will be working with Compass Group UK and supporting its commitment to British beef. Chris added: "There are a lot of claims about local sourcing and much debate about what buying 'local' means; by working with these suppliers Compass can guarantee that all beef used by Compass Group UK will be from cattle born, reared and slaughtered in the UK."