A number of the best quality food and drink producers from across the Clyde Valley have joined forces to create a new trade food directory.
Eat – The guide to food and drink in the Clyde Valley – was launched this week by South Lanarkshire Council in Hamilton, to showcase the superb range of local produce that Lanarkshire has to offer, including Ramsay’s of Carluke, Simple Simon pies, Carmichael Estate Farm Meats, Damn Delicious, Strathaven Ales, HJ Errington and Co and Johnstones Bakers.
The guide hopes to reach out to food buyers in both retail and trade to encourage buyers to work closely with local producers and help to support local businesses.
In order to create Eat, South Lanarkshire Council undertook a project to identify who was producing local food in the South Lanarkshire area, who was buying the food locally, and for those who weren’t, why not.
In conjunction with the LEADER programme and SAC Consulting, the project facilitated workshops with producers and food buying businesses to identify the constraints to more local trade being done and assessed the potential for working together for more returns.
The trend towards buying local continues to become increasingly popular. Consumers now more than ever have a concern for the environment. They also want to help to strengthen local businesses and a have a desire for good quality produce.
Chair of South Lanarkshire Council’s Enterprise Resources Committee, Councillor Chris Thompson, said: “We are aware of the need for a healthy diet, to eat fresher and more seasonal products, help save the environment, lower our carbon footprint, lower food miles – all against the backdrop of a current economic downturn.
“We hope the guide will inform and encourage buyers to do business locally. It is also aimed at providing information to challenge the perceptions that may exist that we either don’t have the produce locally or the prices are not competitive.
“The reality is that both food buyers and the general public may not know about the quality produce that is right on their doorstep. The guide comprises of producers who have taken part to date in the project and they are being referred to as the Clyde Valley Food Network.
“The network is in its very early stages at present and we hope to build on this in the near future with further events and encourage other producers and processors onboard.”
Patrick Hughes, Senior Food Marketing Consultant with SAC Consulting said:
“If any prospective buyers are unaware of the array of delicious products and dedicated producers available locally, now’s the time to challenge those misconceptions!”