'eeco' Initiative

Go Local & Reduce Your Food Miles with New Covent Garden Event

'Food Miles' are one of the key issues for any caterer when it comes to the sustainability issue. The distance each ingredient travels between where it is produced and where it makes a tasty canapé comes with its own energy burning price tag. Sourcing local produce not only reduces this, but supports local business and industry. However, as much as many caterers may wish to 'go local', cost and logistics have always stood in the way. A number of organizations have set out to tackle this problem and have organized an event this February which will allow caterers and similar businesses to meet directly with local producers. For more information read on...

London’s biggest celebration of local food
On the 6th February 2008, New Covent Garden Market will host the largest meeting in modern times of food producers local to London. The event, A Celebration of Local Food will bring together local producers, wholesalers and distributors from in and around London for a trade fair and conference, allowing chefs and professional buyers from the private and public sectors to try out the best that London and surrounding regions has to offer.
 
The open day is part of a three year project between Covent Garden Market Authority and the South East to get more local food on the capital’s plates via wholesalers and catering distributors based at the Market. The day will see a renewed drive for the Market to buy more produce from its surrounding regions.

The day starts for enthusiastic early birds at 07.00am with a tour of the Market for producers to see at first hand how it works.  After breakfast producers from the South East and East Anglia will showcase local seasonal ingredients for wholesalers, distributors and chefs to sample and discuss. 

The conference, ‘Share to Supply’, run by English Farming and Food Partnerships (EFFP) looks at the opportunities for supplying local food to London and the South East.  Speakers include Jenny Jones, Chair of London Food Board.  The conference showcases a number of examples where producers are already successfully working together to supply the public and food service sectors, as well as providing practical advice on initiating such ventures.

For more information please contact Hugh; hugh@londonmice.co.uk or Hayley; hayley@sol.gb.com

For more information on sustainability in the events industry,  topical news stories and links to events and businesses with green and ethical credentials, visit www.londonmice.co.uk/eeco or click the logo!