FOOD PROVENANCE 55% P
The number of consumers who think food sourcing transparency is important when going out to eat
art of the sustainability conversation in a foodservice operation is
transparency about where the food comes from. In the last couple of decades the practice of restaurants naming the origin of meat or vegetables on the menu has become more widespread, though mainly to assert when food is sourced from local producers. “Making provenance
one of your core values means demonstrating your commitment to sustainable,
“It is about the building blocks. If you start with quality ingredients and don't mask their flavors, chances are the food will also taste great”
traceable and ethical sourcing across every aspect of your business, from procurement to how you design your menus, train your staff and market your restaurant,” states the Sustainable Restaurant Association in the UK. And Corinna Hardgrave,
the restaurant critic of Te Irish Times, always includes provenance in her reviews. “It is at the heart of how a chef or restaurateur thinks. Produce that is organically grown by small farmers, and chicken and
pork that is free-range is always going to taste better. It is about the building blocks. If you start with quality ingredients and don’t mask their flavors, chances are the food will taste great,” she explains.
A NICHE ISSUE But, adds Hardgrave, restaurant customers’ awareness of provenance remains low; she believes it is perceived as a niche issue and cost is more important. “On a night out, most people aren’t bothered to check provenance. I would always ask if chicken is free-range, but I think that most diners would feel a bit embarrassed asking this question,” she says. According to a survey
carried out by Technomic with Bord Bia, the Irish Food Board, provenance has evolved from being an area of interest to consumers to one of the key markers of quality and trust, with 55% of respondents saying food sourcing transparency is important when going out to eat. Furthermore, 62% of those surveyed believe it’s important to support restaurants that use local producers. Hardgrave sees it as part of
her responsibility to highlight the provenance of food used on menus. “I generally mention if chicken isn’t free-range, but I try not to be preachy about it, as you lose people that way. It’s the same with farmed sea bass when locally landed fish is available. I do hope that the message gets through,” she concludes.
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WORLDWIDE
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