Reach the Rural Development Programme for Bridgend, is raising the awareness of locally produced foods by carrying out a research project which addresses the low profile of local food producers amongst retail networks.
David Roderick, rural food coordinator, reach said: “Currently there are only a small number of rural food producers in Bridgend County Borough with limited ability to supply to small retailers, hospitality providers and the public sector. This research is vital in order to understand the range and volumes of local foods produced by rural businesses. We aim to raise the profile of these businesses by looking at how they currently market their products and find innovative ways to increase the amount of local produce available within the borough.”
Consultant’s f3 will be contacting local producers, retailers and distributors to take part in the research and a sample will be invited to workshops to gain relevant knowledge on key barriers that all relevant parties experience with producing and selling local foods and drinks.
David continues: “This invaluable information will allow an action plan to be devised to break down these barriers and for a network between food producers and small retailer / hospitality providers to be set up to improve communication.”
Commencing November 2010 this project will run until 28 February 2011 and during this time the information provided by the local businesses will be beneficial in developing a local network to connect producers with retailers and hospitality providers, thereby boosting the local economy of Bridgend County Borough.
Please note: all information provided by businesses will be treated as confidential and reported without indicating specific origins.
Reach is Bridgend’s Rural Development Programme, which operates under the Rural Development Plan for Wales 2007-2013. The programme is funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development with match funding by the Welsh Assembly Government and Bridgend County Borough Council.
Rural produce is part of a wider reach initiative to see increased production, processing, marketing and consumption of local food to create thriving local food economies. For more information on reach visit: www.bridgendreach.org.uk or contact David Roderick on 01656 815082 or email: [email protected].
