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“I would like to see at least five locally produced dishes on every pub menu. Quality food is a means of attracting more customers – and with the fine range of British cheeses, meats and vegetables, this should be a simple task for pubs.”
Catering Development Manager, Punch Taverns
With £34 billion now being spent each year on eating out in the UK(Horizons F S Ltd research, 2005) and with over half of all our food consumption predicted to be outside the home within 15 years the food service sector presents a huge opportunity for British farmers.
Pubs are potentially a strong link between local producers and consumers yet too many buy from major caterers who in general source en masse from major producers.
- Do you know where the food on your pub menu comes from?
Is there a place for your produce or that of neighbouring farms on the menu?
Ask to meet the owner of the pub and the pub chef out-of-hours.
Explain to them why it is in their commercial interest to stock more British produce. Points you may like to make include:
- They will attract new customers
- Demand for quality, fresh, regionally-distinct, fully-traceable food is increasing – and customers are prepared to pay more for it
- The opportunities to use quality local food to complement beer and wine sales, and to drive menu sales, are increasing.
Offer suggestions of how your produce – or that of other local producers or neighbouring farms – can be show cased on the menu.
Explain how different, less commonly-used cuts of meats can be used to create delicious dishes. Many pub chefs are not imaginative about this. However, they will be particularly interested if it means that by using cheaper cuts and types of meat they can reduce the unit-cost of a dish. For example, skirt in casseroles; chicken wings and legs in stews rather than the oft-used breast; mutton rather than lamb etc.
EXAMPLE:
Tim Neal, proprietor and chef of Chequers Inn, near Horsham, West Sussex has proved that teaming up with a local farmer is profitable for both. Every so often he buys half a Sussex Long Horn from his neighbouring farmer. He is able to use nearly all of it on his pub menu: fillet, sirloin and rump in steaks; silverside and topside are marinated and served as braesola (air dried beef); bones are used to make stock and jus; rib-eye for Sunday roasts; and everything that can be minced is made into fresh minced burgers. The only thing he did not use was the shins as shin of beef seemed too old-fashioned for his customers.
Discuss with the pub chef what sort of, and quantities of, portion sizes and cuts they require. Consider teaming up with a local processor or butcher to produce. If you are unable to provide the required amount from your farm, join forces with neighbouring farmers.
Remember to ask the pub to name you as producer on the menu– provenance is the new buzz word of the moment and many customers will pay more for a meal when they know where it is sourced from, particularly if it features local produce. What about mentioning the breed of sheep used for the roast lamb as well as the farm on which it was raised? Or mentioning the variety of apple used in the apple pie or the name of the cheese providers? Locally sourced sausages are always a winner and mentioning the use of free-range eggs from a named farm in puddings goes down particularly well.
If you are able to supply direct, ask for your name and contact details to be displayed in the written menu or on cards at the bar so that customers can order direct where appropriate.
Do not dismay if your pub initially rejects your suggestions as too expensive. Offer the statistics in this article as evidence of the growing consumer interest inquality food. By serving quality food, the pub will increase sales overall and be able to offer dishes with a larger profit-margin, particularly if they are imaginative with the cuts of meats they use.
A word about small producers dealing direct with pubs.
Some pubs, particularly larger ones, shy away from this. But time spent investing in building long-term relationships and trust with them is worth it. If they have problems with your ability to deliver on quantity and consistency, for example, take the time to discuss their requirements with them and also try and understand the process from their point of view. If fragmented supply is the problem, you may wish to consider joining with other producers to form an informal co-operative that better meets the pubs needs.
Check-list of things you can encourage your local pub to do
- Put food from local farms on the menu. Either adapt the existing menu or create a special board focusing on local produce.
- Display the origin of food on the menu. For example, Braised lamb from xyz farm.
- Tell the regional tourism organisation so that the pub is promoted as part of your region’s tourism experience.
- Monitor customer response to the new dishes on the menu.
- Re-consider the children’s menu – little people will love locally-produced sausages!
British Food Fortnight has produced guidance to help shops and pubs. See ‘Britain’s Regional Food & Drink – Advice for Retailers & Caterers’ on the‘for retailers & caterers’ page of this website.
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