BaxterStorey spearheads move to support British farmers

The caterer serves over 25 million meals every year to workers at companies such as Barclays Bank, Virgin Atlantic and Selfridges. In a move to support British farmers, all the lamb, beef, pork and poultry it prepares and serves will be acquired exclusively from British farms.

John Bennett, managing director of BaxterStorey, says: “Fantastic food needs the best ingredients. For us, this means using produce that has been reared to the highest standards and is not forced to travel across international boundaries for rearing or processing. Meat which moves from farm to fork in the speediest time means our chefs have the highest quality ingredients with which to create phenomenal food.”

BaxterStorey announces this move despite a growing trend amongst caterers to look to overseas markets for cheaper, accessible meats. The firm has spent a year researching supply chains to ensure that it is not caught short-handed. Even though the volumes of meat served through the caterer are extraordinary – BaxterStorey uses six million slices of bacon every year – Bennett is confident that the demand can be met by our homegrown farms. “Our success is dependent upon a thriving domestic agricultural market and we are determined to help UK farmers prosper,” continues Bennett. “Our farming sector has suffered a torrid time over recent years. Take pig farming as an example, this has declined by 50 per cent over the last decade alone in the UK. Farmers must be supported by a food service industry which recognises the effort required to deliver the quality we seek and which rewards it fairly – something we are extremely proud to say we do.”

The move has been welcomed by food and farming minister, Jim Fitzpatrick: “BaxterStorey’s decision is good news for the British livestock industry and shows that it is possible for catering firms to source good value domestic produce. I congratulate them on their decision which will be good for their customers and for British farmers.”

Read our profile on the BaxterStorey founders here.

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