Contract caterer Compass Group UK has announced it will only source its beef from Britain as of October, in support of the UK’s farmers and growers.
Compass, which operates 7,000 sites around the UK, currently spends around £6m a year on 2,000 tonnes of beef products for use in meals such as cottage pies, chilli con carne, casseroles and steaks.
Chris Ling, meat buyer for Compass UK, said that by working with UK suppliers Ensors, Nigel Fredericks and Campbells, the group can now guarantee that all its beef will be from cattle born, reared and slaughtered in Britain.
“The purchasing team is constantly looking for ways to improve the sustainability of the food we source and committing to British beef is just one step for us in improving our provenance.,” he said. “We want to explore more avenues to ensure we use ingredients of the highest quality and support our local farmers and growers wherever possible.”
As part of its commitment to sourcing local produce, Compass currently uses British eggs and milk, uses seasonal vegetables where possible, 95 per cent of which is produced by British growers, and through the use of over 230 artisan bakeries, ensures no loaf of bread travels more than 30 miles.