Speciality Food October 2024

13 specialityfoodmagazine.com true amongst younger shoppers such as Gen Z, who are thinkingmore frequently not only about their diets and the impact of what they eat on their health, but also the impact that diet also has on the world around them. “Shoppers are increasingly getting on board,” Niamh Noone of the Soil Association said of the organic market, adding that last year “independent retailers did particularly well, growing 10%, and more than two-thirds of them expect to grow this year. We know there’s a market for making ethical choices when you shop. Organic certification means shoppers are investing in high standards, protected by law.” WHY ORGANIC MATTERS FOR THE ENVIRONMENT “Businesses and nature benefit when we prioritise organic,” Niamh continued. “It’s still the most evidence-based way to support food and farming that’s better for the planet. Working with nature, organic farms have an average of 30%more biodiversity, nurture soils so they store more carbon, and uphold the highest animal welfare standards in the UK.” “Intensive food systems are wreaking havoc on human and planetary health,” added Roger Kerr, chief executive of Organic Farmers Time and time again, research is showing that, across the board (and despite financial strains on households) British consumers aren’t giving up on their mission to be more sustainable – especially when it comes to food and drink. While terms like ‘regenerative farming’ are booming (given a boost most recently whenWildfarmed appeared on Jeremy Clarkson’s runaway Amazon Prime hit, Clarkson’s Farm ), those in the organic sphere are doubling down their efforts to ensure the conversation around this method of production remains in the public consciousness. This year, for example, Penny Nagle of Feltham’s Farm (maker of Renegade Monk and Rebel Nun) founded the Organic Cheesemaker’s Network, with a view to unite Britain’s organic dairy industry, tackle the challenges these producers face, and protect organic cheese as a category for the long term. ‘Regenerative’ could well be having its day, but according to statistics, organic food and drink sales aren’t slowing down. Analyst, Statista, says the UK organic market has experienced growth of 5.2% in 2024, with 36% of those asked in a survey this year saying they valued and would buymore sustainable and eco- friendly foods if they were available. This sentiment especially rings & Growers. “New approaches to food and farming, such as regenerative, seek to mirror some of organic’s principles – a huge milestone, but not without challenges for consumers navigating the shelves. Sustainable, nature-friendly food brands are on the rise, and it’s becoming an increasingly competitive environment. Therefore, it’s important to promote organic’s distinct points of difference.” One of the most hotly debated topics at this year’s National Organic Conference, Roger said, was how the sector can support sustained growth, from the percentage of land being farmed organically, to the market value of the products being bought by consumers. “For too long voices of reason that champion positive action have been ignored,” Roger added. “With a new government in office, and the spectre of ever-increasing ‘greenwash’, it is critical we support production systems that not only make a difference, but are built on the solid foundations of integrity, longevity and principles. The industry needs a genuine, concerted effort to support cleaner, more nature-friendly food.” THE IMPORTANCE OF ORGANIC TO CONSUMERS Perhaps one of the biggest reasons for the enduring appeal of organic food and drink, particularly with the modern shopper, is its health benefits. “The nation’s poor diet costs the NHS £11billion annually,” said Roger, “with a growing body of evidence on the effects of pesticides on the incidence of cancer and on the gut microbiome.” In contrast, he said, “Organic’s holistic approach delivers both positive environmental outcomes, and nutritious, healthier food, without harmful synthetic inputs and antibiotics.” An organisation that is seeing first-hand the upward interest in organic produce from consumers conscientious of their health and diets, is Growing Communities, founded in Hackneymore than 25 years ago by current director Julie Brown as a community-led initiative. As well as operating the Better Food Shed, a not-for-profit wholesaler distributingmore than 20 tonnes of fresh organic produce to farm shops, food shops, education services and food programmes, Growing Communities founded the UK’s only fully organic market in 2003. When it started, said Growing Communities’ Kerry Rankine, the idea was to help improve the food system... to make it more sustainable. “Which sounds like grand plans, but we were really thinking about howwe could change the food system to provide better food, and to reward people who are growingmore sustainably. It was true then, and it’s evenmore true today. We knowmore about climate change and the climate emergency we face, and food is a key part of that.” Kerry continued, “We can give up a lot of things, but we can’t stop eating. For us, being organic, and having organic certification for the market and farmers that supply us is really important.” Kerry said the team love hearing people talkingmore openly about farming and agriculture today, and how it can be better, and believes organic (as it’s regulated) is the “cornerstone” of healthy, environmentally beneficial food and drink. “There are checks to ensure people are doing what they say they are doing. That baseline of organic farming is important!” Interest in organic produce, Kerry said, increased dramatically during Covid, and hasn’t stopped. “We found, looking back to the pandemic, there was a huge, sudden interest in where food came frombecause people were panicking. All sorts of small veg schemes and farms thrived at that time.” After that peak she said Shoppers are still valuing organic Consumers have a lot of sustainable messaging to digest right now, but research shows they are putting organic first there was a small drop off “but we’ve recently seen continued interest from people supporting the market. Sales are up 17% this year!” Her experience, that organic is resonating with a younger profile of shopper, tallies with anecdotes from other organic makers and retailers. For Growing Communities that “partly reflects the demographic of where we are, but it’s also really positive in terms of the future. We also run farm trips once a year. On one of the visits to a farm in Kent, I was amazed talking to young people about why they’d come along.” They told Kerry they wanted to connect with nature, find out more about where their food comes from, and to understand the reality of farming. “They found it enjoyable and stimulating, hearing the birdsong, talking directly to the farmer...finding out howmuch hard work it was. I was really encouraged by that.” Topping the list of what shoppers want from the organic sector is fruit and veg, said Kerry, revealing that the four or so stalls the market has dedicated to fresh produce have lengthy queues every week. Also soaring in popularity are organic rawmilk, andmeat –with customers appreciating knowing the provenance of what they’re eating, and that animal welfare is being prioritised. WHY RETAILERS SHOULD BE VALUING ORGANIC “Organic represents a fundamental mindset shift when it comes to food production and consumption,” said Roger. “As such, there’s a real opportunity to deliver multiple positive outcomes. We believe organic has the power to really drive change.” It’s a message, he added, that independent retailers and farm shops can get behind “by promoting the four principles that the organic systemwas built on: health, ecology, fairness and care. These remain core to the mission of the organic sector, and helpmaintain confidence in the market.”