The Role of Local Food in Tourism and Protecting Regional Foods
David RoddaRural Delivery Manager
27th September 2012
Outline
• The Agri-food Sector in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly
• Tourist Attitudes to Local Food
• The role of Protected Food Names
• What next
Agri-Food - Defining the sectorPrimary production
“Core Agri-food industry”
Food and drink manufacturing
Food and drink wholesaling
Specialist food and drink retailing
Non-specialist predominantly food & drink retailing
“Secondary food sectors”
Food and beverage services
Accommodation - “Food related”
Headline Statistics
• Cornwall’s farmers manage over 80% of land mass
• Over 8,000 holdings of various sizes but smallest average size in England (but growing)
• Total farm gate value of output approx = 2.9% of GVA (national figure = 0.6%)
• Total value of food processing = 3.3% of GVA (national figure = 1.5%)
• Food production, processing and distribution turnover in excess of £1.5 billion p.a.
• Over 33% of all employment in manufacturing in the food and drink sector (national figure = 15%)
• At headline level we produce more food than Cornwall can consume so visitor, national and international markets are vital
• Tourism spend on food = £450 million p.a.
Tourists Attitudes to Local Food (source Huxley 2002)
• Virtually all try local foods whilst visiting.
• Almost 70% select places to eat or stay because they offer local produce.
• Clotted cream and pasties were the products tried most frequently, with ice cream, fudge and cider also featuring prominently.
• ALL of the 67 products tried were rated either excellent, very good or good
• The majority buy Cornish products when they return home, with clotted cream again featuring as the product most likely to be bought, followed by pasties.
• Over 50% use mail order and/or buy via the Internet.
• The local products people would have liked to buy but could not find were fresh fish, cheese and 'proper' pasties.
Cornwall product association
• With the region being strongly associated with the coast it is no surprise to see the product association being coastal related
• Historical sites has a stronger association than gardens
• Industrial heritage and arts and culture are not strongly associated with Cornwall
Cornwall values association
• Natural and traditional are the two strongest associations
• Few think of Cornwall as luxurious, stylish and contemporary
– Some of the product would fit this description but not necessarily the region
The role of protected food names
• 3 in Cornwall – Clotted Cream, Cornish Pasty and Cornish Pilchards
• Useful mechanism to bring businesses together to work towards a common aim
• The scheme highlights regional and traditional foods whose authenticity and origin can be guaranteed.
• Registered at a European level will be given legal protection against imitation throughout the EU.
• Awareness of PGI, PDO, TSG in UK consumers very low
• Requires an inspection regime to be implemented
I want to tell you a story….
Future Opportunities
• Reinforce, communicate and capitalise on the link between land management and the value of the landscape to tourism
• Increase the volume and value of local food used by tourism businesses by developing links, joint offers, etc
• Encourage food tourism by integrating food into promotional activity
• Develop links with other areas of the EU to share best practice
• Increase the visitor “Food Gift” market• Maximise the promotion of protected food names • Reinvigorate more traditional dishes• Regard visitors as “ambassador’s” for our products
when they return home. One off purchases are great but repeat purchases are better!
It’s more than just a landscape….
a profitable and sustainable farming and food sector is at the heart of a healthy rural economy and a livingcountryside
David RoddaRural Delivery ManagerCornwall Development Company Development TeamTyncroft HouseSouth Wheal CroftyStation RoadTR15 3QGTel: 01209 616093Email: [email protected]
Website: www.cornwallac.org
