Food for Life

Ken Campbell

Facilities Manager

Background • Deliver catering to 9 High Schools,53 Primary

Schools, 4 SEN’s,3 Nurseries ,• A range of Social Services day and residential care

facilities • Prepare and cook approx. 1.8 million meals per year• Currently procure foods via Scotland Excel

frameworks • Existing framework does not consider sustainability

as a key measure• Menus meet nutritional standards set down by

Scottish Government

Perceptions

• Assumption that it was more expensive to deliver• Time consuming to manage • Not worth the effort

• No added value to existing business • Lack of knowledge of Soil association

Why ?

• More requests from customers for ethical and environmentally friendly food

• The team wanted to achieve the accreditation• During times of adversity we needed to demonstrate

other quality benefits to our service

• It is the right thing to do !!

Journey

• Met with soil association team• Created a buy in for the team • Empowered the team to make the decision • Empowered the team to engage with supply partners

• Once started myths began to disappear • Met with supply partners and shared our goals

Timescales

• First meeting September 2012• Assessments November 2012 • External audit January 2013 • Award expected early 2013

Challenges

• Supplier partners • Adding Products to contract frameworks as “core”

items • Initial probing with Suppliers sourcing products • Baked Beans !! Favourite product with children but

assessment requires us to make our own “cowboy style” “ we are still awaiting the job description for a cowboy cook”

Outcomes • Chicken, new product now UK sourced • Previous was imported from Brazil!• Also 10% cheaper• Local producers delighted at opportunity• Marketing of school meals in community a better

local message• Highlights to Local Members and the General Public

the impact school meals have on the community partners championing local food

• Raising the profile in North Ayrshire of the qualities of local ,seasonal farm assured produce

THANKS