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: david.rodda@cornwalldevelopmentcompany.co.uk

Website: www.cornwallac.org