Conference News October 2021 | Page 37

37 Sustainability
Christmas parties . Growing enough produce ourselves to feed our guests would be a far more complicated challenge .
You might think that mainly using only British-grown ingredients may have its limitations , but this ‘ limitation ’ motivates me and my teams to maximise the opportunity to jump on a product when it is in season . We love to get creative , to make a seasonal product the star of the show and incorporate it in many ways across our menus , and of course to let our customers know the reasons behind our menus and how we build something that promotes our brand with customer satisfaction prioritised at all times in this process .
All our chicken and milk is Red Tractor farm assured and all of our lamb and beef is reared right here in Britain . Core items that do not fall into our goals set for sustainability are being analysed and where possible alternatives sourced that will fall in line with the targets that we have set ourselves to better our product .
We also believe in Zero Waste . Whatever we ’ re cooking , our approach is root-to-stem , nose-to-tail . We use recycled and reusable packaging wherever we can . What ’ s more , our teas and coffees come from responsible suppliers and we ’ re making a move to plant-forward menus , with a choice of great-tasting alterative proteins . We really do believe in
Sam Morgan
protecting our planet . Delegates are more discerning about the food that they want to eat , which means that event organisers need to be aware of this too . It ’ s interesting that certain times of the year drive people to buy locally , for example many people source their Christmas turkey from their local butcher , but then don ’ t think of using them for the other 51 weeks of the year . This is changing though , and as more and more of us focus on buying locally , the demand will drive up the range of what ’ s available for our culinary teams to drive innovation and really give our customers the best of local regions as well as the best of British .
To reflect this , we have launched our ‘ Meetings for Change ’ product which means when you book a Venues Collection space you are making good choices that can make a real difference . Buying British also helps us , as a country ,
“ Delegates are more discerning about the food that they want to eat , which means that event organisers need to be aware of this too . It ’ s interesting that certain times of the year drive people to buy locally , for example many people source their Christmas turkey from their local butcher , but then don ’ t think of using them for the other 51 weeks of the year ”
to rebuild after a turbulent 18 months . We have an amazing array of small and large food producers , so buying from them and supporting them is also good for our country ’ s economy and an investment in our farms , our people and the skilled craftsmen who create our amazing locally produced products .
We welcome thousands of guests through our doors each year and we have a responsibility to ensure that we have a clear social purpose to better the planet and the people we interact with ; buying British is a key factor in this drive . Earlier this year we launched our Future First Charter , which is our framework to shape and deliver TVC ’ s social purpose initiatives and targets . One of our three key pillars is focused on food .
Choosing British food means enjoying the diverse , tasty food that our country produces . It is a way of rejoicing in the food that is grown on our doorsteps , tasting a part of Britain ’ s heritage and supporting suppliers such as farmers .
Yes , our menus flex according to the season and what is available , but we are taking a responsible and ethical approach , which I hope in turn helps our clients and their delegates to make responsible choices too . The last year and a half has been tough , but I do believe that this resurgence in British food will be a positive and lasting legacy . CN
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