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We are what we eat – global food brands in Scotland. SAC Land Economy Food Marketing Team. SAC/ AGRESEARCH Conference: Rural Futures Hamilton, New Zealand: September 2009. Conceptual definitions?. Local food Region and Locality Glocalisation of food Place branding: Scottish salmon
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We are what we eat – global food brands in Scotland SAC Land Economy Food Marketing Team SAC/AGRESEARCH Conference: Rural Futures Hamilton, New Zealand: September 2009
Conceptual definitions? • Local food • Region and Locality • Glocalisation of food • Place branding: • Scottish salmon • Highland beef • Skye Food Link • Uig food
Local Food in Scotland Map of local food enterprises by postcode district • Altogether 723 local food enterprises included • Location in sparsely populated areas • Proximity to markets • Links with tourism • Source: Watts D, Revoredo-Giha C., Leat P. (2008) • Distribution of local and locality food activity in Scotland • SAC Rural Policy Centre Research Briefing.
Local food and Scottish consumers Can be trusted Better than non-local Is of better quality, healthier, traceable more nutritious? Creates employment, supports local communities Environment friendly Animal welfare friendly Fresh
Local food and Scottish consumers cont. • Economics – availability and affordability; • Ethical Values; • Political Consumerism and Food Citizenship; • Consumer behaviour trends – fads and fashions. Main drivers of consumer preferences in relation to local food.
National Food Policy Discussion – expectations of Scottish public • Local food production and distribution supports local economy, protects environment, promotes Scottish industry, culture and identity. • Consumers should be educated about local food and its availability. • Education about food should involve knowledge of its production (especially at the farm level) and preparation at home (role of schools as conveyors of practical cooking skills). • Knowledge of (local) food will lead to healthy eating patterns. • In order to eat healthy an access to local food is required. • Local food can not be more expensive than non-local/foreign products.
The Skye & Lochalsh Food Link (SLFL) - Local food brand. • A Community Interest Company (CIC) • social enterprise that focuses on promotion and supply of local produce; • open to all: producers, customers and other stakeholders; • involved in support of local food in the broad context of economic, environmental and social sustainability; • promotional activities of the Food Link group embrace various forms of food education and tourism 'food' events e.g.: • publishes local food newsletter delivered to over 350 local subscribers; • organises local food trail – open days during Scottish Food and Drink Fortnight; • supports social networks and further development of Skye local food brand by a producer-led accreditation scheme; • ‘A Taste of Local Food’ awarded by SLFL. ‘A Taste of Local Food’ award/brand reassures market via confirmation of food origin and at the same time identifies businesses (catering, hospitality), that participate in development and distribution of local products.
The Skye & Lochalsh Food Link (SLFL) - Local food distribution. • Food Link Van • Physically links producers, caterers and retailers. Carries over £90K worth of food a year. • Covers large area of low population density (700 sq km with a population of only 12,000 ). • Eliminates sole reliance on long distance food transport (Two local supermarkets get their supplies, from central depots on the mainland, a local wholesaler gets it from a market in Glasgow (210 miles). Consumers in turn depend on that wholesaler or other delivery services operated from Inverness (130 miles) and Fort William (120 miles). • Facilitates “bundled” distribution of local food and lowers transaction costs for small retailers and caterers. • Ensures availability of local food to dispersed tourists visiting Skye.
Success of local food - business strategy, community support and policy focus • Local food has to be considered in multiple dimensions to be successful and sustainable in the long term. These include: • Social and environmental sustainability of production - farming sector survival; • Management of infrastructure required for production and distribution activities of the local food supply chains; • Well being and quality of life; • Affordability and accessibility to a quality and well-balanced food offering. • Understanding of perceptions, attitudes and resulting consumer behaviour. • Involvement of political consumer – food citizen; • Hierarchies of interest, impact of knowledge and effect of specific behaviour within social networks.