Recently, there has been increased demand for locally-sourced produce as consumers become increasingly conscious about where their food comes from. For restaurant, cafe and bar owners, sourcing regional ingredients and using local suppliers has many benefits. They can lead to an increase in custom and sales. Plus build closer relationships with the local community.

Recent research shows that local British produce was one of the leading factors when consumers were deciding when and where to eat out. It was also found that a quarter of diners are willing to spend as much as 25% more on food if they knew it contained British produce, with some even prepared to spend up to 50% more.

Although there can be some ambiguity around what 'locally-sourced' means, most agree that local ingredients cover produce that comes from a within a 150-mile radius of where they will be consumed. Often, restaurants will use nearby farms or suppliers from their local countryside towns.

Each year about ONE THIRD of food produced globally goes to waste. That's 1.6bn tonnes of food worth approximately $1.2tn. Why SHOP LOCAL and LOCAL SUPPLY CHAINS are so important. And JUST ONE REASON why the Pennine Pound champions our local region https://t.co/E3nBFRRnKh

— Pennine Pound (@PenninePound) October 18, 2018

Fresher Ingredients!

Local ingredients are fresher as they move from ‘farm to table’ in a shorter amount of time than imported produce. This means that ingredients have probably been grown, picked and produced recently. Fruit and vegetables have had more time to ripen. Plus they haven’t had to go through as much preservation before they reach you. This not only has an impact on flavour  but also on the aesthetics with produce looking more fresh and vibrant.

Being Better For The Environment

Locally-sourced produce is also kinder to the environment due to a number of factors: less energy used for harvesting; less fuel being used in transportation; reduced carbon footprint; and usually less pesticides and chemicals used on crops.

Support For Your Local Economy

When you buy local, you’re helping to keep the money within your community. This, in turn helps to support and sustain local business and trade, local employment rates, and working relationships within the community.

There are also mutual benefits for both parties. Building relationships with local farms and suppliers means you can

• create valuable connections.
• get more involved with your surrounding community and create more opportunities for your business in the future.
• cross-recommend customers and driving business for each other.
• help each other out with issues such as food waste. For example, if you work with a local farm they can help you become more sustainable by taking care of your food waste and putting what you don’t need to good use!

Promoting A Positive Brand Image

Shouting about the fact that you use locally-sourced produce will certainly do no harm for your image. After all, it shows that you care where your food has come from and are conscious of the impact your restaurant has on the environment, community and economy.

It can also be a major selling point as consumers are increasingly looking for more authentic and organic experiences from a restaurant. Having local ingredients clearly advertised on your menu could really give you the edge over your competitors!

The Chance To Switch Up Your Menu!

Changing up your menu depending on what’s in season is a great way to offer your diners more variety and ensure that they are sampling the most flavoursome ingredients. In addition, seasonal produce is often more reasonably priced and can offer a wider range of types and varieties. Diners will also be more tempted to try your speciality dishes if they know that they can only sample them at certain times of the year!

Are there any downsides?

Some may argue that sourcing ingredients locally can work out more expensive. However, this isn’t always the case, especially when you factor in a higher abundance of seasonal ingredients and minimal transport costs to consider. Plus, customers expect to pay a little more for locally sourced ingredients and will choose quality over price most of the time. If you are looking for some additional finance to help you stock up the right way, check out our Business Cash Advance - a flexible, affordable solution to business funding.

Restaurant owners may also be concerned about not being able to get ingredients at the last minute and the availability of popular items. Having a secondary local supplier can help with this, meaning that you’re always covered.

As you can see, the benefits of sourcing locally can have a hugely positive effect on your business. Once you’ve researched local farms and suppliers, you could start by sourcing 15-20% of your ingredients locally, and then increase this as you build a relationship with your suppliers and figure out what works for you!

You also get help on your business planning by joining the Pennine Cloud.

We have adapted this article from a version first published on the Liberis website.