Gold Standards

Hello and welcome to the this edition of Food & Drink News.

The London 2012 Olympics have brought more visitors to our shores, who we hope will have taken advantage of everything on offer in our cafes, restaurants, bars and pubs.

The benefits will hopefully be felt not only in the capital but UK-wide. There are events taking place outside London and of course there will be many businesses in the industry supplying retailers and eateries visited by athletes and spectators alike.

The results of the FSA Olympic survey is now on our website and it will be interesting to hear feedback from the industry once the teams have headed home again.

I recently caught a TV debate discussing why such a major sporting event wasn’t sponsored by a wider range of companies from the food and drink sector, especially those that promote good-quality food and healthy eating. Definitely food for thought. With more and more people concerned with the quality and provenance of their food and drink, it would be good to see this reflected in sponsorship opportunities – especially at events that involve athletes in peak physical condition.

Many of the companies featured in this month’s issue are family run, as of course is common in the food and drink sector. Some have a history dating back many years and are now run by the second or third generation. Mighty oaks from little acorns grow: having the ambition to think big and the drive to carry out their plans has undoubtably helped these companies on the road to success.

An excellent example of small companies thinking big is the rise in traditional British brewing. With more than 850 micro-breweries in the UK alone, it’s looking like a thriving industry with a promising future. I’ll raise a glass to that.

Michelle Hodgson

Chief Editor