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It’s Organic September, and the Soil Association is leading this month-long campaign which aims to raise awareness about the benefits of going organic and celebrates the producers and farmers that make going organic possible.
There are two reasons that people go organic. Health and sustainability. And these concerns are becoming increasingly important for guests, according to our panel, 80% of guests are more likely to choose a venue that proactively sources local organic produce over one that doesn’t.
Organic means that there are no artificial additives or preservatives. There are 15 times more pesticides in non-organic products and the small amount used to produce organic products are all derived from natural ingredients.
Organic means that farmers must conform to high levels of animal welfare, with an average increase of 50% wildlife in organic farms. Organic farming methods could have the biggest impact on addressing climate change across food production. It is estimated that if all farmers were to go organic, we would offset at least 23% of greenhouse gas emissions.
There is a misconception that organic automatically means environmentally friendly and vice versa. Although organic food production can help to combat climate change, according to a recent survey from Soil Association, 67% of shoppers expect organic food and drink to be packaged in environmentally friendly materials over non-organic items, and this isn’t always the case.
Organic is certainly on the rise. UK organic sales increased by 5.3% in 2018, including food service sales up by 7.8% and licensee sales up by 9%. Across all sectors, that means almost £45 million a week is spent on organic items. And the market is set to increase, with estimates it will reach a worth of 5.2 Billion in 2020.
Our clients Planet Organic – the one stop shop for organic foods, body products and supplements, were the first store to be certified by the Soil Association. Caroline Ottoy, Food Service Director at Planet Organic, comments on what organic means to them:
“As most food production became increasingly industrialised, we wanted to bring back a sense of food that you can trust. Our simple truth is that foods should be natural and wholesome. We advocate that food be authentic and ethical, freshly prepared and tasty – not a mere convenience. We believe in ethical and sustainable farming and place great emphasis on the provenance of all our products.”
So, will you go organic for September? Discover more about the campaign here.
