Caterers and restaurants still struggling to find sustainably produced produce

Caterers and restaurants are still struggling to source responsibly-produced ingredients due to a lack of support, a procurement expert has claimed.

Despite growing demand for such goods from customers and clients food-service companies are still finding it hard to get hold of a consistent supply of items, according to Diana Spellman the managing director of Partners In Purchasing.

Spellman said many suppliers were still yet to grasp that it wasn’t just the big supermarket chains that wanted to meet consumer demand for food and drink produced in an environmentally and ethical manner.

Spellman said: “There is growing concern about the chemicals used to produce our food. This applies to food bought to be eaten outside of the home.

But Partners In Purchasing, like many of our customers, remain confused and disappointed that producers, and the supply chain in general, are not meeting our requirements for ingredients that can address demand for responsibly produced food.”

Partners In Purchasing manages £55m of buying power for a range of companies and institutions including independent contract caterers, government departments and blue chip financial firms.

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By Chris Druce

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