Why Early Birds Will Catch The Worm

The 2009 campaign, organised by HGCA (formerly Home Grown Cereals Authority) is encouraging everyone to ‘Think Breakfast’ and in particular to make the most of regional produce. For delis, it is a unique opportunity to up the ante on morning goods during a national promotion that gains excellent column inches.

Farmhouse Breakfast Week links the whole food chain in communicating to everyone about the importance of breakfast. Representatives from farming, retailing and food production attended the launch, which was addressed by Professor David Hughes and farmer, and farm shop owner, Sally Bendall.

HGCA chairman, Jonathan Tipples thanked the food and farming industries for their continued support of the campaign. “The ongoing success of Farmhouse Breakfast is because the industry works together. Through numerous activities, promotions and events, third parties like the National Farmers’ Unions, schools, retailers and producers, remind everyone why breakfast is the most important meal of the day and highlight the fantastic food we produce.”

Across the country there are hundreds of breakfast events taking place in support of Farmhouse Breakfast Week. These range from farmers’ markets to sausage competitions, and breakfast clubs to cookery demonstrations. Many are held by organisations including the Regional Food Groups, Aga, Farm Stay UK, The Women’s Food and Farming Union (WFU), the Royal Highland Educational Trust (RHET) and Tesco, to name but a few.

Speaking at the launch, Professor David Hughes discussed the latest consumer trends for breakfass. “Increasingly consumers want to know more about where their food comes from. The provenance of foods such as bread, bacon and cereals matters to them. It is an excellent time to be promoting regional produce and highlighting to consumers the wealth of high quality breakfast foods available to everyone.”

Sally Bendall who co-founded the Hollow Trees Farm Shop on the family farm in Suffolk, confirmed this. “My customers want local food. I source as much as possible from the region, including fruit and vegetables, meat and dairy. Since we opened in 1986 the shop has grown considerably and we have many customers who buy most of their weekly food shop with us. Campaigns like Farmhouse Breakfast Week really help UK food producers and farmers, as well as educating consumers about the food they eat.”