Fresh Direct, a leading supplier of fresh produce to the foodservice industry, has achieved its pledge to source all contracted British produce from LEAF Marque accredited growers.
Achieving LEAF standards ensures that Fresh Direct’s growers are independently verified against a robust whole-farm sustainability standard, driving continuous improvements in soil health, biodiversity, water and energy management to deliver more responsibly grown British produce.
Building on this achievement, Fresh Direct has now created a number of partnerships with suppliers to implement more sustainable farming initiatives, based on regenerative farming principles that aim to promote biodiversity and nature while producing food.
The company is collaborating with Regen Future Co, the regenerative farming experts, to pilot projects with three of its progressive growers – FreshGro, Len Wright Salads and Barfoots. These growers provide an excellent testbed, spanning a diverse range of farming systems and regions of the UK.
Fresh Direct and Regen Future Co have created locally appropriate interventions that will help identify the opportunities and challenges growers face in putting regenerative principles, as defined by LEAF Marque, into practice. Projects aim to improve soil health and biodiversity, and include developing a 300-metre diverse hedgerow and wildflower meadow, creating new wildlife habitats and developing a vibrant new freshwater ecosystem that is intended to help to boost biodiversity.
Pete Statham, Head of European Sustainability for Fresh Direct’s parent company, Sysco GB, said: “Climate and extreme weather are making it increasingly difficult to grow food, and we’re committed to partnering with our suppliers to build resilient supply chains and secure the future of food.
“Our collaborations with three key growers aim to demonstrate initiatives that can improve commercial farming for biodiversity, soil health and the climate. If successful, this will allow us to share insights and learnings to enhance sustainability and resilience throughout the supply chain. It’s an opportunity to collaborate to help build a constructive dialogue around sustainable farming in the foodservice supply chain that supports nature alongside food production.”
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