Can G-LOCAL support a food systemin a crisis?

With a rapidly growing population, climate change and shifting dietary preferences, the traditional methods of food production and distribution are struggling to keep up. In response, a new concept has emerged: g-local food - a term derived from the words “global” and “local,” which refers to a food system that seeks to combine the best of both worlds to deliver the efficiency and innovation of global food production with the sustainability and community focus of local food.

At its core, g-local food is about creating a more resilient, sustainable and equitable food system that benefits everyone, from producers to consumers. The key principles of g-local food are:

Emphasis On Local Production

One of the primary goals of g-local food is to encourage local food production. This means supporting small-scale farmers and producers, creating local food networks that connect consumers with food sources or growing your own crops for use in school kitchens, restaurants and care homes.

Access To Global Flavours

While local food production is important, it doesn’t always sustain consumer demand. Our appetite for global flavours requires ingredients and fresh produce from overseas. When the economy is in flux, or border policies change (such as Brexit), the impact on the food chain is significant.

Sustainability

Sustainability is a key principle of g-local food. By adopting sustainable practices, g-local food can help to protect the environment, support local ecosystems, help us adapt to a changing climate and ensure the long-term viability of the food system.

Community Focus

Creating local food networks that connect producers with consumers promotes food education and awareness which can help to build stronger, more resilient communities that are better equipped to meet the challenges of the future.

The Impact Of Climate Change

Despite climate change rapidly effecting the yield of our native crops, niche producers are benefiting from rising temperatures and changing rainfall patterns which are naturally altering the crops we can now grow on home soil. Sparkling wine made with locally grown grapes which used to be ridiculed internationally, is now winning awards for its flavour, and nuts which rarely grew in our cooler climate are being introduced by trailblazing farmers who are taking a longterm view on producing a reliable and sustainable food source.

Suppliers of locally grown tropical fruit and vegetables are in the minority, but they have been steadily increasing over the last 5 years. Looking even more locally, there are many operators growing their own fruit and vegetables, g-local takes that one step further.

One such chef taking up the mantle for g-local food is Joe McCullough, chef at the Premier League football club headquarters. His passion for growing fruit trees (especially those not supposed to survive in the UK climate), has led him to successfully produce satsumas in winter and a host of other fruit including loquats, persimmon and pineapple guava to name a few.

Harvesting The Rewards

The benefits of g-local food are widespread. It helps to create a more resilient food system that is better able to withstand the challenges of climate change, population growth and other global trends. By emphasizing local production, g-local food can reduce the dependence on global food markets, ensuring that restaurants, care homes, hospitals and schools have access to nutritious food even in times of crisis.

Encouraging residents and children to get involved in growing exotic species not only enhances physical fitness, but it also exercises the mind too. For children, it broadens their knowledge of how food is cultivated and enables schools to connect international foods with broader learning about the world we live in. For care home residents, it might re-ignite a memory from a holiday or provide sensory stimulation with different textures and scents in the garden.

INCORPORATING G-LOCAL FOOD ON YOUR MENU

By incorporating global ingredients, chefs are able to create unique and diverse menus that cater to a wide range of tastes. It may require a bit of creativity and planning, but the results are worth it.

To create a menu that is both globally inspired and locally sourced - whether growing your own, or partnering with local farmers - research the ingredients that are in season, so you are prepared for when your menu needs to rotate and how many times it needs to change throughout the year.

G-LOCAL MENU INSPIRATION

By swapping a few ingredients, lift your menu with g-local fruit and vegetables

• For a refreshing palette cleanser, make a British grown watermelon sorbet

• Make the most of summer, create a fruit cocktail with pomegranate and gin

• Create a sweet treat with a blueberry and lemon fool

G-local food can also promote healthier eating habits by emphasizing fresh and nutritious foods that may otherwise be too expensive to purchase. There are many health benefits of non-native fruit and veg, some – such as blueberries – have long been heralded a super-food. Having this produce readily available can help to reduce the prevalence of diet-related diseases, such as obesity, diabetes and heart disease. With its high water content, fruit is an ideal way to keep residents in care environments hydrated during the summer months and offering a wide variety throughout the week helps to maintain interest and engagement with snacks.

• Take a fresh approach to a classic with sausage, mash and Dijon-apricot mustard

• Serve a classic afternoon tea with strawberry and pineberry jam

• Spice up a butter board with naturally sweetened honey loquat butter

Although some species such as pineapple guavas, blueberries, pineberries, pomegranates, figs and apricots are grown with success in the open as long as temperatures do not get too cold, many others can be grown using polytunnels, cold frames and greenhouses.

G-local menus provide an opportunity for chefs to showcase their culinary skills, so encourage them by making menu development fun, giving them time to explore new ingredients and involving the wider team in taste tests to help sell-in new dishes. By combining local ingredients with global influences, flavours and cooking techniques, chefs can introduce innovative new concepts that offer a twist to the traditional, or a new flavour profile.

Innovation is critical to the success of g-local food. For it to succeed, we need to embrace new technologies and experiment with new approaches to food production and distribution. With the world changing at such a rapid pace, the pressure on our food chain will only increase. Small changes to how operators source and produce ingredients will undoubtedly have a big impact long-term.

Contact your local Country Range Group wholesaler to find out more about their wide range of products, how they help to support charities in your area and how they are focusing on different areas of sustainability within their businesses.