GUILD TALK

View from HQ

By John Farrand managing director

I’M SENSING FROM the phone calls I am overhearing at both Guild o ces that things are busy out there. I hope ‘busy’ in a commercially positive way, rather than festive panic stations. You may not be able to re ect on this year until the end of play Christmas Eve but there are many reasons why you should be proud to have survived 2021.

Let’s face it, we’ve all had to swim against the tides of Brexit, COVID, a shortage of decent sta and now a shortage of hamper baskets (see page 9). But, if you’re reading this, you are still here. Be proud that you are making or selling excellent food, and we now have more customers, who are more interested and, according to research, will continue to support local and independent.

We should be proud that the condiment king Tracklements has recently achieved B-Corp status and join the likes of Dark Woods Co ee, Borough Broth and Cotswold Fayre who are placing people and the planet ahead of, but not ignoring, pro t.

Here at the Guild, we’re proud to have got World Cheese Awards over the line (see page 22). Described by one judge as a ‘Cathedral of Cheese’, this event saw our team (proud of them, too) manage to corral over 4,000 cheeses from more than 40 countries and 250 geographically diverse judges into one rather architecturally dramatic arena. Bringing the global

The Word on Westminster

By Edward Woodall ACS

THE FOCUS OF debate in Westminster over the last month has been on COP26.

While much was achieved in Glasgow on a wide range of issues, the last-minute language change by the world’s biggest polluters to “phase down” as opposed to “phase out” coal power has dampened down the Government’s sense of achievement around the summit.

The conference may be over but its agenda is not – our industry must be ready to step up and reduce our environmental impact. We should also be ready for the UK Government and governments across the world to reach for regulatory levers to address complex environmental challenges that will no doubt place more costs on business.

But the immediate challenge facing food supply chains now is delivering for Christmas. Both Government and industry are working hard to make sure Christmas is not a damp squib again.

People working across the food supply chain are fatigued and many government policies, like new HGV and poultry worker visas, are welcome but ultimately come very late in the day.

Everything that Government can do for the industry to deliver Christmas has been done. Now it is down to industry to have a clear run at it.

But we must also look at the challenges we face ahead in 2022, like pre-notification of Sanitary and Phytosanitary products in January, new requirements for Export Health Certificates from July, and of course the Great Britain-Northern Ireland protocol negotiations. While delays to these changes have been mostly welcomed, they are only delays and eventually, they will lead to more friction at UK borders.

The next key milestone to address longer-term supply issues will be the government’s Food White Paper, due for publication in early 2022.

This will build on the National Food Strategy drafted by Henry Dimbleby earlier this year, but also look at the resilience and sustainability of supply chains, the future of the labour market, and healthy eating.

This will be a landmark paper for industry to engage with and make sure we get the government on the right track for supporting food businesses in the long term.

cheese community back together in November was rewarding and, at times, genuinely emotional.

Rather proud of that World Champion cheese, too. Quesos y Besos has a handful of employees and processes just a few thousand

litres of milk per week. And yet not only did they scoop the biggest prize, but they had two cheeses in the Top 16 (out of 4,079 entries). Worth noting the similarly micro Trethowan’s Dairy achieved a similar double.

And why does that make me proud? Because it reminds me why we are all in this: to shine a light on proper artisan food & drink and share it with the world.

There are many reasons why you should be proud to have survived 2021

Edward Woodall is head of policy & public affairs at small shops group ACS edward.woodall@acs.org.uk

Guild backs Bite into British campaign

Started last month by British pig farmers, the #biteintobritish campaign urges individuals and businesses to state on social media why and what they buy British, and the Guild is getting behind the hashtag.

To get involved with the campaign, the organisers encourage people to post a video on social media explaining why they buy British. This could be low food miles, supporting the local economy, high welfare standards, low carbon footprint, etc. Then – borrowing the format of previous viral trends – to make their own nominations, encouraging the hashtag to spread.

Keep up to date with training in 2022

The Guild's training courses are set to return in full next year after 24 months of disruption. If you would like to be kept up to date with what courses are happening and when, email the Guild's training team on bookings@ gff.co.uk to join our mailing list and hear more about future training opportunities.

Watch this space as 2022 dates will be announced soon.

The Guild of Fine Food represents fine food shops and specialist suppliers. Want to join them?

GENERAL ENQUIRIES Guild of Fine Food

Guild House, 23b Kingsmead Business Park, Shaftesbury Road, Gillingham, Dorset SP8 5FB UK

Tel: +44 (0) 1747 825200

info@gff.co.uk gff.co.uk THE GUILD TEAM: Managing director:

John Farrand

Marketing director:

Tortie Farrand

Sales director:

Sally Coley

Operations director:

Christabel Cairns

Sales manager:

Ruth Debnam

Sales executives:

Becky Haskett Sam Coleman

Operations manager:

Claire Powell

Operations assistant:

Meredith White

Events manager:

Stephanie HareWinton

Marketing & events assistant:

Sophie Brentnall

Financial controller:

Stephen Guppy

Accounts assistant:

Julie Coates gff.co.uk

Chairman:

Bob Farrand

Director:

Linda Farrand