01.03.06
Foodfinder goes from strength to strength

It’s a case of strength in numbers for Cornwall foodfinder. The local food directory has grown yet again, with the new 2006 edition topping 200 listings of Cornish food and drink producers for the first time.

The new 2006 edition of Cornwall foodfinder was launched this week at the Watergate Bay Hotel with the help of Neil Haydock, the new head chef at Fifteen Cornwall, at a seminar about sourcing local and organic produce which was attended by 62 guests, including chefs and caterers from all over Cornwall.

A staggering 59 new entries have boosted the latest edition of Cornwall foodfinder and, according to Taste of the West Cornwall and Cornwall Enterprise which jointly publish the directory, confirmed it as one of the most important resources available for Cornwall’s food industry.

“The quality and variety of Cornish produce is so fantastic,” says Fifteen head chef Neil Haydock, who is busy preparing for the new restaurant’s opening in May. “It’s one of the main reasons for locating Fifteen in Cornwall. We’re now busy establishing relationships with local growers and producers, and are already making good use of foodfinder which will be well thumbed over the next few months. It really is an invaluable resource.”

When Cornwall foodfinder was launched in 2003 it broke new ground, being the only comprehensive directory of local producers in both a printed format and on a dedicated website – www.cornwallfoodfinder.co.uk. It’s now well established as the essential food and drink directory for trade buyers throughout Cornwall.

“For the Cornish food industry, foodfinder works both sides of the fence,” says Angie Coombs of Taste of the West. “It helps producers by getting their details in front of buyers, and it helps buyers by making it quick and easy to source locally. We’ve had a fabulous turn out at today’s seminar event, which has been all about sharing information to make sourcing local and organic produce easier. The chefs and caterers who attended will benefit from the shared wisdom, and foodfinder will now help them act on their good intentions.”

The 'Taste of the future' seminar and foodfinder launch at Watergate Bay attracted 62 guests. It was organised by Organic South West and Taste of the West Cornwall and speakers included top flight chefs Neil Haydock and Ben Tunnicliffe, Will Ashworth of Watergate Bay Hotel, plus Philip Tanswell of Roskillys Ice Cream, James Kittow of Kilhallon Quality Meats and fish wholesaler Matthew Stevens who gave an overview of key Cornish food specialities.

Any producers of Cornish food not already listed in Cornwall foodfinder 2005 can still benefit from the scheme by visiting www.cornwallfoodfinder.co.uk for details of how to get listed on the website.

For further information please contact Veronica Newport on 01363 866927 or email: veronica@n-pr.co.uk.

The Objective One Programme for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly has invested in Fifteen through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and Taste of the West through the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund (EAGGF).

Anyone considering a new horticulture, food and land based industries project is advised to speak with Maria Ford, at Government Office South West - 01752 635015 - before commencing development as there are now only limited funds available due to the successful uptake of funding by the agricultural sector in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.

Editor's notes:

Taste of the West in Cornwall is a £5million Objective One gateway project, funded by the European Agricultural Guarantee and Guidance Fund (EAGGF), the Department for Food, Environment and Rural Affairs (Defra) and private matched funding. It is part of the Taste of the West regional food group. Taste of the West’s Cornwall project includes a trade development programme, a marketing grant scheme and a capital grants scheme, available to small and medium sized food businesses which produce, sell or process foods in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. For more information log on to www.cornwalltasteofthewest.co.uk.

Clare Morgan
Media Relations Manager
Objective One Partnership Office
Castle House
Pydar Street
Truro TR1 2UD
Mobile: 07973 813647
Telephone: 01872 223439

cmorgan@cornwall.gov.uk

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