insideKENT Magazine Issue 23 - February 2014 | Page 74

FOOD+DRINK

Have you taken the
10% Kent challenge?
THE IDEA BEHIND THE CAMPAIGN IS SIMPLE: SPEND JUST 10% OF YOUR
WEEKLY FOOD SHOP ON LOCAL PRODUCE OR PRODUCTS. THIS MAY
MEAN JUST A BOX OF LOCAL EGGS, SOME APPLE JUICE, SOME FRESH
VEGETABLES OR FRUIT WHEN IN SEASON. IT’S REALLY EASY TO DO WHEN
YOU THINK ABOUT IT!

The idea behind the campaign is simple: spend
just 10% of your weekly food shop on local
produce or products. This may mean just a box
of local eggs, some apple juice, some fresh
vegetables or fruit when in season. It’s really easy
to do when you think about it!
The benefits of buying local food are many; most
notable is that by buying local food you are
supporting Kent independent businesses – not
the multi-national chains we love to hate and
who are already here to stay. By supporting these
Kent businesses it supports Kent’s local economy
by keeping the money we all spend in the county
we love.
Here are some easy ways to do this that you
may find helpful:
• Use the Produced in Kent online directory to
look for local shops
• Ask for a copy of Kent’s Finest which is a
printed copy of the online directory
• Check out local farmers’ markets

• Use veg box schemes
• Look for the Produced in Kent labels
on products
• Look for Kent farmers on the fresh produce
you may buy in supermarkets
• Use your local butcher / greengrocer /
baker etc
• Check the menus when you are eating out and
ask for local

Fascinating Facts
• Every £1 spent in Kent generates £1.76 for
the local economy compared to just 36p
when spent in a major retailer
• If an average family, spending an average of
£55 a week on food and drink, spent just 10%
of this on Kentish food and drink, that would
lead to an estimated extra £175M a year being
spent in the county, keeping people
employed and businesses thriving.

east kent sweeps the
board with nominations
this year
THE FINALISTS FOR THE TASTE OF KENT AWARDS
2014 WERE ANNOUNCED IN JANUARY, AND NEARLY
500 OF KENT’S FOOD AND DRINK BUSINESSES HAVE
BEEN NOMINATED. YOU VOTED IN DROVES FOR YOUR
FAVOURITES ACROSS THE COUNTY FROM EAST TO
WEST AND NORTH TO SOUTH.

East Kent did particularly well this