John Garton, the chief executive of the Genuine Jersey Products Association, says the success of an initiative led by Charlie Gallichan of Woodside Farms to fill the gap in the local vegetable market threatened by the impending closure of Amal-Grow depends on ‘people power’.
And with an independent survey of consumer trends showing that the number of Islanders wanting to buy local at its highest since the recession began in 2007, Mr Garton is hopeful the plan will succeed.
‘Ultimately the more people who ask retailers and restaurants for local produce, the more we are going to see it on the shelves and on menus,’ he said.
‘It is about people power and we know that there’s a larger proportion of people looking for local produce, so shoppers should vote with their pockets and support local producers.’
Mr Gallichan heads a group of local growers hoping to pick up Amal-Grow’s business in Jersey and Guernsey, including supplying the Channel Islands Co-operative Society, Waitrose and SandpiperCI stores, should the company close in July with the loss of 49 jobs as announced last month.
Mr Garton’s comments come after the findings of an independent survey of consumer trends – and the brand profile of Genuine Jersey – commissioned by the association in December last year, which shows an increasing number of residents want to buy local.
The findings compared to a previous survey in 2010 include:
- A third of Islanders said the Genuine Jersey mark would definitely influence their buying a 23% rise
- 55% of local retailers felt that locally produced was very important up 24%
- 40% said knowing a product was local was a strong influence 10% higher
However, while a third of visitors surveyed said the Genuine Jersey mark was a strong influence, that was only three per cent up from 2010.
Genuine Jersey was founded in 2001 to promote the provenance of local products and seasonality.
Half of the 178 members are food producers, comprising dairy, livestock and produce growers (including Woodside Farms and Amal-Grow), fishermen and shellfish farmers, commercial bakeries and home bakers, confectioners and preserves makers.
Mr Garton said: ‘The survey provides clear evidence that consumers in Jersey are engaged and more and more Islanders are thinking before they buy.
Choosing Genuine Jersey is better for everyone – taxes are paid in the Island, materials are bought locally, it creates jobs, it protects our countryside and it supports our manufacturing, creative, hospitality and agricultural industries.’
An announcement on Amal-Grow’s future is expected next week.
A BATCH of Jersey’s finest tomatoes were sent to Clarence House in 2012 after Prince Charles was served an imported French-grown variety during his visit to the Island this summer.
Jersey farmers were so concerned that the Prince would be left with the impression that the Island’s tomato industry was dead that local grower Peter Le Cuirot arranged for a tray to be sent to the Royal dining table.
Around five kilos of Mr Le Cuirot’s Encore loose rounds were today due to be packed off to Clarence House to be enjoyed by the Royals. ‘The sugar levels are quite high in these ones,’ he said. ‘They’re a sweet tomato that is well known for the flavour and shelf life. ‘
