LARDER Cymru will promote its message to a wider audience next week as it takes Welsh suppliers to this year’s LACA School Food Show in Birmingham.

It will highlight the importance of integrating Welsh produce into school meals, emphasising sustainability by minimising food miles, as well as supporting the food and drink sector.

As a Wales-wide Menter Môn project, Larder Cymru aims to develop shorter supply chains and encourage public sector bodies to work with suppliers to increase their use of Welsh produce.

This year, Larder Cymru will be working with two Welsh suppliers - Castell Howell and Harlech Foodservice – at the LACA event, the only UK-wide exhibition dedicated to the school food sector.

Dafydd Jones, food projects manager at Menter Môn, said: “We look forward to having stands at the LACA School Food Show again this year so we can give the Welsh food and drink sector a platform and promote local produce in school meals.

“I would encourage local authority catering and procurement mangers to come and speak to us at the LACA Main Event in Birmingham to learn more about how we can support them to buy local.

“We want to ensure that the benefits from having shorter supply chains are fully realised here in Wales.

“Our research and experience show the positive impact this can have on the local economy by supporting Welsh producers, as well as reducing carbon emissions.”

Harlech Foodservice will join Larder Cymru again this year.

David Roberts, their key account manager for education, said: “This is a great event for the school food sector and is an opportunity for us to catch up on the latest developments in the industry.

“We look forward to speaking to customers at the Larder Cymru stand.

“As suppliers of local food and drink, we want to do all we can to contribute to establishing shorter food supply chains and putting more food and drink produced in Wales on the menu in schools, being at this event is part of this.

The LACA event takes place at The Birmingham Hilton Metropole, between July 5 and 7. Larder Cymru will have two stands at the event, one for each of the featured suppliers.

Larder Cymru is funded by the Co-operation and Supply Chain Development Scheme through WEFO and the Welsh Government.

Menter Môn, through this scheme and other innovative projects, seeks to make a positive impact on communities by creating and providing opportunities for businesses and individuals.