The FBU look after the relationships with manufacturers, retailers, the hospitality industry and public sector catering.
By building and maintaining relationships within the supply chain, the FBU strive to grow the share of the NFU’s voice within the food and drink industry. This, in turn, enables the NFU to build better, fairer, and more sustainable supply chain relationships for our members.
Through the team’s close stakeholder connections and networks, along with their knowledge base, they identify opportunities for members to maximise their offerings into the supply chain.
Their priority is to ensure collaboration between members and the supply chain. The intention is to improve this by ensuring continuous, positive promotion and communication through the chain.
The NFU’s 2022/23 key policy areas
Fairness in the supply chain
The team will continue to build fairness into the supply chain.
Their immediate priority is to ensure the GCA continues to ensure compliance to GSCOP.
They will also be reviewing and updating the sector priorities for enhanced, fair and sustainable trading relationships within the food supply chain.
“With the many unprecedented challenges facing Food and Farming, the Food Business Unit has a vital role to play in positively and constructively managing the relationships between members and the supply chain”
Amy Fry, Chief Food Business Adviser
Labelling
The NFU has long called for clear, unambiguous labelling that allows consumers to make informed decisions about the food they purchase. Currently, the discussion is focussed on welfare and environment signposting for consumers.
The FBU will ensure that they influence the progress on labelling in the right direction for both our members and stakeholders.
Public procurement
The Food Business Unit has been working to build relationships with commercial entities and key policy decision makers within the public sector – a market worth £2.4billion.
We have been making the case to government that a renewed approach to public procurement would enable more inward investment in the domestic agri-food sector, its standards, and values.
Public sector food provision is a mechanism for government to show support the UK agri-food supply chain.
The team will continue to push the public sector to understand how it can source more food from British producers and local SME suppliers.
They will work to connect with the whole supply chain on current market challenges. Developing more food-producer-focussed procurement systems are key priorities in enabling the market to champion British food.
Building foodservice
Understanding the ‘out of home’ sector, which covers pubs, restaurants, cafes, and fast-food chains, have been a key priority of the NFU.
The team have completed a large research project on the ‘out of home’ sector. This has helped the team to understand what British food and farming mean to consumers within this sector. This will enable the NFU to understand how our members can build more significant relationships within this market.
Helping businesses understand how their sourcing commitments can bolster their brand and highlighting the importance of storytelling about the food they serve on their menus are key work areas for the new FBU team.
The FBU’s mission is to work to elevate the farmers’ voice within the out-of-home market. This will enhance the opportunities for NFU members’ businesses.
Organics
The FBU team leads on the NFU’s organic policy too.
They oversee the NFU’s Organic Forum, a group of organic members who discuss and review policy related to organics ensuring that organic members’ views are represented.