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	NEWS RELEASE

		ADDING VALUE TO RESTAURANT MENUS
		Many restaurants are missing out on the opportunity to cash in on local produce, according to Martyn Cox, sales and marketing director of Direct Meats, specialist suppliers to the catering trade. "Consumers are increasingly looking for assurances about where the food they buy is sourced, and this is something they are valuing too when they eat out," says Mr Cox. "Chefs are looking for consistent quality and recognise the value of, for instance, aged beef. More of them are seeing the benefit of buying meat produced on local farms — but they are not always providing this information to their customers to reassure them of its traceability. "There is clear evidence that diners are willing to pay a little more when they can be sure of eating an authentic product. In our own case, we are seeing this trend particularly among some of our restaurant customers in London, and it’s an even better opportunity for establishments in East Anglia where much of our meat is sourced." Direct Meats, based at Chappel, near Colchester, Essex, obtains much of its local beef from cattle reared in traditional river meadows in the Stour Valley area — the area made famous by the paintings of John Constable. This led the company to launch its ‘British Excellence’ range to provide guaranteed quality across a wide range of products.