SUPERMARKET LAUNCHES NEW SCOTCH RED MEAT RANGE SUPPORTING LOCAL SUPPLIERS

--UK National supermarket puts provenance at the forefront with new selection of beef and lamb products--

A UK national supermarket has launched a new range of top quality North Highland beef and lamb products which celebrates and supports local Scottish farmers and processors.

Shelves in Sainsbury’s stores across Scotland will be stocked with 13 of its new North Highland Scotch Beef PGI products from this week, along with four Scotch Lamb PGI products that will carry the North Highland brand name. An additional 53 stores in England will also be selling the range of Scotch Lamb products under the new brand.

The retailer has made the move as part of its work with the North Highland Initiative (NHI), which supports rural communities in the far north of Scotland by promoting the benefits of providing local produce to local people.

Gavin Hodgson, buying manager at Sainsbury’s, said: “Providing high quality food for our customers in a sustainable way has been at the forefront of what we do since Sainsbury’s first set up shop. That is why we work so closely with the North Highland Initiative, so we can support homegrown farmers who adopt best practice in their production methods.

“We only want to sell the best produce possible in our stores and we hope our customers will be able to appreciate the importance of supporting the UK’s red meat industry through tasting our new North Highland Scotch Beef and Scotch Lamb range.”

All North Highland Scotch Beef and Scotch Lamb is produced from cattle born and reared in the North Highlands of Scotland and will be processed and delivered to Sainsbury’s stores by UK-wide meat processors ABP Food Group and Dunbia, so you can be assured that every purchase made goes directly towards supporting local suppliers.

When only local farmers and processors are involved in the supply chain, the quality and provenance of every product is ensured as it makes its way from farm to fork.

Toby Anstruther, chair at North Highland Initiative said: “Provenance is at the heart of everything we do at NHI. This is why we are so passionate about working with retailers like Sainsbury’s to help support local businesses and communities in the far north of Scotland by making Scotch Beef and Scotch Lamb available to their customers.

“Not only does this help local suppliers gain further reach for their produce, customers can buy these products and happily know that while they will be enjoying meats with a quality, provenance and depth of flavour unique to the Scottish Highlands, they will also be directly supporting the farms that they came from.”

Tom Gibson, director of market development at Quality Meat Scotland, added: “The introduction of Scotch Beef and Scotch Lamb on this scale by such a big name supermarket is amazing to see and only further cements Scotland’s place as a world leader in producing red meat that is reared on trusted local farms that adhere to the highest animal welfare and quality production methods.

“We love seeing farmers, butchers and processors across all stages of the supply chain get supported for the vital work they do, and buying North Highland Scotch Beef and Scotch Lamb from Sainsbury’s is certainly a fantastic way to do it.”

For more information about how Sainsbury’s works with the North Highland Initiative, visit www.about.sainsburys.co.uk/sustainability/plan-for-better/our-stories/2019/08042019-north-highland-farmers

For more information about Scotch Beef and Scotch Lamb, visit www.makeitscotch.com

Photo Credit : Ewe and lambs / cattle  at Clynelish Farm, Brora, owned by the Ballantyne family - board member of North Highland Products.