Organic fresh produce will be taking centre stage in the first part of 2019 as Soil Association Certification aims to support growers after a tough year of extreme weather conditions.
The Fresh Produce campaign has seen the organic certification body produce a new set of marketing materials for both digital and print, that are available free to all organic producers, and is encouraging produce growers and businesses to sign up to its improved online veg box finder. The online tool is designed to help shoppers easily find organic, Soil Association-certified veg box schemes local to them.
The campaign also aims to highlight the benefits of organic fresh produce to shoppers at a time of year when many are turning to fruit and vegetables after the excesses of the festive period, and last year’s campaign increased media and social interest in organic, with visits to Soil Association’s ‘find your local box scheme’ web pages up 50 per cent on the same period in 2017.
Clare McDermott, Business Development Manager for Soil Association Certification, explained: “We’re calling on organic producers to get involved in the Fresh Produce promotion this year to help celebrate the brilliant seasonal fresh produce available at this time of year. Throughout January and February, we will be spreading the message that veg schemes are an easy, affordable way to get organic produce into your diet, so producers should register online and make the most of this opportunity.
“We hope that by promoting the benefits of veg box schemes and making them easy to find at a time when shoppers are coming out of the Christmas excess, we can help support the farmers and growers who are working so hard to produce food as it should be.”
As part of the campaign, Soil Association Certification is working in partnership with green energy company, Ecotricity, which will be providing a free sustainability guide for any business looking to build further on their sustainability credentials.
