'How We Think' - Mikaela Linden Looks Closer to Home for Comfort

In times of instability, there’s a tendency to look to what we have closest to home to find comfort – whether that be through the communities we engage with, the businesses we support, or the food we eat. With the past few years having been so greatly defined by the instability of the Covid pandemic, the cost-of-living crisis, global conflicts, and now the events in the Middle East, this feeling has gone from being one of comfort, to more of an absolute necessity.

Over the last few years, there has been an increase in consumers stating, when asked, that they would like to eat more local food . The pandemic highlighted the value of the local butcher, baker, and many other businesses – both food and non-food – as sorely needed connections, and indeed lifelines, with the people around us. Whilst many shoppers have gone back to ‘business as usual’ since the pandemic ended, these strange and difficult times certainly served as a wakeup call about the fragility of global supply chains and the importance of being able to rely on local suppliers.

From a 'modern day' high of around 95% in 1984, for the past 40 years the proportion of home-grown food to imports consumed in the UK has declined steadily. We are now only around 60% self-sufficient.

There are of course many steps needed to convert this consumer interest into action and to ‘turn back the clock’ on our self-sufficiency. At SAOS, we are working hard to find opportunities to reduce the reliance on imported food, drink, and ingredients for production of these, by championing Scottish alternatives. Our members, partners and contacts consistently tell us that we need to ensure that the sector fully exploits mechanisms for increasing Scottish sourcing. One of the many ways we’ve been doing this is through our ‘matchmaking tool’, the Sourcing for Growth initiative.

Sourcing for Growth, part of our work with the Scotland Food & Drink Partnership, helps connect food manufacturers with Scottish producers and service providers to support business growth and resilience. SAOS is uniquely positioned to take on this role as a broker, connecting food manufacturing companies with local producers of high-quality Scottish produce.

Exploring more local sourcing can not only enhance our food security and resilience, but could provide new market and partnership opportunities for businesses including:

• Mitigating risk through reduced exposure to international market fluctuations
• Lowering environmental impact through shorter supply chains and decreased transportation needs
• Enhancing overall business resilience and security
• Building robust local networks, ensuring a steady supply of goods and business continuity
• Leveraging the appeal of Scottish-sourced and Scottish-branded products 

If you’d like to learn more about Sourcing for Growth, what opportunities we currently have available and how we can help you, visit:  

Sourcing for Growth