Local sourcing is miles better

I always have and always will prefer to purchase British produce. I believe that it is important to support our nation's farmers and growers. And there are now more reasons why food developers must promote British produce.

I think that taste would have to be my number one reason for supporting homegrown produce, but this is very closely followed by the desire to cut down food miles. I am very concerned that most of the major retailers seem to be ignoring both issues, except in the premium ranges, and they continue to have cost as the number one driver.

I am increasingly purchasing a greater amount of my shopping from farmers' markets. Do you know, I can't even remember the last time I purchased a joint of meat from a supermarket. If supermarkets hung their beef for a minimum of 21 days they might see some customers returning, but otherwise, there is no competition.

I was shocked in the summer to see one retailer had fresh asparagus from England and Peru for sale side by side. English asparagus is divine, but the foreign imports lack flavour. If I can't have English I would rather do without or use frozen, which will have been processed within a short time of picking. We must, as food developers, push to support high quality British produce and play our part in improving manufactured food quality.

All I ask is that if you are asked to develop a shepherds pie, be sure to present one with British lamb and another with New Zealand lamb. If the buyer has taste buds and cares about the millions of tonnes of carbon dioxide we continue to release into our atmosphere, they will go for the former.

We have a responsibility to create ranges that promote the best of British produce. If that range is seasonal, so be it. Good food is worth waiting for and worth paying for. We have a duty to educate others as well as saving our planet for future generations.

Celia Wright is a food development consultant and interim manager at Cheftech​