Sea salt company to use PFN status to boost Japanese sales

Speaking to FoodManufacture.co.uk about its PDO status announced this week (January 15), sales director Alison Lea-Wilson said the Japanese market was not worth a great deal to the company at the moment, while it could be worth more in five years.

After gaining PDO status, the company had been invited to attend a food exhibition in Japan later this year, which would be a good opportunity to grow sales.

“At the moment in Japan we’re used more as an ingredient in high-quality miso pastes and other products than anything else, because they need that quality. Hopefully our PFN status will change that,”​ she said. 

Grow its workforce by 25%​

Although Lea-Wilson was not able to comment on how much PDO would be worth to the company overall, she said it had to add value and help secure other markets closer to home. She also said the status could lead the family-run business, which employs around 13 people, to grow its workforce by 25% this year.

“Our European markets are all very excited about this, as it gives them a bit of a stick. If a competitor tries to pass a product off as ours, which has happened once or twice, then PDO status should help prevent that from happening,” ​she said.

Under the EU’s Protected Food Name (PFN) scheme, of which PDO is part of, products have Europe-wide legal protection against imitation and misuse, which Halen Môn has been victim of on at least two occasions in Spain and Italy, where “inferior”​ salt was sold under its name.

West Country Beef​

More than 60 British foods have gained protected status since the legislation came into force in 1993 and it has been estimated by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs that protected status items contribute £900M to the European economy.

It was also confirmed by the EU that West Country Beef and West Country Lamb had Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status.

Nick Allen, sector director of the English beef and lamb levy board EBLEX, said the organisation was “delighted”​ with the announcement, which had taken a lot of effort. “It’s now up to the processors and the meat trade to embrace the West Country PGI to fulfil its marketing potential,” ​he added.

Farming minister George Eustice said: “Legal protection of the quality, provenance and reputation of British food will help small businesses make a valuable economic contribution both locally and nationally. We now want to help many more UK food producers who are thinking about making an application for protected name status to get their quality produce fully recognised.” ​

Protected Food Name (PFN)​

The EU Protected Food Name (PFN) scheme was created to highlight the authenticity of regional and traditional foods.

Products are awarded one of three marks under the scheme:

• Protected Designation Origin (PDO).
• Protected Geographical Indication (PGI).
• Traditional Speciality Guaranteed (TSG).

For a product to meet PDO​ criteria it must be produced, processed and prepared in the geographical area, as its qualities and characteristics are due to that area.

PGI ​foods must also be produced, processed or prepared in the geographical area, as its specific qualities are attributed to that area.

While a product with a TSG ​must have a name specific to the character of the foodstuff. It must also be a traditional food or must have been developed from a custom, such as "Traditional Farm Fresh Turkey"​.

However, the distinguishing features of a TSG product can not be based on a geographical distinction.