The rate we source ingredients from abroad is broadly the same as the national average. Britain’s food self-sufficiency as a whole is 64%. We source 60% of our ingredients from within the UK in summer, and 40% in winter.
We’re lucky to have a temperate climate in the UK, and we love taking advantage of the fresh produce grown almost all year round. However, there are some ingredients that we can’t source locally, either because of the time of year or because they can’t grow in the UK.
At certain times of the year, emissions are actually lower when sourcing and transporting produce from warmer climates, compared to growing in the UK. For example, importing Spanish lettuce to the UK during winter months results in 3 to 8 times lower emissions than growing in greenhouses. For this reason, we work with suppliers in both the UK and EU to supplement winter shortages.
We’re also proud to source some of our ingredients from countries like Kenya, where we are building strong relationships with local suppliers and helping contribute to their local economic development.