Taste of the West

Think ‘foodie destinations in Europe’ and places such as Provence or Tuscany are likely to spring to mind. But what about our very own fantastic corner of the UK?

“Yes, I think the South West is right up there and should be celebrated,” says John Sheaves, Chief Executive at Taste of the West, who sees the region as “on a par” with other culinary hotspots.
The West Country certainly has a myriad of food and drink businesses – and they don’t need to look far to source quality ingredients.

“We have those close links to the ‘terra firma’ and the sea,” notes John. He sees a definite culture in the South West that is “built around the experience of life here”, with people interested in the “wonderful products” being made in their local areas.

As the largest regional food group in the UK, Taste of the West has been championing those food and drink businesses since 1991, covering Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Somerset, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire.

Initially publicly funded, John’s remit on joining in 2005 was to look at commercial income sources. By the time funding ceased, the organisation had become a membership collective.
With over 1,000 members today, it’s taken ten years to build the business model. “It was challenging to make that transition,” says John. “I’m proud of how we’ve made it work. It’s testament to the culture that we have down here and also to the hard work of the team.”

Members range from food and drink producers to retailers and hospitality venues. “Producers started off being our bread and butter,” explains John. “But it was an obvious angle to extend our membership to the whole supply chain.”

All are based in the South West and all share Taste of the West’s ethos of quality, integrity and provenance.

Largest regional food and drinks award programme

These values are fundamental to the Taste of the West Awards, which attract entries from over 1,000 products and 400 establishments. Independent judges then study these according to a set of strict criteria.

“They are very well-respected. We set the bar high so only the best will get through,” says John.

Judging is linked to “goals around the supply chain and provenance”, and sustainability is an increasingly important focus for Taste of the West and their members.

This is mirrored in a growing awareness amongst consumers, who are becoming much more concerned about where their food comes from.

“It’s no coincidence that we’re looking at sustainability more seriously now,” says John. The UK’s self-sufficiency has dropped to 50%, at a time when food security, supply chains and climate change are front of mind for many: “Consumers’ thoughts are turning to how they can lower their impact.”

While this offers opportunities for local producers, businesses in the West Country “are a long way from big markets such as London or Birmingham”.

“Most major markets will only take pallets rather than small case sizes,” says John, “which puts smaller producers at a disadvantage”. Taste of the West has played to its strengths as a collective, launching a consolidation service. This takes goods from producers across the region and packages these together on larger pallets for distribution, supplying organisations such as Ocado.com.

“We try to do different things to lead and support our members,” explains John, pointing to a real “trailblazing aspect” in the organisation’s culture.

“Simpkins Edwards has seen the journey we’ve taken first hand”

The right advice has been a key part of this, and Simpkins Edwards has worked with Taste of the West since its early days.

Initially providing auditing to account for public funds, Simpkins Edwards later helped with the shares issuing process, which was “essential for the change in organisation” when it became a commercial business.

“They made sure that we followed all the rules and knew what we were doing,” says John.

He values the “can-do, positive approach” at the firm. “They don’t talk down to you. Our needs have changed over time and everyone we’ve worked with has been able to deal with those. They have a natural ability to understand rural businesses and SMEs, which has been vital.”

In recent years, John has found advice on new ventures and business practices “absolutely crucial”.

“They take us through what we’re doing and how we’re doing it. Having that ability to talk through what you think are good ideas has become much more important,” he says.

One of those ideas – “hot off the press!” – is an online shop, launching later in 2022, which will give consumers direct access to a range of members’ products.

As the latest initiative to showcase the South West’s food and drink businesses, it’s clear that Taste of the West is determined to spread the word about the region – and put it firmly on that foodie map.