Ultra-marathon runner Rob Pope is running more than 500 miles from Ayrshire, on the west coast of Scotland, to Brighton in just 14 days as part of Nestlé's 'Made by Britain' farm-to-fork campaign. The challenge, called the 'Taste Trail', aims to raise awareness of Britain's farmers and local produce.
Research shows growing disconnect from food origins
Research commissioned by Nestlé found that almost a third of Brits feel more disconnected than ever from where their food comes from. A poll of 2,000 adults revealed that supermarket shopping means 40% rarely consider where the ingredients for their meals are made.
With many products available year-round, 39% hardly think about seasonality or the origin of their foods, while 18% attribute this to living in a city and never seeing farming or food production in action.
Public interest in food provenance
Despite this, 53% said where produce is made is important to them, and 48% would like more opportunities to learn about the people behind their meals. The Onepoll data also found that 78% believe food plays an important role in bringing people together, while 69% are more likely to purchase a product knowing it was sourced locally.
A quarter (25%) of respondents are keen to learn about their food by understanding where it comes from, while another 24% are encouraged to do so by shopping at local markets. But 21% said a desire to support local farms would motivate them to learn more.
Pope's personal motivation for the Taste Trail
Pope will share his journey in a series of mini-episodes throughout September. He said: "As a runner, food was always fuel to me. All too often we grab food and eat it quickly, without thinking about where it came from or who made it, which is why I've set myself this challenge.
"I've spent my life trying to go faster, but now I want to slow down and learn where my food is grown and produced. I'm excited to meet the people behind the ingredients which end up in your morning coffee and your favourite chocolate bar."
Donations and Nestlé's response
For every mile completed by Pope, Nestlé will donate more than 300 meal equivalents to food distribution charity Felix. Dr Emma Keller from Nestlé said: "Most of us pick food up from a supermarket shelf without thinking too much about how it got there. But behind every product are the farmers, factory teams and local communities who make it possible.
"So much of the food we know and love are not just made in Britain but made by Britain. The Taste Trail is about following that farm to fork journey and meeting some of the people involved along the way and Rob is helping to shine a light on all the steps behind the food we eat, and just as importantly, how we make sure that any surplus food reaches those who need us most."
