Covent Garden Wins Red Tractor Status

Michael Caines, Michelin Star chef, met with Gary Marshall, chairman of the Covent Garden Tenant’s Association, to show his support for the scheme after giving a talk on the importance of sustainability and using local produce whenever possible.

Helen Evans, head of communications at New Covent Garden Market, explains, “We see the Red Tractor logo as a demonstrable way of showing the complete traceability of local produce, so its about having a chain of custody from the field all the way to the plate.”

The Red Tractor logo, launched in 2000 by the Assured Food Standards organisation, ensures that the food you are buying comes from British farms and meets high standards of food safety, animal welfare and environmental protection.

It is a requirement for companies who are hoping to supply the 2012 Olympic Games, and the logo appears on more than £11 billion worth of food and drink every year.

New Covent Garden Market is the UK’s largest wholesale fruit and vegetable market, with over 200 businesses supplying 40% of fresh fruit and vegetables in the London area.

For more information on the Red Tractor accreditation, please visit: http://www.redtractor.org.uk