Dynamic Food Procurement and role of food partnerships

Public sector food procurement provides a powerful lever for promoting sustainable local food and can have large social, environmental and health impacts due to the number of meals served. However, the vast majority of producers in the UK have been unable to supply the public sector market due to a long list of barriers to entry. Dynamic Food Procurement provides an open digital marketplace for food producers and buyers. By removing many of the barriers to entry for suppliers, a more balanced market can emerge, creating substantial opportunities for local producers and suppliers.

There’s been a recent surge in interest in Dynamic Food Procurement. The National Food Strategy published in 2021 recommended UK wide implementation: ‘Dynamic Food Procurement should also be rolled out nationally to support SMEs to gain access to catering markets’. This was following successful pilots that proved the potential to deliver shorter, more transparent and sustainable food supply chains within the public sector. These pilots showed how local farmers were able supply the sector for the first time. Now, in partnership with Dynamic Purchasing UK, The Dixon Foundation has created a match funding challenge that is open to food networks who can convene anchor institutions motivated to roll out dynamic food procurement in the UK public sector.

Come and learn more about what is Dynamic Food Procurement, a case study from Bath and North East Somerset and the funding opportunity available. Food partnerships are ideally placed to garner interest of anchor institutions at a local level and many already have well established procurement working groups. We encourage everyone interested to sign up and participate in the Regional Workshops taking place through February. This webinar will not replace these regional webinars but offer an introduction to Dynamic Food Procurement, it’s transformative potential, as well a chance for food partnerships and public sector institutions to ask questions and learn more about how it can work in your area or your institution.