Kingsholm, home of Gloucester Rugby Club is set to become the first sports venue anywhere in the UK to invest in an outdoor food unit from which all produce sold will be Happerley certified with 100% provenance. The partnership will also provide training to support the club’s community work which gives disadvantaged youngsters a chance to learn valuable skills for future employment.
Each home match will see the catering unit open for business selling food and drink from Happerley members; food producers who make their products with authenticity and integrity and who publish the entire supply chain for all ingredients via the Happerley organisation. Current sign-ups include the Mid-Counties Cooperative’s ‘Best of our counties’; Stinking Bishop Cheese producer Charles Martell and Cotteswold Dairy, one of the largest independent dairy companies in the country.
Mike Turner is Commercial Director at Gloucester “This is a great opportunity to give the community youngsters we help, hands-on catering and retail experience. It will also expose them to food they can trace back to the originating animal, farm or seed. We are hopefully opening their eyes to healthier eating as well as inspiring some future career choices. Giving our supporters and visitors food with provenance increases the good food choices open to rugby fans across the nation.”
Happerley’s founder Matt Rymer said: “We are delighted with our partnership with Gloucester Rugby club; it’s further proof that food provenance isn’t the domain of metropolitan foodies; we all have the right to know where our food is from.”
