2:45pm Thursday 11th March 2010
A BUSINESSMAN who is best-known for his award-winning ciders has won an order to supply Hampshire schools with fresh apple juice.
Mr Whitehead’s Drinks, of Selborne, has struck the deal through local-produce group, Hampshire Fare, to sell their juice to HC3S, the county school meals service, and to Southampton City Catering.
Instead of having imported apple juice with their meals, youngsters at 500 primary schools and 40 secondary schools will be drinking juice made in Hampshire from apples grown on their doorstep.
Mr Whitehead’s apple juice will also be supplied to all Hampshire County Council care homes and to a handful of schools in Wiltshire and Dorset, too.
“This initiative is of national significance, resulting from the Government’s plan to support local businesses within public sector purchasing policy,” said Tim Brock, manager of Hampshire Fare, which was instrumental in setting up the deal.
Having made fruit drinks since the age of 15, Angus Whitehead turned his childhood hobby into a thriving business, Mr Whitehead’s Cider, which has collected many awards. He is now hoping that the younger generation will soon be sharing his passion for apples.
“This opportunity provides Mr Whitehead’s Drinks with long-term stability. For children to learn about how food is produced and where it comes from has to be good for their education,” he said.
“With all the varieties of apples we’re using throughout the year, they’ll also be able to discover how different apples have different flavours.
“We’re also planning to be able to invite school groups to come and see how apple juice is made and to have a go at pressing juice themselves.”
Apples grown on the nearby Blackmoor Estate are pressed and bottled at Selborne and, to minimise the food miles, the juice is collected by “backhauling” on returning delivery runs.
The juice is made from the first pressing and contains no added sugar, chemicals, flavours or preservative.
The juice from a second pressing is made into cider vinegar and the remaining pulp is then used by a farmer as cattle feed, so that nothing is wasted.
“The development and introduction of this exciting Hampshire product shows the benefit of engaging with small local suppliers,” said John Foskett, the principal food buyer for Hampshire County Council. “This is also a testament to the work that Hampshire Fare undertakes in its efforts to support the local economy, which I estimate will benefit by up to £100,000.”
Other successful “keep-it-local” collaborations between the county council, Hampshire Fare and Hampshire producers include the supply of 17 tonnes of beef and 700,000 Hampshire free-range eggs per year for the school meals menu.
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