The European Union has introduced a campaign to showcase the exceptional qualities of European food and drink products to UK food industry professionals. The initiative highlights the EU’s leadership in food safety, quality, sustainability, and authenticity.
Titled More Than Only Food and Drink, the campaign aims to enhance recognition among UK businesses of what makes EU food and beverage products unique and competitive.
The campaign targets six key product categories: processed meats (charcuterie, salami, and sausages); fresh meats (poultry, beef, and lamb); dairy and cheese; fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables; bakery and confectionery products; and wine, spirits, and beers.
UK-based advisors, specialists in these categories, have been recruited to promote the EU’s high standards and strong regulations for food safety, quality, and environmental protection. They will also focus on improving the recognition of EU quality labels such as Protected Denomination of Origin (PDO), Protected Geographical Indication (PGI), and EU Organic.
More Than Only Food and Drink will include events such as trade exhibitions, seminars on sustainability, and webinars hosted with trade publications. Innovation showcases and study trips to EU countries will offer UK professionals a chance to experience EU food production firsthand.
Interactive events will be supported by a robust media strategy, ensuring the campaign’s messages reach a broad audience of UK food industry professionals.
Patrick McGuigan, cheese writer and educator, and an advisor to the campaign, remarked: “This campaign aims to highlight the remarkable quality and diversity of food and drink made in the 27 Member States of the EU. From sustainable farming and traditional production practices to the EU Quality Labels scheme and strong food safety and traceability standards, the EU produces food and drink that is not only delicious, but is also rooted in cultural heritage, time-honoured traditions and innovation. As the campaign strapline says, it’s ‘More Than Only Food and Drink.’”
