Practice Abstract - Research and innovation
COACH Spotlight – Public Food Procurement
Enabling small-scale food producers to access public sector contracts can have a positive impact on the food quality served in public institutions, its accessibility and consumers’ healthy eating habits. Based on data generated via workshops attended by COACH Beacons, and feedback provided by them, COACH identified the following barriers hindering small-scale farmers’ desire to participate in Public Food Procurement (PFP):
• Volume of produce – individual small-scale producers alone can't deliver the minimum required quantity to access the tender
• Logistical issues – collaboration with small-scale producers requires more advanced organization (e.g., food hubs) to smoothen the delivery process, etc.
• Extensive digitalization – not all individual producers are technologically advanced; they don't know required software thus cannot access the PFP
• Financial risk for the supplier – small-scale farmers can't afford to be paid days after delivering products, which is often how public institutions pay
To enable small-scale farmers to access PFP, one solution is to use relevant procurement criteria focused on the quality of food, the production’s impact on the environment and more, rather than price alone. Public food demand should be divided into smaller lots and be informed by market dialogues.
To learn how City of Copenhagen implemented 90% organic food across all administrations serving public meals in a cost-effective manner, listen to an interview with Betina Bergmann Madsen, chief procurement officer in Copenhagen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CCkUOztoCE&ab_channel=OnePlanetnetwork
Source Project
Completed | 2020-2023
COACH Collaborative Agri-food Chains: Driving Innovation in Territorial Food Systems and Improving Outcomes for Producers and Consumers
Completed | 2020-2023
- Main funding source
- Horizon 2020 (EU Research and Innovation Programme)
- Geographical location
- United Kingdom