PUTTING BRITISH TURKEY BACK ON SCHOOL MENUS

In 1950, at the age of 20, Bernard Matthews bought 20 turkey eggs and a second hand incubator at a local auction. Four weeks later, 12 turkeys hatched and these poults formed the beginnings of the biggest turkey farmer in Europe.

The company, which employs more than 2,000 people across East Anglia, is majority-owned by the Matthews family and has its headquarters near Norwich in Norfolk.

As a division, Bernard Matthews Foodservice specifically answers caterers' needs for quality, versatile and cost-effective British turkey products and solutions to suit individual operations.

The company is committed to supporting schools and encouraging school caterers to embrace government changes. To help them, Bernard Matthews Foodservice offers Big Green Tick - a range of quality British turkey products which are being developed in conjunction with UK school caterers to meet the School Food Trust guidelines.

Big Green Tick products are specifically designed to be appealing to kids whilst meeting government guidelines helping to increase the uptake of school dinners. Every product contains 100 percent British turkey meat, which is a source of protein believed to promote feelings of fullness and satisfaction after meals.

New Cooked Sliced Turkey Breast in Stock
Cooked Sliced Turkey Breast in Stock is part of the Big Green Tick sub-range.

Each 100% British turkey breast slice has an average weight of 38g for perfect portion control, is low in fat & salt and high in protein. Meeting the School Food Trust guidelines, it is also free from artificial colours, flavours, and preservatives.

Easy to prepare, this whole muscle, quality British turkey product in stock can be reheated in a steam oven, conventional oven and microwave or as a boil in the bag, requiring fewer skilled staff in the kitchen.

As an integrated food chain business, provenance and traceability from farm to fork is key to Bernard Matthews Foodservice and each of the approximate seven million turkeys farmed each year is cared for on one of its 56 farms across Norfolk, Suffolk and Lincolnshire.

Welfare is also paramount, with every turkey reared in line with the Farm Animal Welfare Council's ‘5 Freedoms'.

Through long-standing and constructive association with industry and organisations, Bernard Matthews is at the forefront of driving the standards of best practice in turkey farming.

Today, caterers can rest assured that all Bernard Matthews Foodservice 100 percent British turkey products offer natural appeal and flavour. As a strict rule, its products do not contain hydrogenated fats, artificial colours, flavours and, wherever possible, preservatives.

There has also been considerable progress in reducing salt, fat and saturated fat contents in products striving to achieve FSA 2012 targets, but only where it doesn't compromise on product quality and taste. Over 90 percent of Bernard Matthews products have already achieved the original 2010 FSA target ahead of the deadline at the end of this year.

For more information, visit www.bernardmatthewsfoodservice.co.uk