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# Better Food Traders: Better Food Traders offer sustainable food grown locally through a network of nationwide suppliers. Each Better Food Trader is governed by principles that ensure the food they trade is farmed sustainably, the way they trade is fair to farmers and transparent to customers. By swapping your supermarket shop for a Better Food Trader you are doing the planet a massive favour. Sign Up. Pick Up. Eat Up.

## Sitemaps
[XML Sitemap](https://betterfoodtraders.org/sitemap_index.xml): Includes all crawlable and indexable pages.

## Posts
- [The Annual Gathering 2026: Learning Summary](https://betterfoodtraders.org/blog/ag-2026-summary/): Last month, Better Food Traders brought together 60+ traders, growers, food partnerships, researchers and campaigners on the Penarth seafront for our biggest Annual Gathering yet. People travelled from Edinburgh to Jersey, East Anglia to West Wales.
- [Our 25/26 Impact Report has landed](https://betterfoodtraders.org/blog/25-26-impact-report/): In a year of fast-moving food policy, we’ve been proud to stand alongside and champion the independent, sustainable food sector.
- [North West Field Trip](https://betterfoodtraders.org/blog/north-west-field-trip/): Last week, I had the brilliant experience of gathering a group of Better Food Trader members on our first field trip in the North of England to Liverpool.
- [What We Learnt From a Year Supporting Regional Food Hubs](https://betterfoodtraders.org/blog/procurement-toolkit-launch/): You can get access to the replay to the 'Recipes for Success' workshop that accompanied the local procurement toolkit by emailing info@betterfoodtraders.org.uk
- [BFT Annual Gathering 2026](https://betterfoodtraders.org/blog/bft-annual-gathering-2026/): Members, partners and friends of the Better Food Traders network will be meeting in South Wales for a day of connection, exchanging learning and collective strategy. Our focus this year will be the inspiring food sector in Wales and how new routes to market and short supply chains are helping change the food system. 
- [Cynulliad Blynyddol Better Food Traders 2026](https://betterfoodtraders.org/blog/cynulliad-blynyddol-better-food-traders-2026/): Bydd aelodau, partneriaid a chyfeillion rhwydwaith Better Food Traders yn cyfarfod yn Ne Cymru ar gyfer diwrnod o ymgysylltu, cyfnewid yr hyn a ddysgwyd a strategaeth ar y cyd. Ein ffocws eleni fydd y sector bwyd ysbrydoledig yng Nghymru a sut mae llwybrau newydd i'r farchnad a chadwyni cyflenwi byr yn helpu i newid y system fwyd. 
- [Reflections from Oxford Real Farming Conference 2026](https://betterfoodtraders.org/blog/ofrc-2026/): Now that we've had a few days to catch our breath after the Oxford Real Farming Conference (ORFC), we wanted to share some reflections on the event.
- [Business Support Week 2026 is open for bookings](https://betterfoodtraders.org/blog/business-support-week-2026/): BSW is a week-long programme of 1:1 support and online learning, supporting Better Food Traders to learn new skills, connect with other traders and get bespoke advice around the business of your sustainable food enterprise.
- [BFT Urges Chancellor to Keep Business Rates Reforms in Budget](https://betterfoodtraders.org/blog/bft-urges-chancellor-to-keep-business-rates-reforms-in-budget/): Better Food Traders and a coalition of organisations representing thousands of businesses across the UK have written to the Chancellor. Our letter urges her to stick with planned business rates changes, which are expected to lower rates for smaller retailers and hospitality businesses with a rateable value below £500,000, while increasing them for large premises such as supermarkets and distribution warehouses. The letter reads:
- [Evolving the BFT Membership](https://betterfoodtraders.org/blog/evolving-the-bft-membership/): Since 2020, Better Food Traders has grown as an increasingly diverse network of food enterprises across the UK. 
- [Business Rates Shakeup to Support Smaller High Street Shops Attacked By UK Supermarkets](https://betterfoodtraders.org/blog/business-rates-shakeup-to-support-smaller-high-street-shops-attacked-by-uk-supermarkets/): Next month’s Budget is expected to confirm these new business rate changes. Better Food Traders strongly supports this plan, seeing it as a positive first step to finally start to level the playing field between supermarkets and smaller, local shops.
- [Read Our Policy Paper on the Benefits of Alternative Food Retail](https://betterfoodtraders.org/blog/the-benefits-of-alternative-food-retail/): Better Food Traders has set out a bold vision for how alternative food retail can build a better food system and support the Government's Food Strategy.
- [Better Food Traders Launches Report at Labour Party Conference](https://betterfoodtraders.org/blog/labour-party-conference-2025/): Written in partnership with campaigning food charity Foodrise, the paper comprehensively sets out how an independent, sustainable food retail sector can support the government's ambitions on public health, communities, place-making and the environment.
- [DEFRA Food Strategy Launch – The Good Food Cycle](https://betterfoodtraders.org/blog/defra-food-strategy-launch-the-good-food-cycle/): On Tuesday this week I was in Bradford to witness the launch of the UK Government’s Good Food Strategy for England. The presentation took place at Darley Street Market, which having just opened its doors to the public is a fresh start for the city’s food scene, and a symbol of renewal and local pride. Minister for Food Security Daniel Zeichner used this lively backdrop to announce his vision for a fairer, healthier, more sustainable food system - one where everyone, no matter their income or postcode, can access good food.
- [Learning from our 2025 Annual Gathering](https://betterfoodtraders.org/blog/learning-from-our-2025-annual-gathering/): The Better Food Traders Annual Gathering 2025 brought together ethical food retailers, growers and campaigners committed to transforming the way we produce and sell food in the UK. The event served as a dynamic space for sharing knowledge, building relationships, and strengthening our collective impact on the food system.
- [Carbon Accounting for Food SMEs](https://betterfoodtraders.org/blog/carbon-accounting-for-food-smes/): Better Food Traders has been investigating the emission footprint of localised, organic and circular food businesses. We explored how food SMEs can calculate their carbon footprint, and the associated challenges and knowledge gaps. 
- [Growing Together: Shaping a Northern Agroecological Food Future](https://betterfoodtraders.org/blog/growing-together-shaping-a-northern-agroecological-food-future/): Last week I had the pleasure of joining fellow food system change makers at a Northern Food and Farming meeting in Lancaster. The group is a collaborative network based in the North of England with a core aim to review the priorities for shifting to an agroecological northern food and farming system. It was two days filled with energy, meaningful conversations, and a strong sense of shared purpose. As the North of England Regional Coordinator for Better Food Traders, I came away ever more inspired by the people working across the North to transform our regional food systems through agroecology and community-led approaches.
- [Regional Food Hubs Programme Update – May 2025](https://betterfoodtraders.org/blog/regional-food-hubs-programme-update-may-2025/): Our 12-month support programme for Regional Food Hubs (those focusing on wholesale and distribution support for sustainable farmers and producers, rather than surplus or community food) is now in full swing. We’ve so far delivered training on Financial Planning, Writing Successful Funding Bids and Engaging with Local Councils. Upcoming sessions include Physical Systems & Logistics, Tech For Wholesale and Management & Leadership Skills.
- [Better Food Traders Annual Gathering](https://betterfoodtraders.org/blog/annual-gathering-2025-public/): Sheffield
- [Guest blog – Claire Carter on championing local, sustainable food for a better future](https://betterfoodtraders.org/blog/guest-blog-claire-carter-on-championing-local-sustainable-food-for-a-better-future/): As a UK-based Sustainable Food Blogger, I help people make small, practical changes to their eating habits that add up to a big impact. With food responsible for nearly one-third of global greenhouse gas emissions, eating sustainably is one of the most powerful ways to cut carbon footprints and tackle the climate crisis.
- [Regional Food Hubs Support Programme – the 12 hubs revealed!](https://betterfoodtraders.org/blog/regional-food-hubs-support-programme-the-12-hubs-revealed/): We’re excited to reveal the twelve Regional Food Hubs that will be taking part in our 12-month support programme - run in collaboration with Sustain, the Soil Association and Growing Communities. Through targeted training and support, the programme aims to help these hubs grow their wholesale operations and increase supply to public institutions.
- [Better Food Traders 2024 Round up](https://betterfoodtraders.org/blog/better-food-traders-2024-round-up/): This year has been a whirlwind of community, sustainability, and food-driven achievements across the Better Food Traders (BFT) network. Here are just a few highlights from 2024.
- [Collective Imagination with Kent Food Partnership](https://betterfoodtraders.org/blog/collective-imagination-with-kent-food-partnership/): We've had lots of great feedback about using collective imagination to think about our food system: "Thank you for an excellent and interesting day yesterday. I left feeling very inspired and hopeful for the Kent Food Partnership" and "Just wanted to complement you and the team on yesterday’s event. It was very well run and an extremely interesting session."
- [Regional Food Hubs Support Programme Launched](https://betterfoodtraders.org/blog/regional-food-hubs-support-programme-launched/): Applications are now open for our innovative new Regional Food Hubs Support Programme. Apply here to be part of our January 2025 cohort!
- [Who Are Organic Consumers, and What Do They Really Think?](https://betterfoodtraders.org/blog/who-are-organic-consumers-and-what-do-they-really-think/): These are some of the findings from new research into organic consumers in the UK carried out by the Organic Research Centre and UK Organic.
- [New DEFRA Secretary Urged to Deliver Horticulture Strategy](https://betterfoodtraders.org/blog/new-defra-secretary-urged-to-deliver-horticulture-strategy/): Better Food Traders has joined with organisations representing farmers, growers, retailers and nature, to call on the new Government go further than the previous administration and deliver a bold cross-departmental horticulture strategy, to ensure a resilient fruit and veg supply.
- [Better Food Traders Annual Gathering 2024](https://betterfoodtraders.org/blog/better-food-traders-annual-gathering-2024/): Locals out walking their dogs in Epping Forest a couple of Fridays ago, might have been taken aback to stumble across a group of sustainable food retailers and champions having an animated chat in the ‘walking train’ on the way to the Better Food Traders Annual Gathering. 
- [First Business Benchmarks for the Sustainable Food Sector](https://betterfoodtraders.org/blog/businessbenchmarks/): Better Food Traders has launched the sustainable food sector's first set of business benchmarks, the BFT Data Deep Dive, to help independent food traders understand and run their businesses better.
- [Proud to Join Two Key Alliances](https://betterfoodtraders.org/blog/proud-to-join-two-key-alliances/): That's why, since spinning out from our host organisation Growing Communities, we've been keen to join other important alliances working in the sustainable food sector. Here's what we're involved with:
- [Come to our Annual Gathering on Friday 14th June](https://betterfoodtraders.org/blog/come-to-our-annual-gathering-on-friday-14th-june/): The Better Food Traders annual gathering is one of the key events in our calendar - an important opportunity to meet in person, speak to other traders running similar enterprises, and hear about great work going on across the UK. It's always a brilliant day of learning sessions, networking, good food and great ideas. It's also a moment to step back from the day-to-day and think about what we want to do as traders and as a movement to grow the agroecological food sector.
- [Better Food Traders at ORFC 2024](https://betterfoodtraders.org/blog/better-food-traders-at-orfc-2024/): Better Food Trader members seemed to be everywhere we went in Oxford this year - a testament to both our growing membership and the draw of such an inspiring, informative and varied programme. Speakers had come from Uganda, Ethiopia, Brazil, Tonga and Andra Pradesh in India to join the conference in person. This year's in-person conference had talks in 18 different rooms happening at once - almost too many to choose from! - while there were more than 40 sessions livestreamed to people in all corners of the globe.
- [A Brief Roundup of 2023](https://betterfoodtraders.org/blog/a-brief-roundup-of-2023/): Here's a snapshot of what our community of creative, dedicated, hard-working Better Food Traders has been up to in 2023.
- [Learnings from the Marketing Support Scheme](https://betterfoodtraders.org/blog/learnings-from-the-marketing-support-scheme/): Earlier this year we launched the BFT Marketing Support Scheme, offering packages of help to Better Food Trader members who wanted to create a specific marketing campaign but didn't have the resources to do so.
- [Want to Join Our New Board?](https://betterfoodtraders.org/blog/want-to-join-our-new-board-of-trustees/): Better Food Traders exists to support small and medium-sized enterprises who are aligned with our mission – to create a visible, thriving food retail system that supports the environment, farming communities, local economies and local people.
- [Unfairness in the Food Supply Chain](https://betterfoodtraders.org/blog/unfairness-in-the-food-supply-chain/): Our friends at Riverford have launched a petition here calling for the government to step in and protect Britain’s broken food system as part of their #GetFairAboutFarming campaign. Problems of fairness (or unfairness) in the food supply chain have now become so obvious that over the summer the EFRA Committee launched an inquiry into issues from ‘farm to fork’.
- [Future Direction of the Network](https://betterfoodtraders.org/blog/future-direction-of-the-network/): A wonderful cross-section of members came together at the Kindling Trust's Mill in Manchester at the start of June for our Better Food Traders Annual Gathering. It was a day of talking, networking, asking and answering questions, sharing knowledge and ideas... and eating amazing local food. The BFT central team presented updates on ongoing work including the Marketing Support Scheme, our September 'Buy Better Food' campaign, and our Data Deep Dive (more on that later in a separate blog). We also ran a speed-dating session to tackle each other's burning business queries, and later we workshopped three questions: What support can we provide as a network? How should we fund the network? and How should we grow the network?
- [Could AI be a Game Changer for Small Businesses?](https://betterfoodtraders.org/blog/could-ai-be-a-game-changer-for-small-businesses/): Last week I ran an experiment with Open AI’s Chat GPT program (3.5 version). Uploading the notes from the BFT marketing meetings from the past year, I asked, ‘What are the top marketing tips from this information?’
- [Guest Blog: New Law Gives GMOs Free Rein but Food Traders Can Help Defend the Right to Choose](https://betterfoodtraders.org/blog/guest-blog-new-law-gives-gmos-free-rein-but-food-traders-can-help-defend-the-right-to-choose/): One way to make your voice heard is to sign and share the Don’t Hide What’s Inside petition. The petition is building support online but GM Freeze is also keen to develop other ways for businesses and their customers to show their support for labelling of all GMOs. To play your part, please get in touch with GM Freeze on liz@gmfreeze.org or 0845 217 8992.
- [Food Photography for Beginners](https://betterfoodtraders.org/blog/food-photography-for-beginners/): As Better Food Traders one key way we can inspire and motivate our customers to commit to seasonal eating is by offering delicious seasonal recipes illustrated by lovely photographs that make the viewer imagine eating that plate of food. However the majority of us don't have time or budget to hire photographers. Yet, food photography need not be daunting or out of reach: an amateur can achieve a photo good enough for Instagram or Facebook at very little expense, using a smart phone camera and a few props. Here are some top tips to get you started. 
- [Create a Brand New Marketing Campaign with BFT’s Help…](https://betterfoodtraders.org/blog/create-a-brand-new-marketing-campaign-with-bfts-help/): In March we will launch the Better Food Traders Marketing Support Scheme. We know that many local food retailers are struggling with falling customer numbers due to the squeeze on household spending, so we'll be helping member organisations create some quick, effective campaigns that will boost sales.
- [Fridge or Bust: How Barra Organics Glavanised Their Community](https://betterfoodtraders.org/blog/fridge-or-bust/): Really encouraging news from our member Barra Organics, who successfully harnessed the support of their local community in Sheffield to save their business.
- [Top Tips for Cost Savings](https://betterfoodtraders.org/blog/top-tips-for-cost-savings-part-1/): If you still need to make savings, it is worth phoning up your suppliers to ask what they can do to help in a way that is also sustainable for them. Perhaps you can offer to pay them more quickly - eg from 30 days to 2 weeks - in return for prices being held or reduced? 
- [Better Food Traders at ORFC 2023](https://betterfoodtraders.org/blog/better-food-traders-at-orfc-2023/): Great to see so many of you at the ORFC panel Radical Retailers: Working Together Better as Traders. For anyone unable to make it, we looked at how retailers play a key role in the drive towards shorter and more farmer-focussed supply chains, and we heard from three members of the Better Food Traders network: Phil Haughton, founder of Better Food in Bristol; Dawn Dublin, founder of Joyful Roots in Hastings; and Duncan Catchpole, founder of Cambridge Organic Food Co.
- [Where Next After Boxmaster?](https://betterfoodtraders.org/blog/where-next-after-boxmaster/): For many of our members, one of the biggest challenges of 2022 has been how to respond to Boxmaster's announcement that they will soon cease to operate. Owner and developer Michael has just confirmed he will terminate the service on the 29th June 2023. So for veg box schemes looking to migrate to another platform, what are the options? 
- [The Power of Positive Marketing](https://betterfoodtraders.org/blog/the-power-of-positive-marketing/): ​​Negative marketing is a tactic that taps into negative emotions such as fear, anger, sadness or frustration - and can even directly attack competitors or try to shame people into different purchases. In 2006, Apple ran a memorable negative marketing campaign directly criticising the PC and in 2018 Subway went up against Macdonalds to try to snatch some of their customers. So does it work? Marketing experts say it can be effective for short-term gains, but warn that a negative campaign is not the way to build a brand or increase customer loyalty. In fact, Subway found customers complaining that their advert was annoying, disturbing and made them want to buy a burger. Negative marketing risks creating feelings of negativity in your customers, and ultimately driving people away.
- [Do Better Food](https://betterfoodtraders.org/blog/do-better-food-learning/): Our food system – the way we produce, eat and buy food – is the single greatest threat to the health of our planet.
- [Tips from the experts on how to make the most of your fruit and veg](https://betterfoodtraders.org/blog/make-the-most-of-your-fruit-and-veg/): With the cost of food going up daily, it’s more important than ever to make sure we make the most of every mouthful of locally produced sustainable food.  We’ve cast an eye over blogs from our members and checked out a few hints from top chefs to bring together a wealth of suggestions for how we can keep fruit and veg waste at an absolute minimum.
- [“We’re not unique, thankfully.” An interview with Regather, a sustainable food hub in Sheffield](https://betterfoodtraders.org/blog/regather-sustainable-food-hub/): Strikingly, though, Gareth refuses to despair. He feels there are some really excellent organisations, including Regather, that are doing what he sees as the right thing for the UK food system, even if it remains questionable whether the government will see that. He doesn’t claim that the food hub veg box model is a panacea, but maintains his view that the work of Sustainable Food Hubs is a crucial jigsaw piece in sustainable, equitable food system transformation. He breathes a sigh of relief that Regather is already part of a wider movement, taking strength from the acknowledgement that “We’re not unique, thankfully”.
- [Five ways your veg bag membership helps cool the planet](https://betterfoodtraders.org/blog/five-ways-your-veg-bag-membership-helps-cool-the-planet/): The latest blog from Better Food Trader member Growing Communities gives five excellent reasons to sign up for a  veg bag membership and shows us why a regular commitment to your Better Food Trader is leading the way to a better food system and a cooler climate.  Rachel Dring focuses on the latest IPCC report released on 4 April, which notes that to meet our climate change commitments, the way we produce, consume and distribute food must change.

## Pages
- [Consultancy](https://betterfoodtraders.org/consultancy/)
- [Our Reports](https://betterfoodtraders.org/about/our-reports/)
- [Our Campaigns](https://betterfoodtraders.org/campaigns/)
- [What We Do](https://betterfoodtraders.org/what-we-do/)
- [What’s Better?](https://betterfoodtraders.org/the-problem/)
- [BFT Members Area](https://betterfoodtraders.org/bft-members/)
- [FAQs](https://betterfoodtraders.org/faqs/)
- [Privacy Policy](https://betterfoodtraders.org/privacy/)
- [Join Us](https://betterfoodtraders.org/join-us/)
- [Blog](https://betterfoodtraders.org/blog/)
- [Contact](https://betterfoodtraders.org/contact/)
- [About Us](https://betterfoodtraders.org/about/)
- [Buy Better Food](https://betterfoodtraders.org/buy-better-food/)
- [Home](https://betterfoodtraders.org/)

## 
- [Public Donation Form](https://betterfoodtraders.org/?p=10918)
- [Donation Form](https://betterfoodtraders.org/?p=10763)

## Campaigns
- [Adventures in Local Food](https://betterfoodtraders.org/campaigns/adventures-in-local-food/)