Food Trends for 2012

Leatherhead Food Research have released their thoughts on likely trends in food consumption during 2012. There seem to be 3 key projections which will have an impact on the organic sector:

1. Health & Wellness, Natural, Locality and Provenance

Organic Products can provide customers with each of these attributes but they are often lost or misunderstood as part of the matrix of understanding that consumers have about organic products. We need to get better at communicating both the specific benefits organic products provide and the breadth of these.

2. Softer Claims

The increasing regulation of claims made about food products makes manufacturers cautious about making specific claims and how they "sell" their products. Instead they seek to infer benefits and though packaging and phasing that is less specific. This is a threat to organic products as it allows for greater "muddying of the water" and so potentially greater consumer confusion.

3. Budget

Continued "tightening of belts" is predicted however there are opportunities despite this. With more meals being eaten in the home the demand is there for "treats" to be bought particularly if these are perceived as good value for money, thereby providing the consumer with plenty of bang for their buck. 

Leatherhead reveals 2012 food and drink trends

Going forward it does not look as if organic food is going to have an easy market but with good products which meet customers demands will find a willing buyer.  The more able these products are to fulfill the aspirations referred to in "1" above perhaps the less they will be restrained by budget.

Pricing Organic Milling Wheat

How should Organic Milling Wheat be Priced?


Organic Arable have been asked by one of it's milling customers to propose some ideas as to how a pricing structure for organic milling wheat could be developed.  Can we develop a scheme that could give producers some understanding of what they'll be paid for the crop and evaluate whether a milling crop or feed wheat crop is the best option for them.  At the same time allowing the miller and baker understand the price they will pay for grain and a mechanism which allows them to reward the best quality.


The reason our feed grain project with BQP has been successful is because the producers involved have been involved in developing the project and so have had some control over it.  Based upon this experience I want to ask you to give us some feedback as to how an organic milling wheat pricing structure might work.


Some assumptions that you may like to mull over when thinking up your ideas.

• Spring wheat generally produces a higher protein sample than winter wheat.
• Spring wheat yield approximately 0.75t /Ha lower than winter wheat
• Average organic feed wheat price 1.9x conventional wheat price

Here's an idea.


Conventional feed wheat price x 2  for a 10% protein organic milling wheat plus £20 for a 11% and £40 for a 12%.  That seems fairly simple.  Based upon a Liffe feed wheat for Nov 12 that would pay about £240 ex farm for Nov 12 delivery for a10% wheat plus premiums for stronger protein. 


Please let us have your thoughts on the above or propose an alternative.  We need to engage in a discussion with the millers so the more they know about you thinking the better.  Thanks