Morrisons starts search for more local food suppliers
Morrisons is looking for the "Innocent Smoothies of tomorrow" in a bid to get more local food to their shoppers.
The supermarket wants to recruit more than 200 new suppliers across England, Scotland and Wales over the next year.
To find Britain's best local food suppliers, Morrisons will invite foodmakers to pitch their products at a series of regional events. There are 12 events planned, with the first set for Yorkshire, Morrisons' heartland, on 14 March.
Read more: Here's how far British retailers will go to bring you iceberg lettuce
Andy Higginson, chairman of Morrisons, said: "Our customers tell us they want to see more food that is made just down the road from their own communities and that's why we are looking for the next generation of British and local foodmakers to serve our 12m customers.
"We want small UK food suppliers to become bigger ones – the Innocent Smoothies of tomorrow – and we also want to give our customers the option of more food that meets their local food tastes."
The push for local food comes after supermarkets were forced to ration lettuces due to bad weather in Spain. Tesco rationed customers to three iceberg lettuces per person.