PGI on the menu at London event

QMS will be joining some of Britain's other top food producers to take part in the inaugural Defra EU Protected Food Names Roadshow at the department's head office in London on Friday 7th August.

The roadshow will give QMS the opportunity to highlight Scotch Beef and Lamb to national and regional media, and explain why its regionally unique status meant they were the first fresh red meats to be awarded EU Protected Geographical Indication status.

QMS Head of Marketing, Laurent Vernet will be leading the QMS presence at the roadshow, having previously spoken at a PGI workshop at Brussels and was part of the committee discussing the future of the scheme in Prague earlier this year.

He said: “Scotch Beef was the first European red meat product to be granted the coveted PGI status closely followed by Scotch Lamb. Not only were we the first, we also produce higher volumes of PGI bearing product than anywhere else in Britain.

“Having PGI status has more than proved its worth over the years and helped set us apart from our competitors. It's particularly highly regarded on the continent as a sign of superior quality and has helped us build valuable export sales.

“The recent change in labelling legislation means that all PGI-bearing products have to carry the logo on packaging, so it's set to become something consumers know more about and hopefully they will join their neighbours in Europe in seeking it out as a mark of quality, traditional and regional produce.

“Scotch Beef and Scotch Lamb were awarded PGIs more than ten years ago and as an industry body we have taken every opportunity to maximise the benefits of having the status for Scotland's cattle and sheep producers.”

For more information about the PGI promises offered by Scotch Beef and Lamb, visit www.scotchbeefandlamb.com

The event takes place at Nobel House, 17 Smith Square, London, SW1P 3JR between 10.30 and 12.00 on Friday 7th August.

Scotch Beef and Scotch Lamb were both granted PGI in 1996.

Further information from: Louise Welsh, Director of Communications, Quality Meat Scotland. Tel: 0131 472 4112. Mob: 07739 900653.