Great British Beef Week 2020 marks a decade of celebrating quality beef

Usually an opportunity to celebrate the versatility and taste of British beef, however this year’s Great British Beef Week (GBBW), which takes place between 23^rd to 30^th April, will be marking its tenth year by inspiring shoppers with easy swaps and batch cooking ideas during these unprecedented times.

With fundraising and launch events cancelled, there was a question mark over whether the well-instated foodie week would still go ahead. Yet organisers, Ladies in Beef, wanted to make use of the opportunity to provide inspiration for consumers who are looking for new and creative ways to feed their families delicious and nutritious meals.

The 2020 campaign, which originally aimed to secure £100,000 of fundraising for charity partner the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution (if you are able to support please visit the R.A.B.I JustGiving page to make any donations), has had to cancel fundraising events and dinners, cancel a launch event with chefs, cancel a foodservice competition, scaled back in-store retail activity due to increased pressure on the supply chain and has missed out on the opportunity for CountryFile to film at GBBW ambassador’s farm.  Instead, the campaign will be digitally driven, inspiring shoppers with easy and delicious beef dishes with versatile ingredients that can be swapped and changed, depending on what is available. Batch cooking, freezing and minimising food waste is the order of the day.

Mother-daughter farming duo Celia and Kirsty Gay are this year’s GBBW ambassadors. They run a suckler herd of pedigree South Devon and Aberdeen Angus Cross cattle on their family farm, near Bath, which is also home to a farm shop, butchery, café and events enterprise.

Celia said: “Great British Beef Week enables us to shine a light on beef as an important part of a balanced plate and highlight all the benefits livestock farming brings to the environment.”

Jilly Greed, who co-founded Ladies in Beef with NFU president Minette Batters, added: “We’re so pleased that our project to get people talking about British beef has lasted the course, reaching its tenth year.”

“We did consider postponing the week, as it is undoubtedly a very sad and challenging time for everyone,” However, with empty shelves causing consumer confidence to waver, we believe there is an opportunity for the beef sector to come together to reassure people that we are working incredibly hard to put food on their tables and to inspire them to cook with a range of beef cuts, hopefully encouraging more normal purchasing behaviour.

“Our meal ideas are all based around batch cooking and store cupboard essentials. We are working with social media influencers to help get the message out there that beef can be versatile and nutritious as well as delicious, encouraging them to incorporate other cuts, as well as their usual repertoire of mince-based dishes.” 

Further information will be released in the weeks leading up to Great British Beef Week 2020, which is supported by the NFU and Red Tractor. Look out for #GBBW2020 on social media.

If you would like to get involved with GBBW you can download a range of assets for your social channels here.

Here is NFU President and LiB’s cofounder, Minette Batters, explaining why you should join in and share your support!

For more delicious recipes, visit www.simplybeefandlamb.co.uk