Hackney Organic school food

What: School food pilot introducing organic fruit and veg into every meal in two Hackney schools. The pilot applies a discount of 30% on fruit and veg bought from wholesaler Better Food Shed to cover the price difference between pre-pilot non-organic prices and the pilot’s organic prices. The pilot will run from April 2024 to April 2025.

Where: Two primary schools in Hackney, London.

Which of the six approaches this pilot takes: Public sector food procurement, ethical supply chains

Demonstrating: 

• How much it costs to replace conventional fruit and vegetables with organic fruit and vegetables in school meals.
• The challenges that exist for school kitchens in doing so.
• The difference the young people feel when the switch is made.

Story: Chef James Taylor left his job working in high end restaurants to head up two school kitchens in Hackney. The number of children eligible for free school meals was well above the national average and James wanted to ensure children get equal access to a healthy diet.

James is passionate about serving up delicious meals and regularly runs taste workshops to help children to try new foods. He soon realised that there was no reason why he couldn’t change the menus at his school to include less expensive meat for cheaper and healthier pulses. This, plus the advantage of procuring food independently, freed up some budget to start buying some of the fruit and veg he needed from organic wholesaler Better Food Shed. However, cost remained a barrier preventing him from buying solely from Better Food Shed. With support from Bridging the Gap James is now able to source organic fruit and veg for the two Hackney schools.

James Taylor, Hackney school chef, says:

“It’s been one of my dreams to be able to use affordable, locally farmed organic produce in my primary schools and thanks to Growing Communities, it’s finally happening.”

Schools on the pilot are integrating nature-friendly food and farming into school lessons and take children to visit Growing Communities’ organic growing sites in Hackney to see first-hand where their food comes from.
The opportunity to work closely with a head chef and two kitchen teams has been invaluable to Bridging the Gap’s monitoring and evaluation, allowing us to create recommendations for the kitchen support needed to ensure a smooth transition to healthy and sustainable diets in schools.

Ander Zabala, Sustainability and Climate Service Group Manager, Hackney Council, said:

"We are incredibly proud that the Organic School Food project is being pioneered in Hackney by Growing Communities and Bridging the Gap, setting a new standard for sustainable school meals. By integrating sustainable food into our schools, we can build a healthier future for our students and our community. This type of project helps Hackney Council in its dedication to sustainable food purchasing, reducing emissions, and tackling food waste from the ground up.”

Project partners:

• James Taylor
• Harrington Hill school 
• Sir Thomas Abney School
• Growing Communities / Better Food Shed

Support from:

Ander Zabala, Climate Manager at London Bourgh of Hackney.

Next steps: More hackney schools in the pilot.