Working in Partnership
One of the most important ways we are making progress in sourcing is working more closely with our suppliers, farmers and growers, both in the UK and overseas. We have a variety of partnerships and initiatives:
Working in Partnership with our Farmers and Growers
We have farmer and grower development groups covering our main agriculture and horticulture value chains. The groups enable us to work in partnership with our farmers helping them become more resilient, sustainable and profitable whilst producing great quality meat, dairy, poultry and produce reared or grown in the way our customers would expect.
Meeting regularly with the Sainsbury’s team, the groups give our farmers a voice and a place to discuss challenges and opportunities together so we can come up with solutions that work for everyone “farm to fork”.
Researching in Partnership
Since the first round of our Agriculture Research and Development grants was launched in December 2012, we have worked in partnership with farmers, suppliers, scientists and industry experts, investing over £18m into research projects across our crop and livestock agricultural supply chains.
We work collaboratively with scientific experts and our farmers and suppliers across a number of research and development projects. Our customers also see the benefits of our research and development. We’ve worked with our lamb farmers to maximise the British lamb season and increase availability, with our growers to extend the British strawberry season, and with our egg farmers feeding hens an enriched diet to produce free range eggs which are naturally rich in long-chain Omega 3.
Working with our Farmers and Growers to ensure we are all fit for the future
Food and farming is a huge part of the UK economy and is becoming even more important due to increasing global demand for food coupled with a decrease in the world’s natural resources. We are working with our suppliers and farmers to build resilient value chains ensuring long term security, sustainability and efficiency in food production, farm to fork. To achieve this, we need talented and dedicated young people to become the next generation of experienced farmers and growers in our value chains and also to work with our more experienced farmers to help them be at the forefront of new developments.
Land App
Sainsbury’s Apprentices and Scholars
Sainsbury’s Farming Scholarships are an 18 month programmes, run in conjunction with Imperial College, that enables farmers and growers that supply Sainsbury’s to explore a common theme critical to the future success of their businesses and UK agriculture. The group share learnings from their own experiences, visit recognised leaders in the subject being studied, have mentor support from experts in the area of study and gain an understanding of the science underpinning the theme, from Imperial College; before completing a study project.
Knowledge Sharing through our Development and Grower Groups
We facilitate training and access to industry experts, e.g. vets for our Development Group Farmers. Examples include water quality workshops for our poultry farmers, calf care workshops for our dairy farmers and Crop Action Groups across a variety of crop types.