A group of restaurants in Turku have committed on advancing the use of locally produced food ingredients. During the Solutions local, together conference on 1st February 2011, the restaurants will launch a dinner, that is made of minimum 80 percent locally produced ingredients. This meal also utilizes seasonal raw material, ecologically produced and Fair trade products.

In order to recognize the local food option on the restaurant‘s menu, a symbol competition campaign was carried out 1.7-31.8.2010. Currently the results of the competition are being evaluated and the symbol will be revealed later this Autumn.

So far, the following restaurants participate in the local food campaign:

• Kalaravintola Kaskenahde
• Radisson Blu Marina Palace
• Laivaravintola Cindy
• Enkeliravintola
• Mami
• Panimoravintola Koulu
• Kellariravintola

• South-West Finland counts as a neighbouring and local area for the following products: vegetables, eggs, meat and grain products. Reindeer, wheel, fish and dairy products can be produced in the whole country.

The served products are fresh (bread baked max. 6 hours earlier, potatoes peeled in the last 24h)

• The delivery time and distance of the products are short
• The products are environmentally sustainable (wrapping, transportation and delivery)

Avoiding singly wrapped products, favouring recyclable packages or materials and short delivery distances.

• No food additives in the products

• Summer: tomato, cucumber, peas, raspberry, strawberry, salad, herbs, root vegetables etc.
• Autumn: zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprout, Chinese cabbage, fresh beans, apples, berries and mushrooms
• Winter: beetroot, swede, carrots and other root vegetables, red and white cabbage, onion, potato, pickled cucumber etc., berry juice, frozen berries and citrus fruits.
• Spring: asparagus, sprout, wild vegetables and rhubarb.

The initiative for local food started in 2009, when while analysing the choice in Turku, it was realized that so far Turku does not have restaurants that would be able to offer a whole menu that is made with locally produced ingredients. The process got speeded up once UBC Commission on Environment (the organiser of the Solutions local, together conference) got together with Valonia´s Kelaa- project and Lounafood project of the University of Turku Brahea Centre for Training and Development. The workshops that have been held for producers, restaurants and logistical organizations have enabled a fruitful cooperation that has contributed both to formation of logistical chains and profiling and marketing the restaurants.

Already now it can be said that open cooperation focusing on the interests of the producers and restaurants has been a key factor. The approach used is bottom up. It is vital that this is not just a project, but a common commitment, which hopefully carries a long way into the future.