"We are now looking to extend local sourcing to white meat. "Quality and customer satisfaction is our primary issue, not pricing. Customers know and appreciate our sourcing policy which supports local business and that's reflected in our sales of fresh red and white meat which are up 7% year-on-year. Added value is of growing importance. We make our own sausages, beefburgers and barbecue products in our fresh food factory and are moving to new purpose- built premises in October. They will have a test kitchen which will open up new avenues for us. "We have recently introduced organic meat ­ joints, steaks, minces and dices ­ and in two months volume has risen 200%. The price premium is about 20%. "We are trialling organic sausages and burgers and will eventually do barbecue products. "Outside organic, another development is the kebab kits we are putting in store which enable butcher counters to make up kebabs on the spot to customers' requirements. We are always looking for new product ideas. Many come from store managers and customers. "A recent one, which sold well, was a Jubilee sausage made with Jubilee ale." l Kelly Hathaway, Safeway's lamb and pork buyer "We only buy British pork and lamb, the exception being chilled New Zealand lamb in season. Our lamb comes from HM Bennett and our pork from Grampian. We have a stringent sourcing policy covering animal welfare, pack quality and labelling. We are the only supermarket to specify outdoor bred pork. "Sales of red meats are rising, indexed against the impact of foot and mouth last year. Prices are high because of the disease and, in the case of lamb, through bad weather affecting lambing. "We promote pork locally through leaflets ­ at the moment we are doing 99p/lb for pork shoulder and £2.35/lb for loin steaks ­ while lamb is promoted nationally. A big on-pack promotion is to win farm holidays. The aim is to increase consumers' understanding of farming and help farmers diversify. "We are trying to reach younger consumers, particularly with lamb which has an older customer profile, and are doing this with prepared and easy to cook products that we've made interesting with sauces. Current developments include lamb chump in sauce and lamb & black' with black pudding. We also do lamb stir fries, the objective being to make customers look at lamb differently." {{FOCUS SPECIALS }}