Food Minister Daniel Zeichner: Good Food Cycle speech
Speech by Food Minister Daniel Zeichner launching the Good Food Cycle at Darley Street Market in Bradford.
Well, good afternoon everybody and thank you. First of all, thank you to Andrew, and to all our brilliant contributors – really fantastic.
Politicians often say they’re really pleased to be in places. And I am pleased to be in places – but I have been really thrilled to be here. I’ve not been to Bradford before, and I’ve been absolutely knocked out by what I’ve seen this morning. I’m so pleased to be here.
I’m told you’re one of the UK’s youngest, most diverse, and dynamic cities. I represent Cambridge, and we probably could have a little discussion about that – but I think you may be winning! What I know for sure is that you’ve got a rich food culture here. I’ve been seeing it outside, I’ve been hearing about it, and I’m so thrilled that we made the decision that Bradford should be the place to come and talk about the government’s vision for our food system. What we’re calling the Good Food Cycle.
And I hope that’s a phrase that will stick in your minds – because that’s what this is all about.
Let me start, though, by thanking some of the people who’ve made this morning possible: Bradford 2025, the local council – I’m delighted to be here working with you – and Inn Churches. Very impressed by the work you’re doing.
I’ve heard about Jamie Oliver’s Ministry of Food, I’ve seen some of the demonstrations that are being done outside with some of the children – I’ve met some of the children – who are extraordinarily confident and well-informed about raw beans! Very good for them!
Living Well, the wider community, all the efforts being made to empower, educate, and inspire as many people as possible to cook great-tasting, healthy food for themselves and their families. I think this project here, which I’ve been hearing about – clearly a long time in the making – what a fantastic achievement in this year of 2025.
It really does show how communities, local government, food producers and processors can work together for the community. Because it shows that good, healthy food can be accessible to everyone, and help bring communities together.
And just in my brief tour around, I could see how that’s being brought to life.
I’m told it’s £31 million of investment into the heart of Bradford – it shows what can be done to support local food producers, what you’re making, and how we used to have those strong local food production systems. What a chance to re-energise that!
But of course, this sits in a wider context – one that includes household-name food businesses with a national footprint, like Morrisons, like Marks and Spencer. They all play a part in our national food system.
And let’s pay tribute to that national food system, because it is one of the most extraordinary and advanced in the world. Huge, huge things. I remember, I was the shadow minister during the Covid crisis, and there was a point where it wasn’t entirely clear that we could carry on feeding the nation. But people stepped up. And it really showed what an amazing system this is.
But we also have to be aware that the current food system does have some challenges.
Henry Dimbleby – a lot of you will be aware – did a lot of work a few years ago on this. He called it the junk food cycle. Which, at one level, is harsh. But what he was pointing out was that there are internal dynamics within the system that keep producing negative feedback loops.
That’s the thing we want to address.
I think it can be addressed. I think there are many people in this room who have been working on this for many, many years. But it’s possible to do something about it. To do it differently.
And that’s why I’ve come here today – to launch what we’re calling the Good Food Cycle. We think it’s a really significant step in the change we want to take together.
And I think this is actually a very special moment because it’s the first time, as far as I can see, that the whole of government is aligned on a vision for the food system, looking ahead to the future. And it’s one which puts people and the planet at its heart.
Now, we haven’t done this alone. This is not just about government. We’ve worked across the food system.
Sarah [Bradbury, IGD CEO] has been saying this – and our colleagues involved in the systems process have told us too – we’ve worked with industry, trying to do what only government can do: convene and coordinate action on food.
And the reason we’re doing this is not just because it’s a good thing to do – it’s because what we’re hearing from people, right across the country, across generations and communities, is that this is really, really important.
Because the one thing we all do – is eat. And we should take joy and celebration in that. It’s really important.
So, over the last six months – in the early part of this government – we’ve spoken to over 400 individuals. That’s been coordinated through the process – thank you to everyone who helped make that happen.
We’ve heard from organisations, from businesses. We’ve been asking the question: What would a good food system look like?
I’m very grateful to the people who’ve been sitting on the Food Strategy Advisory Board – some of you may have read about that – Sarah has been providing the secretariat and more; keeping together a complicated group of people with very different views, but we’re working well together – and the Systems Advisory Council. Also, the F4 – that’s the grouping of the key parts of industry. All of them have been involved in this discussion. So many people from academia as well – I see leading academic figures locally.
All have given time and effort to help us develop what we believe is a shared vision.
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Well, I’m absolutely determined, as the food minister, that we will not make that mistake.
We will listen. We’ll work alongside those in the food system who make key decisions – and also those who play key roles in that system. Whether that’s a supermarket boss, or someone who’s making the Sunday lunch. Or someone working in a shop.
All those people are going to be involved in this discussion.
This is a vision for a healthier, more affordable, sustainable, and resilient 21st-century UK food system that grows the economy, feeds the nation, nourishes people, and protects the environment and climate – now and in the future.
So, for the next steps to make our Good Food Cycle vision a reality, we’ve identified ten priority outcomes that we’ll be working with people to deliver.
Those outcomes are focused on:
- Ensuring everyone has access to healthier and more affordable food
- Creating the conditions for a thriving and growing food sector, with more investment in healthy, sustainable, affordable food
- Ensuring a secure, sustainable and resilient food supply
- Building on vibrant local food cultures – like we’ve seen here in Bradford
We know there’s a huge prize for investing in the UK food system, which is why we are focused on creating the right conditions to bring money and talent into the UK food system.
Because when we grow, make, and sell healthy food, frankly, everyone benefits.
Now, the cost of healthy food is a key concern for working people across the country. And we’re focused on food and nutritional security, from a household to a national level.
One way to support a secure and more resilient food system is to enhance our food security monitoring – in response to continued volatility from geopolitical and climate shocks.
It’s critical that this information is transparent and available to people across the food system.
Today I am committing to a new annual food security statistics publication to be published in the years between the triennial UK Food Security Report, starting this year.
It will be a more frequent and focused publication, designed to ensure that key UK food security analysis is made public in order to capture emerging trends, and to support both policymakers and the public.
That’s a government step we’re announcing today – to ensure we continue to support a more secure food supply chain in this country, so we can build a stronger future.
I believe now is the time to act and make positive change to support our nation. Because with climate, health, and economic pressures growing, we stand to lose out if we don’t act now. Action on improving the food system isn’t just for national government – frankly, it’s for all of us.
So, I’d like to say just a little bit about what I’ve heard is happening here in Bradford – and I hope you’ll find it as inspirational as I do.
I understand that in February of this year, the Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture, in collaboration with others, unveiled over 30 innovative projects as part of its Creative Health programme, harnessing the transformative power of culture and creativity to tackle some of the district’s most urgent health and social challenges.
And we’re already seeing great outcomes from this work.
The Cookery School, run by Inn Churches in this Market, in partnership with Jamie Oliver’s Ministry of Food, teaches children and adults how to make healthy, fresh, tasty meals from scratch for themselves and their families.
Living Well is an initiative led by Bradford Council Public Health, the NHS Bradford and Craven Health and Care Partnership and a wide range of key stakeholders and community groups. They are helping to address the rising levels of obesity and reduce the high levels of early and preventable deaths within the district.
I’d like to thank the initiatives leaders, the Bradford Council and Bradford District and Craven Health and Care Partnership for all their hard work in helping individuals to live well.
This government wants to work across the food system to make the healthy choice the easy choice for people in Bradford and across the country.
But a healthy food system is not only about what we eat, it is also about how our food is produced and the impact it has on the environment.
When we come together to eat - we are sharing in something incredibly powerful. Culture.
Which brings me back to why I am here in Bradford today. Culture and Community are closely interlinked. Communities build culture. This building is the site of a shift in culture. One which is about connecting people with their local food producers, as well as supporting them to have the skills to use this amazing bounty of British ingredients.
Everyone should be able to take pride and joy in what they grow and eat. And we want local producers to grow more of what we eat and communities to eat more of what we grow.
This Government is here to enable, protect and prepare. Enable health, growth and productivity. Protect food standards. Prepare for the impacts of a more extreme weather and more volatile world.
This is a cross-government strategy, and we will work collaboratively to ensure we take the right steps to address the needs of the nation.
This is a milestone in our commitment to transform the food system. So today, we set out what we want to achieve, and why it’s important.
Now and in the future, we’ll work with citizens, with civil society, with farmers, with fishers, with food businesses to agree how to reach that vision, and how we will measure our progress.
If we can replicate some of the energy and commitment I have seen today and enable the growth of other Darley Street markets in other towns across the country; enable every class of school children to enjoy healthy, delicious food; enable investment in responsible food businesses , we will be well on our way.
Friends, together we can make the healthy, sustainable choice the easy and obvious one – for everyone. Together, we can create the Good Food Cycle.