Greggs and Kerry Foods are to oppose plans to give Cornish pasties Protected Geographic Indication (PGI), preventing producers outside Cornwall from using the label.

Frank Hayes, head of corporate affairs at Kerry Foods, told British Baker that the move would "limit consumer choice" and said it would be "making our views known to Defra and the European Commission". The company has been producing Cornish pasties at its business in Poole, Dorset, for many years. Hayes added: "Cornish pasty recipes have been used throughout England for more than 100 years."

Newcastle-based Greggs, which makes 200 million pasties a year, would be making "a formal objection within the timescale and guidelines laid down by Defra", a spokesman said.

Meanwhile, Cornish-based producers were jubilant that the Cornish Pasty Association’s (CPA) long-standing call for PGI status would now go to the European Commission for appro-val, with the support of Defra. If the bid is successful, the Cornish pasty would join other protected foods including Melton Mowbray pies and Cornish clotted cream.

Paul Pearce, marketing manager at Falmouth-based Rowes the Bakers, said PGI was important to obtain, as 13,000 people are connected to pasty production in the county. CPA members produce 86.5m pasties a year, worth £60m, which amounts to 6% of the Cornish food economy.

Elaine Ead, a founder member of the CPA, who runs the Chough Bakery on the quayside at Padstow, said the campaign was aimed at "trying to stop the mass production of pasties which bear little or no resemblance to pasties made according to a traditional Cornish recipe".

But Wilf Lewis, managing director of Swansea-based Lewis Pies, which produces Cornish pasties, was outraged at the PGI proposal. He said: "It’s an absolute waste of time." Asked if he was planning to take up the issue with Defra, he replied: "No, I’m too busy making Cornish pasties."

----

=== In Short ===

== ABC certificate ==

British Baker can now boast a fully-requested circulation of 8,023 readers across a wide spectrum of sectors, including equipment, food manufacture, ingredients supply, plant and craft bakery, coffee shops, convenience and fast food. Our Audit Bureau of Circulation certificate for the 10 July issue is the first to be completed since BB’s incorporation of Bake & Take, with the April relaunch.

== Reiser’s Repak deal ==

Reiser’s UK business is to become the new sales agent for Repak packaging machines within the UK. Repak manufactures horizontal form/fill/seal packaging machines for the food industries, which complements Reiser’s food processing and packaging machinery portfolio.

== Campaign for 7Up ==

PepsiCo and Britvic have launched an on-pack prize promotion across the 7Up brand, offering consumers the chance to win holidays at a Welsh countryside retreat. The promotion, which began in early July and is backed by a £2m marketing campaign, is now on 7Up and 7Up Free pack formats.

== Rich in CSR move ==

Rich Products has helped turn around the fortunes of the Fareham Heathens Youth Squad rugby club, with a donation of over £15,000. Rich, which said support for the club is part of its corporate social responsibility activity, had previously provided muffins and cookies at club tournaments.

== Charity café ==

Young homeless people are being given the chance to work at a new café project in Edinburgh. The charity Streetworks is planning to offer jobs to 12 rough-sleepers at a time, at venues in South Bridge and New Street.