Supporting the Food and Drink Community in the Cotswolds

Our Vision

Cotswold Taste is an organisation for food and drink produced locally that promotes quality and in a way that does not harm the unique landscape and environment within the Cotswolds and the surrounding area. This is embedded into the Co-operative’s Members Promise:

“….to support the outstanding natural beauty and special qualities of the Cotswolds. We commit to managing our business in such a way as to actively conserve and enhance the high qualities of the landscape, wildlife and natural resources, the rich heritage and thriving communities of the Cotswolds.“

Cotswold Taste was set up in late 2016 as a member-owned, not for profit co-operative. It is run by a voluntary management team supported by two Advisory Panels, (Technical and Communications). As membership organisation, it represents the local food and drink sector in the Cotswold area. Sustainability is at the core of Cotswold Taste’s mission which is:

To represent, promote and support all Cotswold businesses that sustainably grow, produce, manufacture, sell and service the finest, local and artisan food and drink including the Agri-food and hospitality sectors,
To provide a service to the sectors, with the aim to grow its members revenues within and outside the UK, and to support the reputation of the Cotswolds, as an exciting and sustainable fine food hub in the UK,
To contribute to the local economy, looking after the Cotswold’s countryside and heritage, maintaining a quality of life for its residents, improving the environment and attracting more visitors to the Cotswolds area.

Local

Working with food and drink from local producers and artisan food businesses here in the Cotswolds ensures consumers know where their food comes from, how it is produced, and helps the local economy and job creation.

Passionate

Cotswold Taste is passionate about the brand values highlighted in the “Cotswolds Promise” a commitment on the part of all members of Cotswold Taste to high standards – ensuring local provenance and quality of supply.

Connected

Cotswold Taste aims to connect artisan food and drink producers with consumers; promote the benefits of buying locally; and support and promote the food and drink coming directly from the Cotswolds “food chain”.

A Local Network

Cotswold Taste aims to provide excellent networking opportunities for its members.

We are also a means of accessing advice on business, marketing and technical quality management.

We aim to encourage business resilience and offer advice about accessing markets at home and overseas.

Our members come from all parts of the food chain – producers, processors, suppliers, retailers and hospitality outlets – and the businesses, professional organisations and funders who support them.

About Us

Areas Covered

The areas covered by Cotswold Taste comprise the designated Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), together with Natural England’s Cotswolds Natural Area.

We will also support food and drink based businesses from surrounding areas including Gloucestershire, Worcestershire, Oxfordshire, Warwickshire, Wiltshire, and Somerset.

To qualify for membership of Cotswold Taste, businesses must have operational premises located within this area, or within a 15 miles buffer around the edge of the area.

The Cotswold Taste area is also used to apply the Qualifying Product Criteria to ensure that licensed products from the region protect the integrity of the brand.

Membership

Membership of Cotswold Taste is open to any business that meets the qualification criteria

Members in both categories pay an annual membership fee. This is currently set at £75.

Members are entitled to vote at meetings of the co-operative and are eligible to receive benefits as specified in its rules. Visit our ‘About Us’ page and click on ‘Downloads’.

Please get in touch via the form below if you would like to learn more or would like to join Cotswold Taste.

Who can become a member

Businesses which produce food and drink – these businesses are involved in the actual production, processing, supply and retailing of products that qualify to carry the Cotswold Taste brand, and for hospitality outlets offering specific products which qualify to carry the Cotswold Taste brand.

Businesses which support the food and drink sector – these are businesses, organisations and individuals who are able to promote and support Cotswold Taste, such as the range of “support” organisations which are necessary to their business operations (e.g. accountants, law firms, real estate partnerships, PR and marketing consultancies, specialist service providers, and funders); and public sector and other organisations that procure Cotswold Taste products, or adopt and implement policies relevant to Cotswold Taste’s objectives.