Leicestershire delicacies like Cheddar cheese and Melton Mowbray pork pies are renowned as traditional British foods and are exported across the world, and at an event in Parliament this week Edward took the opportunity to hear more about the Protected Name Products scheme which gives them special protection.
He dropped in on a showcase of Protected Food Name products from around the UK, where he sampled the different foods and met with Matthew O'Callaghan, Chairman of the Melton Mowbray Pork Pie Association and the UK Protected Food Names Association, to hear about the Association's determination that these products' special status should continue to be protected post-Brexit.
There are over 80 foods which enjoy protection under the PDO, PGI and TSG schemes at present, including world famous Leicestershire products like Stilton cheese and the Melton Mowbray pork pie. Protected status helps to ensure that these foods cannot be copied, and helps to preserve traditional or specialist methods.
Edward said “It was great to see Leicestershire's Stilton cheese and Melton Mowbray pork pies represented at an event organised by the UK Protected Food Name Association, and to have the chance to sample them both! It was also very useful to catch up with Matthew to discuss what Brexit means for the protection they have. I am clear that these foods must, and will, retain their protected status when we leave the EU”.