The benefits of procuring school meals through the food for life partnership. An economic analysis.

Following a Social Return on Investment (SROI) approach, the analysis is based on engagement with key stakeholders involved in the supply of ingredients for school meals in Nottinghamshire and Plymouth. Stakeholders helped us identify the principal outcomes from a focus on seasonal, local produce. These were then valued to reveal the impact that local contracts for school meal ingredients have for local and wider society.

A summary of the results is as follows:

 In Nottinghamshire, spending for school meals locally within an FFLP framework is calculated to generate over £5 million in value each year. The share of ingredient spend on seasonal, local produce has risen dramatically, by a nominal £1.65 million per year, returning £3.11 in social, economic and environmental value for every £1 spent.

 In Plymouth, the change in spending on seasonal, local produce is valued at £384,000 per year as a result of adopting FFLP practices. This spending into the local economy is found to generate £1.2 million of value per year, a return of £3.04 for every £1 spent.

 It is important to highlight that this study represents only a partial analysis. It does not take account of any of the health, educational or cultural benefits of a whole school approach to food which are the primary objectives of FFLP. Adding these benefits would result in a substantially larger positive return to investment.