Making its show debut at the main entrance to Cereals was a special Sainsbury’s branded Claas Lexion 600 TT combine harvester, which is being used by the supermarket to promote its new two year flour sourcing contract that was launched in January 2008.
 
With the introduction of the contract, Sainsbury’s has established a unique link between farmer, merchant, miller and supermarket in order to provide customers with guaranteed traceability, improved quality control and a reduced carbon footprint, whilst at the same time offering growers longer term security.
 
Under the agreement, all the milling wheat that Sainsbury’s need for the one million loaves of bread it makes each week in its 390 in-store bakeries, will be sourced via Grainfarmers from approximately 300 growers located within a 30 mile radius of Camgrain’s central store at Linton near Cambridge, where all the grain will be stored. From here, the grain will go for milling to Whitworth Bros Ltd at Wellingborough in Northamptonshire prior to delivery to the stores.
 
By bringing all elements of the supply chain together under the British Flour Development Group banner, Sainsbury’s are also aiming to share information and best practice between the retailer, miller and the supplying wheat farmers.
 
In addition to being on display at Cereals, the LEXION 600 TT, which is owned by the Essex based farming company AWT Farm Services, will be displayed by Sainsbury’s at a number of major UK shows prior to harvest, in order to create public awareness of the fact that Sainsbury’s is sourcing all its milling wheat needs from UK growers.