The Watercress Company takes a lead on health, sustainability and hospital menus

The UK’s largest grower of watercress, The Watercress Company (TWC) is taking a lead in helping hospitals fulfil their Net Zero Food ambitions while serving up nutritious, sustainable meals to patients. Through groundbreaking work with acclaimed development chef, Mathieu Eke, the watercress grower, with farms in Dorset and Hampshire, is aiming to make watercress a staple on NHS menus.  If successful, NHS patients, hospital staff and visitors will have access to delicious, nutrient dense foods that have been locally and sustainably sourced and which help hospitals meet their Net Zero commitments and growers to reduce farm waste.

Phase one of the programme is to trial fresh watercress in hospital dishes and to undertake product testing using fresh watercress in individual quick freeze (IQF) portions, Cresto (frozen watercress pesto) and flavoured ice lollies featuring watercress extract to aid patient hydration. These trials will initially occur in hospitals across Dorset, Hampshire and Wiltshire but with a view to extending the collaboration more widely if successful.

To demonstrate how easily fresh watercress can be incorporated into healthy, simple dishes, over 40 healthcare chefs from across the Wessex region will be attending a showcase day arranged by the Chefs’ Forum and The Nutrition Advisory Team on TWC’s Waddock Farm in Dorchester.  The event on 26 August will include a farm tour to see how watercress is sustainably grown, a talk on the health benefits of the leafy superfood, and live cooking demos by Mathieu Eke and Al Brady, Chef Consultant to The Watercress Company.

The watercress pilot is supported by Philip Shelley, Senior Operational Manager & National Lead for Net Zero Food, NHS England who will be introducing the event at Waddock Farm.  His role is to seek excellence and innovation in hospital catering, and he sees clearly how the use of watercress can support patient recovery, boost flavour and nutrition while supporting British growers and cutting food waste.

The Watercress Company has invested heavily over the years in scientific research to better understand the nutritional benefits of the crop as well as its positive clinical effects.  This resulted five years ago in a trial with Dorset County Hospital where watercress smoothies were served to recovering cancer outpatients and nutritious watercress soup to hospitalised patients.  The new programme, initially trialling fresh watercress in hospital meals and exploring the possibility of IQF, Cresto and ice lollies, strengthens The Watercress Company’s resolve in its mission to promote health and sustainability across the public sector.

Tom Amery, Managing Director of The Watercress Company said: “This pilot project is a win-win: for the environment, for the NHS, and for the health of the patients. Watercress is nutrient-dense, easy to grow locally, and fits beautifully into sustainable menus.  We’re keen to see it championed in hospitals as both a culinary and a clinical asset and can support this through direct delivery of fresh produce, helping patients experience the taste and health benefits of watercress straight from the farm. Working with Mathieu and his team to develop and trial recipes is an extension of the way in which we support our product with evidence-based research.”

Mathieu Eke who is development chef at Yeovil District Hospital explained how the project is closely tied to wider sustainability goals: “At Yeovil, we’re working towards ambitious net zero targets — and food has a vital role to play.  Reducing waste, sourcing local produce, and designing menus that nourish both patients and the planet is essential work that supports systems change. Our work here is not only transforming hospital food but also serving the wider community and looking after the environment.”