Slow Food is based on three interconnected principles: good, clean and fair food
GOOD: quality, flavorsome and healthy food
CLEAN: production that does not harm the environment
FAIR: fair conditions and pay for producers
All members of the Slow Food Community Buzau should adhere to this principles. Our objective is
To increase the share of local ingredients in food production
To increase the sales of local farm and artisanal products in Buzau county
to increase the share of local products in the tourism value chain (use of local ingredients in restaurants/ guest-houses, inclusion of local drinks in restaurant menus)
At the same time, local ingredients should be produced as natural as possible (without chemical fertilisers, artificial conservatives etc.).
To be promoted as Slow Food company within our network, we apply the minimum criteria mentioned below. At the moment, each company assures the compliance through an affidavit. In a later stage, we plan a monitoring and certification system for Slow Food members.
Minimum criteria for vegetable/ fruit/crop farms:
Farm is rooted in a given territory (Buzau county)
Sustainable farming approach (use of natural manure fertilizers that promote healthier soils, proper irrigation, and crop rotation; non use of chemical/synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, and genetically modified growth enhancers)
Minimum criteria for animal and dairy farms:
Farm is rooted in a given territory (Buzau county), traditional and/or sustainable farming methods (no industrial farm)
Animal friendly husbandry (Ensure outdoor grazing for a good part of the year, and whenever the weather allows; Provide adequate, ample, and comfortable shelter, without small cages)
Hormone & Antibiotic Free (use of antibiotics only when absolutely necessary)
Minimum criteria for food and drinks producers:
Producer is rooted in a given territory (Buzau county)
Food quality and sustainability, not quantity is the basic business principle (e.g. no GMO products, foie gras, ultra-processed foods etc.)
Majority of ingredients (min. 50%) is from Romania, a substantial part (min 1/3) of the ingredients is from local and natural production (not more then 50 km from production site)
Producer does not use artificial additives in food production
The products need not necessarily be traditional or autochthonous food, but they must be clearly linked to a local community.
Minimum criteria for guesthouses/ restaurants:
Majority of ingredients (min. 50%) is from Romania, a substantial part (min 1/3) of the ingredients used in the kitchen is from local and natural production (not more then 50 km from production site)
Parts of the menu are dedicated to the Slow Food concept or marked as special Slow Food menu(dishes with regional products, e.g. organic meat, products used from own farm, artisanal food products from Buzau, home-made production of specific dishes from local ingredients)
Drink Menu contains drinks from local producers that are marked as local products (e.g. natural fruit juices, craft beer, organic wine)
Tourist are offered the possibility to buy products from local producers (e.g. Slow Food raft at reception desk)
Criteria for others (tourism provider, association, institutions)
The services offered are in line with the principles of Slow Food
