Supermarket survey

 I asked 3 local supermarkets what their policies are on supporting local producers and putting locally sourced goods on their shelves. I have been encouraged by the response received from www.waitrose.com but still waiting to hear from www.marksandspencer.com and www.morrisons.co.uk. 
Have you ever tried to source local produce from any supermarket chain?
I wanted to see how easy it would be to walk around a supermarket, for a normal weekly shop, looking for the local stuff; I must point out that, occasionally, taste preference, cost and regular availability will often take precedence over un-tried local food.
I spent quite a lot of time wandering around my local store peering at tiny labels attempting to find where the produce was from, some had helpful logos which were easily recognised but when reading the small print I realised that there were producers much nearer than the product I was putting in my basket.
As I was conducting market research, and had allotted time to do so, I actually spent about 2 hours, straining my eyes, (thats wearing very good varifocals),  and asking relevant questions of staff, before I lost the will to live. How, I ask, can a busy shopper be expected to find local produce as oppossed to a similar product which can be purchased at any supermarket in the same chain. I challenge the supermarket marketing departments to find a way of enhancing their local image by making local produce a priority. This may be to the angst of some of the larger producers, but as a shopper I feel that we have a right to know, without too much effort on our part, where the contents of our basket have come from.
I wonder who will take up the challenge?

Keeping it local in the supermarkets

I had a lovely chat with Debbie from @debbieandandrews.co.uk waxing lyrical about their delicious sausages and where they can be purchased, several of the major supermarket chains stock @debbieandandrews and of course you can buy the on-line. 
I later popped into my local @waitrose.com and met the store manager Leigh Ford. Leigh explained that @waitrose.com are the major, (in terms of supermarkets), stockists of local produce, as a keen food shopper, I can vouch for that! I even found some @debbieandandrews.co.uk sausages sitting in pride of place on the chiller next to a mouthwatering display of their competitors, in particular @www.musks.com, sausages to die for from Newmarket. As I went to school in Newmarket I can honestly say that these sausages evoke childhood memories, don't take my word for it, they may be in a boring wrapper but by crickey, they are Suffolk Smashing!!!!
I also found some baby plumb tomatoes and spring onions from Chris Durnford at Red Roofs Nursery, Dunswell Rd Cottingham, now that really is local!
If you want to chat about local produce or invite Claire and I to your store to see what you are doing to support local businesses then just give us a call, visit the about Claire  & Linda page for contact details.

Popped into see Barry Hagues at The Pride of Ferriby yesterday, we had a long chat, obviously about food and how business was doing in the shop. Sadly, due to the location, there is little if any casual trade; Low Street North Ferriby is a single lane, one way road off the beaten track, not easy to find if you don't know your way around. As a result Barry relies on locals to frequent his fishmongers shop which also sells fresh bread, preserves , oils and an array of other produce. These are the same local people who he delivers fresh fish to in his van, hhhmmm, bit of an issue but I am sure we at MannaFrom can help.

Fish fish and more fish

Fish has been delivered to our door for, oh so many years I've lost track, by Pride of Hull fishmongers. Barry Hagues, the owner has just called to take my order, we got chatting and he told me they have opened a shop in North Ferriby, The Pride of Ferriby on Low Street. I will be popping in tomorrow to have a look and choose the fish I want for tea, as he also sells cheese from @lownadairy.com, bread , eggs and other fresh produce I had better take my wicker basket and a few pennies!!!
I'll let you know how I get on.

Design workshop

I attended a workshop today exploring the business benefits of using design. I was really wanted to know how design can help us to improve this blog and our planned website. It was great to see that many of the examples of best practice, in advertising and design, were from the Yorkshire region and some of them we met at the Driffield show yesterday, in particular @debbieandandrews.co.uk whose sausages are totally 'yummy', I'm looking forward to eating their spicy Sicilian sausages this weekend. Back to the training course;   It was very interesting and I came away with some useful pointers, however, me being a 'people person', I got a lot more value from the networking opportunity and met some terrific people. I was also in a position to introduce  @make-a-wish.org.uk to Catherine Jenkins, (no I didn't ask if she sang opera!), from @jenx.com who provide equipment to children with disabilities, also Paul Amaral from @j.aupholsteryltd who provide innovative, quality furniture to a number of clients, most interestingly, childrens hospital wards.
It never ceases to amaze me how people with vision and determination strive to create products which we all take for granted and most of these innovators began as SME's, often working in isolation and struggling to pay bills month on month, we Brits really are 'Great'!!!! Its been a long day and I am in serious need of some ZZZZ's so its off to bed, a cup of Horlicks, read a few lines before snuggling up to a warm snoozing hubby. Night night 

Fab Day at Driffield Show

Well, Linda and I had fun eating and talking our way round the Driffield Show today.  The weather was amazing,  the food on offer was excellent.  I enjoyed locally produced ice cream, chilli jam pork pie, yorkshire curd tart made by Voakes, and an almond and apricot cake to die for made by the Side-oven Bakery.  So much food and so little space in my jeans to accommodate it - the diet can always start tomorrow!  Today just proved to me that whatever the line of business our local, rural economy is thriving and full of inspiring entrepreneurs (Chestnut Dairies springs to mind). A resounding success and more inspiration for our own business ideas - keep watching this space.  'Til next time

A visit to the Regional Food Group

Today was an education for me.  I had assumed that the RFG was a little like Business Link but focused on food related businesses.  Well, I was nearly right, what I hadn't accounted for is that they are in competition with some of their own customers.  I am not sure I like the idea of a publicly funded organisation (budget secured until 2012) going head to head with small local businesses.  I left the meeting completely confused about what they are trying to achieve in as much as anyone wanting to benefit from their services is charged an annual membership fee and then has to pay again to get a mention in the directory - Deliciously Yorkshire.  How does that work then?  Perhaps I have misunderstood or misrepresented in which case I would welcome feedback and comments from readers, alternatively perhaps I understand only too well!  How would rate paying businesses feel about this use of their hard earned cash?