Shropshire food ordering service to boost suppliers
A new ordering service for speciality produce in Shropshire has been launched by a county-based food support service.
Heart of England Fine Foods (HEFF) is to offer producers and customers the new service, which includes an online catalogue and delivery service, smartphone ordering and the ability to hold non-perishable items in stock.
The move marks the first time that HEFF has run its own delivery service rather than partnering with a logistics firm, but chief executive Karen Davies said that experience has demonstrated it to be the best way to serve members.
Mrs Davies said: "Historically we've led the way on one order, one delivery, one invoice approaches to selling regional food, but the weakest point was always the physical part of the process, actually getting the produce to where it needed to be.
"Now we've solved that in a way that compliments the products and the producers themselves, by investing in our own service, operated to our own high standards."
It comes as HEFF plans its move to a new headquarters at Shrewsbury College, after a break in its lease at the Shropshire Food Enterprise Centre in Battlefield was activated by Shropshire Council.
The new service will also mean the catalogue of HEFF members' fine foods from across the region is going online, allowing for more up-to-date listings and a web-based showcase of the goods on offer.
Buyers will be able to place orders through the website.
Food producers will receive their orders weekly from the delivery service and drop their produce at one of seven regional hubs, including two in Shropshire (one in Ludlow, another in Newport), from where the it will be collected for scheduled delivery runs.
Mrs Davies added: "Taking the logistics in-house is a big deal for us and for our members and we're all excited about it.
Selfridges
"Buyers from some of the biggest names in retail, including Selfridges, Costcutter and Nisa, as well as mass caterers, appreciate this approach to accessing the products of our members, especially as they know that to be a member a food producer has to be fully accredited by us across all areas of their business.
"Now we have all of the pieces in place, this new service is in a position to go from strength to strength."
