Groundbreaking deal to see Ludlow area food suppliers send produce into heart of Birmingham
Produce from the farmers' market in Ludlow is being sent into the heart of Birmingham under a groundbreaking new arrangement.
The initiative has come about thanks to a group of volunteers, part of the Slow Food Birmingham group who wanted to bring locally made products to a new customer base in the city’s Jewellery Quarter.
Ludlow Local Produce Market members hope their food and drink will be well received in the city. Producers come from within 30 miles of Ludlow make their own products and sell them at the market in Castle Square every second and fourth Thursday of the month.
It involves a volunteer driver to come to Ludlow in an electric car to collect pre ordered items through a special website from the Local to Ludlow producers on their market days.
More than a dozen Ludlow stallholders have been selected by the organisers to complement existing businesses that supply the Birmingham hub.
Once items arrive at the hub, customers are to go and collect their orders the same day in the evening.
Tish (corr) Dockerty, the market manager, said: "We’ve just had a dry run this month– which included a training session for stallholders and their necessity to set up some web pages which then links in with the Birmingham Jewellery Quarter Hub.
"It has been a really useful exercise which has highlighted a number of things that need attention, but nothing too complex to sort."
The hope is that orders and customers will increase over time and that additional food and drink producers from Shropshire can contribute including fresh fruit and vegetables in season.
Local to Ludlow is a Community Interest Company that promotes the production, sale and consumption of food and drink from within 30 miles of Ludlow with the aim of reducing the environmental cost of food production and to support the local food economy. The market is also a business member of Ludlow and the Marches Slow Food Group.
The market strictly adheres to farmers market standards including that the stallholder makes, rears or grows what they sell within 30 miles of the Ludlow. This distinguishes the market from others, as the product is truly local, originating and utilising local ingredients, local supply chains and local people.
For more information regarding the Local Produce Market please go to www.localtoludlow.org.uk or contact Tish Dockerty Market Manager 07985218727.
