New organic food supplier proves an instant success

 Instant Food They sell meat, fruit and vegetables, dairy products and bread thatis either organic or traditionally produced - the vast majoritywithin County Durham. It is then delivered to the customer's home. Mrs Deacon and Mrs Rose- Gray admitted even they were surprised bytheir instant success. Mrs Deacon said: "It has taken off even better than we expected. "We are getting orders from all over the region. Initially, westarted off delivering in Durham City, then a further ten-mileradius, and now we are taking orders from Stanhope, Burnopfield,Washington and Sunderland. "Initially, we were just thinking of serving only the domesticconsumer, but we are starting to take commercial orders as wellsuch as schools and nurseries." Mrs Deacon said that herself, Mrs Rose-Gray and a third friend whois a silent partner, had first seen the possibility of starting abusiness after their own experiences of having to travel todifferent locations to get various products such as fruit and meat. She said: "That was the reason the business was formed. We both ateorganic and if I wanted meat I had to go to one part of town and ifI was wanting vegetables I had to go to another. "On other occasions I was going to the supermarket which I didn'tfeel right about because I wanted to know where the meat was comingfrom." As they buy the vast majority of their stock from local producers,within a 35-mile radius of Spennymoor, the pair believed everybodygained. Mrs Deacon said: "Everyone is benefiting, we are giving a fairprice to farmers in this area. "It is about supporting local producers. We have some fantasticproducers in the North-East but a lot of people don't know aboutthem." The business partners were also delighted with winning theircertification from the Soil Association. Both gave up jobs working at a direct mail company to set up theirbusiness. With limited experience of running a business, the pair had help insetting up from Business Link North-East, which provides freeadvice and guidance to the region's budding entrepreneurs andestablished companies. Mrs Deacon said: "Business Link helped us source financial supportfor our corporate identity, website and design - without which wewould not have been able to communicate with new customers." Colin Willis, Business Link account manager, said: "The Honest FoodPartnership has proved to be a huge success already as SoilAssociation accreditation is only given to businesses whose foodproducts are produced and processed to strict animal welfare andenvironmental standards." The Honest Food Partnership can be contacted on 01388-817085 or goto thehonestfoodpartner ship.co.uk 12:12pm today Print Email this Comment