New products from eight local producers are hitting the shelves at Southern Co-op as it continues to develop its regional food and drink range.
Two of the producers were discovered during the society’s ‘Pig’s Den’ event in Hampshire, where 20 local suppliers were invited to pitch their products.
Wholesome Wolf and the Mortimer Chocolate Company were the two that impressed the judges and their biltong and drinking chocolate respectively made it into the new ranges.
Other products include fish, ale, cider, protein balls and honeycomb. They will be available in 85 different stores in Devon, Bristol and Somerset, Sussex, the Isle of Wight, Hampshire, Surrey, Wiltshire, Berkshire, London and Dorset.
Matt Elliott, retail buying & services manager at Southern Co-op, said: “Sustainability is something we strive for and encourage people to consider when doing their shopping.
“These new products not only demonstrate these principles but are also of a high quality, which adds a new diversity to the existing products in our retail stores.”
Sebastian Candelon from The Fresh Fish Shop, one of the new suppliers for Sussex, said: “The UK is really waking up to shopping locally, and we wholeheartedly support this ethos.
“Wherever possible we source our fish from UK shores, including from small day boats along the south coast – from Sussex all the way across to Cornwall – using low impact fishing methods.
“All of our produce is clearly labelled with information about how and where each fish is caught for complete transparency from sea to serve.”
To find out more about the Local Flavours range, see Southern Co-op’s website here.
