Hampshire Deli and Farm Shop Named One of Best in UK
A Hampshire business, that was started in lockdown and is only two years old, are finalists in the Farm Shop & Deli Retailer of the Year Awards 2023. Hampshire Deli, Farm Shop & Coffee Shop, near Basingstoke, has been named as a regional finalist (South East) in the Farm Shop and Deli Retailer Awards 2023, marking it out as one of the top rural retailers in the UK.
The organisers described the selected finalists as, "some of the UK’s best loved specialist retailers, pillars of their respective communities and champions of great produce and sustainable practice".
The judges shortlist of regional finalists were whittled down from hundreds of entries. The finalists span 12 categories and nine UK regions. Hampshire Deli & Farm Shop is in the Local Shop/Village Store category and one of only 11 finalists hoping to be named the best in the Southeast region.
Launched in 2020, on the Wolverton Park Estate, Barry and Justine Walker were at a farmers market selling their own award-winning Hampshire Salami charcuterie when neighbours asked if they could provide food boxes of good quality local produce as the supermarkets struggled with supply issues when COVID-19 struck. That weekend four deli boxes of produce from the farmers market were delivered to local families after posting availability on a local Facebook group. The following week 35 boxes were ordered and delivered. This grew into 70 plus boxes being delivered every Saturday to residents in surrounding villages.
The business morphed into a pop-up deli and farm shop every Saturday at Barry and Justine's salami factory at Wolverton Park, selling a great selection of products from award-winning artisan producers across Hampshire. Now the business is firmly established, focusing on sourcing and stocking the best British, local and seasonal produce, including 65 plus British cheeses! The business also makes their own award-winning pies, sausage rolls, quiches, charcuterie, and home-cooked hams, which are included on the menu in the new coffee shop. Barry and Justine have more plans for the business with an outdoor kitchen and BBQ deck being built for this summer, and the addition of a pizza oven.
Barry Walker comments "When we delivered those first four boxes, we never thought our business would get to where it is now. We didn’t really plan any of this. We wanted to support local, providing seasonal products from producers who, like us, struggled at the start of the pandemic. We add new products each week and hope our customers like what we do and want to ‘Stay Loyal; Stay Local’! We hope our customers continue to support those producers and small independents, like us, who throughout the pandemic worked tirelessly to keep their communities fed."