Feed your interest in all that is going on in the county's vibrant food and farming community. Discover more about the faces and talent behind Hampshire's local food, drink and craft scene.

For the latest events, news and competitions straight to your inbox sign up to the Hampshire Fare monthly newsletter for local food lovers.

 

Choose Your Area Of Interest:

Chocolate Crazy?

Chesil Rectory and Chococo celebrate the launch of a new Winchester chocolate with a chocolate tasting menu.

Read more

Hampshire Fare on the Farm

The Hampshire Fare team escaped the office for a visit to Ambrose Farm, Upham, where Sue Ambrose rears free-range pigs to produce award-winning Ambrose sausages.

Read more

Celebrate British Sausage Week!

British Sausage Week runs from 3rd-9th November and Hampshire Fare members are celebrating in force

Read more

Food festival prize is a fruitful experience

Two extra workers joined the apple juicing and bottling line at Hill Farm Juice for a day’s hands-on experience after winning The Southern Co-operative’s Hampshire Food Festival competition to celebrate the best of local food and drink.

Read more

What's in Season Now

The colours of autumn

Read more

Grow Your Own: Green Manure

Green gardening guidance from Darren Venables, head gardener at Chewton Glen

Read more

Producer Profile: Betteridge's Brewery

Meet Mark Betteridge of Betteridge's Brewery

Read more

The Southern Co-operative’s new Freshwater store to create 40 Island jobs

40 new jobs are being created on the Isle of Wight with the opening of The Southern Co-operative’s flagship community store in Freshwater in early 2015.

Read more

Test Valley Business Awards 2015

This is your chance to enter your own business, if you're proud of its achievements, or a local business that you believe deserves recognition

Read more

Chris Packham invites you to a Vulture Culture Dinner Party and says “cough up” to help endangered birds

TV presenter and naturalist Chris Packham has made a film to support the Hawk Conservancy Trust’s latest fundraising initiative to help the most threatened members of the bird world, by hosting a dinner party with a difference.

Read more

Dishing up a Hampshire Favourite

Cam's Mill Chef wins Fuller's Best Hampshire Dish

Read more

A Partnership of Local Flavours

A Partnership of Local Flavours


The Southern Co-operative has renewed its corporate partnership with county food group Hampshire Fare.

The Southern Co-operative has been working with Hampshire Fare since 2008 making The Southern Co-operative the food group’s longest serving Corporate Partner.

Kate Hibbert, Local Sourcing Manager for The Southern Co-operative, commented: “As a regional retailer and as a co-operative we value and support our local communities and our local producers.

“Currently we work with more than 75 local producers to offer the popular ‘Local Flavours’ range within 32 of our stores across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. This range is a unique point of difference for our customers as well as an opportunity for local producers.

“Our involvement with Hampshire Fare enables us to access a range of suppliers, working with some producers who are already established and discovering others who are starting out. If they are interested in moving into retail they can work with us. We are able to develop opportunities with them and support them in terms of getting their product onto shelves, whether they want to go into two shops or 22 shops, helping to take people up to national level if that is where they want to go.”

Kate continued: “I am on the board of Hampshire Fare and I find this level of engagement invaluable as it allows me to see the Hampshire food community from a different angle. The work Hampshire Fare undertakes is important and at The Southern Co-operative we are very keen to continue to support this well-renowned and highly thought of county food group.”

Tracy Nash, Commercial Manager with Hampshire Fare, added: “We are delighted The Southern Co-operative is continuing to support Hampshire Fare. Our work is only possible thanks to support from our Corporate Partners and Friends. We also value the perspective that Kate offers our board as a multiple retailer. In addition, we believe there is a great deal of synergy between the two organisations as we both support local producers and the local economy.”

 

Read more