Its dedication to bringing top quality food to the locality has seen Porthcawl delicatessen Home & Colonial Fine Foods rewarded by judges at the prestigious Farm Shop & Deli Awards 2014.
Home & Colonial beat stiff UK-wide competition to see their retail achievements commended by the judges in the ‘Local Shop of the Year’ category, which was sponsored by Pidy UK/Hider Foods – putting them in the top three local shops in the UK.
The Farm Shop & Deli Awards recognise the very best standards in speciality retail and celebrate the highest levels of service, product knowledge, initiative, innovation and community involvement.
“We are absolutely delighted to have our business recognised in this way – it is testament to the high quality of the products we make and sell and the dedication of our staff and suppliers,” said Abbé Vaughan who runs the business with her husband Stuart.
Held in partnership between William Reed Business Media and Olives Et Al, the Farm Shop & Deli Awards celebrate the unsung heroes of the high street and speciality retail scene with categories ranging from butchers, bakers, farm shops and delis through to garden centres, food halls and online businesses.
Home & Colonial Fine Foods was among the 12 category winners and 25 commended retailers. They were selected following a day of intensive judging by leading speciality retailers and key industry figures along with mystery visits conducted throughout December by chair of judges, BBC Radio 2’s Nigel Barden.
“It’s gratifying to know that there are so many excellent purveyors of food and drink in Britain, like Home & Colonial Fine Foods,” said Nigel Barden.
“During the mystery visits I have been delighted, moved and inspired by the people I’ve met and it’s marvellous to find local retailers like Home & Colonial, are so much at the heart of their community.”
It is five years ago passionate foodies Abbé and Stuart realised their dream of opening a deli in the heart of Porthcawl, and the couple have gone on to create a thriving business employing seven staff.
Home & Colonial – which takes its name from Stuart’s great grandmother’s butchery business – stocks a wide range of goods, the variety and quality attracting customers from the town and further afield.
The shelves are filled with cooked meats, cheese, pasta, pastries, terrines, pies, bread and condiments from around the world as well as award-winning Welsh products such as Patchwork Pâté, Caws Cenarth cheese and butter and cream from local dairy, Tŷ Tangwlyst.
While the deli’s own mince pies – made to a secret family recipe – have become best sellers, with up to 400 being baked every week – close on 20,000 a year.
Explains Abbé “We have always had a passion for cooking and fresh produce and wanted to create an ‘Aladdin’s Cave’ of food, not just packaged but fresh and ready to take out or home for tea which suited everyone’s price range.
“We try to keep the high street alive, interesting and diverse and support our local suppliers and community – something the supermarkets can’t do.
“We work with local producers and groups such as Porthcawl Allotment Society by selling their extra vegetables and giving them back any profit, while the honey we sell is practically made on our doorstep.
“That’s what these Awards are about, making sure our local customers and producers are getting value for money.”
The plaudits have pilled in, including a Wales the True Taste Food & Drink Award, the business has been voted among the top three per cent of delis in the UK and most recently was named ‘Independent Retailer of the Year’ at the Bridgend Business Forum Awards 2013.
This year’s Farm Shop & Deli Awards received a record number of entries from nearly 300 businesses across the UK along with thousands of public votes from consumers supporting their favourite speciality retailers.
Neil Nugent, Farm Shop & Deli Awards judge and Executive Chef and Head of Product Development at Morrison’s said, “The Awards are a brilliant opportunity for the UK’s small independent businesses like Home & Colonial Fine Foods to get recognition nationally and enable them to become a destination.”
NOTES TO EDITORS
HOME & COLONIAL FINE FOODS
Tel: 01656 773793 / 07974 411683
PHOTO CAPTION: Abbé & Stuart Vaughan of Home & Colonial Fine Foods in Porthcawl.
For more information about Home & Colonial or images please contact:
Sheila Coleman
Coleman Communications
Tel: 01792 410994 / 07968 357474
Email: sheila@colemancommunications.co.uk
Farm Shop & Deli Awards 2014
The overall winner of the Farm Shop & Deli Awards will be announced at the Farm Shop & Deli Show at Birmingham’s NEC on March 24th.
For more information about the Farm Shop & Deli Awards please go to: www.farmshopanddelishow.co.uk
or contact Holly Pullen , 01293 610235 , Holly.Pullen@wrbm.com
Farm Shop & Deli Awards Category Winners 2014
Baker of the Year
Winner: East Bristol Bakery
Commended: Mayfield Farm Bakery & School Ltd
Commended: Bakery Andante
Butcher of the Year
Winner: Cranston’s Cumbrian Food Hall
Commended: Hannan Meats Ltd
Commended: Walter Rose and Son
Cheesemonger of the Year
Winner: Town Mill Cheesemonger
Commended: Cheese Please…
Commended: The West Country Cheese Co
Delicatessen of the Year
Winner: The Mainstreet Trading Company
Commended: The Hungry Guest
Commended: Filippetto’s Italian Delicatessen
Farm Shop of the Year
Winner: Ardross Farm Shop
Commended: Keelham Farm Shop
Commended: Cross Lanes Organic Farm Ltd
Commended: Drewton’s Farm Shop
Fishmonger of the Year
Winner: Veasey & Sons Fishmongers
Commended: The Scallop Shell
Commended: Severn and Wye Smokery Ltd
Food Hall of the Year sponsored by Delicioso UK
Winner: Ludlow Food Centre
Commended: Suffolk Food Hall Ltd
Commended: Fodder
Garden Centre of the Year sponsored by Fosters Traditional Foods
Winner: Brown and Green, 3 Shires Garden Centre
Commended: Berwick Garden Centre
Commended: Summerseat Garden Centre
Greengrocer of the Year
Winner: The Sussex Produce Company
Commended: Andreas of Chelsea Green
Local Shop of the Year sponsored by Pidy UK/Hider Foods
Winner: Johns of Instow & Appledore
Commended: Home & Colonial Fine Foods
Commended: Black Horse Food Emporium
Market of the Year
Winner: Brigg Farmers’ Market
Commended: Vales of Taunton Farmers Market
Commended: Horsforth Farmers’ Market
Online Business of the Year
Winner: Wing of St Mawes, The Cornish Fishmonger
Commended: ultracomida
Commended: Green Pasture Farms Ltd