Thursday 13th April saw the launch of the McCarthys Fine Foods initiative at a special event at the Norwich head office. The new Fine Foods service will offer a selection of goods from small, artisan food and drink producers from Norfolk and Suffolk.
The family business is East Anglia’s leading wholesaler of fresh fruit and vegetables, boasting the expertise of over 145 years of experience in the market and supplying a wide range of shops, delis, farm shops, restaurants, and hotels. The Fine Food range will champion the goods from over 30 suppliers offering a range of 350 lines.
Working alongside the Broadland Food Innovation Centre Project,McCarthys Managing Director Sam McCarthy saw that many the local producers he met through the food Innovation Cluster events, were without a route to market – without distribution. He says “It soon became clear that there were dozens of local producers who are creating really special wares yet had little reach in the marketplace.
After a few conversations and being asked if we would be interested in stocking ‘the odd product’, we realised that we could launch the Fine Foods initiative. To support the work of the Broadland Food Innovation Centre Project and build the region’s food community benefits everyone involved.”
“Farm Shops and Food Halls have adapted over the last 20 years to stock a plethora of goods – we are working with a lot of them already for their fruit and veg, so if we can stock dry goods; drinks; charcuterie and fresh meats; dairy products, it stands to reason that we have a chance of supply these to our customers as well.”
The showcase event was hosted to be a platform for the producers to showcase their products all over East Anglia and was attended by over 100 buyers. Sam McCarthy said,” There are some well-known names in our range, but there should also be several which are new to a lot of people, and which we are extremely excited to promote.”
Producers from Norfolk included: Old Rectory Preserves, awarding winning makers of jams, chutneys, and marmalades – who have been loyal customers of McCarthys for the fruits and vegetables they use in their preserves. Norfolk Spirits Company produces Norfolk Rum, a triple distilled spirit using 100% pure molasses and other local ingredients and botanicals including Norfolk honey. Helen Adshead founder of gluten and dairy free cakes and bakes brand Weddell & Turner said, “this event is so valuable for small businesses like us, we have
reached so many people it would have taken us years to meet and frees up so much time.”
Producers from Suffolk included well-known names such as Hillfarm Oils and Tosier Chocolates to smaller, newer businesses including Humber Doucy Brewing Co and Mallard Moat Farm a supplier of quail eggs and pickled quail eggs.
Katie Parsons said “Woking with McCarthys is wonderful. They are a family business like us – we are husband and wife team with our 4 sons all engaged in the business.”
