A new motorway services specialising in local produce is looking for growers and wholesalers in Gloucestershire and the adjoining counties to supply its farm shop and catering service.
Gloucester Services, situated outside Gloucester on the M5, needs 60 producers from within a 30-mile radius and a further 25 from the neighbouring regions including Somerset, Wiltshire, Oxfordshire and Monmouthshire.
Farm shop buyer Alexander Evans said that he is looking for small family wholesalers who miss out on supermarket contracts in particular. “We will being using relationships rather than binding agreements, which I understand can be rather one-sided. The fruit and vegetable supply will be more 'what have you got, when?'”
Evans said that fruit and vegetables will be at the forefront of the new building so that, for example, when the asparagus or the strawberry season starts it can be promoted. “It is design by seasonality,” he said.
The new services is the sister project of Tebay Services in Cumbria, the UK's only family-owned motorway services serving fresh, local and artisan food instead of franchises.
Buyers from Gloucester Services are holding a series of ‘Meet the Buyer’ events across the region to make links with new suppliers. Evans said the Cumbria services is short of fresh produce at the moment, so he hopes to make links for produce to come up to Cumbria as well as supplying the Gloucester branch.
Head of retail Stuart Clear said the company wants to form long-term relationships with people who really care about what they produce. “We want to meet as many farmers and growers as possible in the region who share our ethos and passion for proper food.
“We also want Gloucester Services to act as a springboard for new businesses. Maybe you’re a farmer who would like sell his stock direct rather than via a wholesaler.”
The £40 million services project will employ 300 people and an additional 200 people through the construction process. It is set to open in June 2014.
Gloucester Services 'Meet the Buyer' events will take place on 5 November in Stroud, 6 November in Dewsall, 7 November in Cirencester, 13 November at Yeo Valley HQ in Blagdon and 14 November in Pershore.
The events start at 11am and interested producers should register by emailing meetthebuyer@westmorland.co.uk.
Gloucester Services will be run alongside Gloucester Gateway Trust, which supports local charity projects in the region.
