Central England Co-op is again shining the spotlight on quality local producers by launching a new range at its Oakham Supermarket featuring some of the best products Rutland has to offer.
The launch of the ‘Carefully Crafted’ range at the Burley Road store follows the successful launch of the concept at its Bakewell supermarket in Derbyshire in July. It will showcase a wide array of artisan and homemade products produced by independent manufacturers.
Carefully Crafted features enhanced ranges of local products previously available in the Oakham store, as well as brand new ones from newly sourced suppliers, some of which are based within a short distance of the Oakham Supermarket.
Among those featured are the award-winning Rutland Charcuterie Company, based in Braunston-in-Rutland and Vivia Crumps chutneys, based just over a mile from the supermarket.
Jennifer Hargrave, Local Buyer at Central England Co-op, said, “We have been delighted with the success of our Carefully Crafted range in Bakewell, which received great feedback from customers and created a real buzz in store.
“We are really proud to introduce this range in to our Oakham supermarket and give shoppers a varied and distinctive range of quality locally-sourced products, as well as highlighting some of the amazing produce available right on their doorstep.
“From locally-produced ales and ciders, to delicious homemade cakes, pies and chutneys and so much more in between, the Carefully Crafted range makes a fantastic addition to our Oakham Supermarket and highlights Central England Co-op’s point of difference as a community-focused retailer, supporting local manufacturing.”
The Rutland Charcuterie Company was founded in 2014 by former cabinet maker Nick Brake, who developed a passion for charcuterie – where meats are cured and air-dried – while living in the French Alps and after returning the UK, he saw an opportunity when he found out that 97% of all charcuterie available in the UK was imported.
Brake said, “It’s been a mission of mine to educate people that British is great and you don’t have to import charcuterie. We specialise in making salamis and air-dried meats, all made with our three core values at their heart: Provenance, High Animal Welfare Standards and, of course, Great Taste.
“I’m so delighted to be selling my products in the Central England Co-op in Oakham – to be in our nearby store is a dream as local is what we are all about. We employ local people and use local meat. We hope customers taste our products and are moved to spread the word about local, British charcuterie.”
Vivia Crump’s range of chutneys were designed by Vivia to complement a wide variety of different foods, taking a quintessentially British classic and putting her own spin on it. All of her range is gluten-free, lactose-free, vegetarian and vegan friendly and free from palm oil.
Crump said, “I’m really happy to team up with Central England Co-op. They are a good fit with the way I like to do business when it comes to their ethics and concern for the environment.
“It is great to see them give shelf space to proper, locally made products and support local businesses. We are all concerned about minimising our carbon footprint and want to shop locally for local products and you can’t get much more local than us!”
Also included in the Carefully Crafted range will be ales and ciders from Oakham’s own Grainstore Brewery and a selection of meats and pies from Grassmere Farm in South Lincolnshire.