SHOP TALK

IF I’D KNOWN THEN WHAT I KNOW NOW...

CHARLIE WALFORD, owner, Upton Bridge Farm Shop, near Langport, Somerset

Six years ago, I left a career in recruitment in Singapore to return to the family farm. I soon decided that the sensible approach to making some money from our pedigree beef herd and arable enterprise was to remove as many middlemen as possible. I started selling meat online but courier costs and damage in transit were wiping out any profit. So, I began exploring how to convert a renovated cattle stall into a shop. The pandemic threw a spanner in the works but the shop eventually opened in July 2021.

Initially my vision was for a ‘poor man’s’ Fortnum & Mason. Then I realised that would probably turn people off and reinforce the perception that farm shops are expensive. So, I focused on what I like best and started with stocking the ingredients of a full English breakfast. I added wine, beer and cider because I like them too, and cheese because we’re in a good area for it. A local baker supplies fresh bread, sausage rolls, pies and tray-bakes.

I had an idea that the meat would be cut in front of customers but, when I realised that butchers are like hens’ teeth, I abandoned that. All our meat is pre-cut, vacuum-packed and displayed in two open-fronted chillers that allow customers to choose their own packs. The downside is they cost a fortune to keep cool in summer. Storing stock in a closed chiller overnight has brought the bills down by £100 a month, and I will switch to glass-fronted chillers as soon as I can.

I started the business on a shoestring budget of £15,000. The chillers were secondhand and the one item I splashed out on was the coffee machine. I negotiated an agreement with the supplier to return it if it didn’t pay for itself in two years. Fortunately, it will. I also bought a Pergal milk dispensing machine, which has proved a great way of bringing people into the shop.

The hardest challenge has been balancing having fresh stock on shelf against feeding old goats’ cheese and pak choi to the cattle. There seems to be no rhyme or reason as to why the shop is busy some days and quiet on others.

I am forever being asked: “do you have a café?” How we physically expand is a bit of a headache, however, so we may need to look at outdoor dining.

My rough business plan is that the set-up costs are paid for within the first year and that ultimately the shop will make enough to cover the children’s school fees. We are only eight months in and so far it is going in the right direction.

LAST MONTH I explained my point of view on the importance of good neighbours. If you all o er complementary services and appeal to similar demographics, you can create something which bene ts all. Customers get a buzz from your street, your neighbourhood, your town. So, this month, let’s look at those bad neighbours.

For many years we had a serious problem with a hotel in town. It was a “sports bar” and a half-way house for people coming out of detention. One guy even used our toilets for his daily wash. He did his best to keep tidy, but that wasn’t good enough for my yummy mummies with their precious toddlers in McLaren buggies in for a cappa-frappa-mocha-soya-ccino. He had to be stopped.

Fortunately, the hotel was eventually developed. Unfortunately, they put in a posh co ee and cocktail bar. Fortunately, the service remains unbelievably poor.

As I mentioned last month, there are a few other cafés and co ee shops to contend with around us but their o ers and approaches are di erent enough from ours. As for the farm shop just outside town, I have slightly more mixed

MODEL RETAILING

CONFESSIONS OF A DELI OWNER

ANONYMOUS TALES FROM BEHIND THE COUNTER

We had a serious problem with a hotel in town. It was a half-way house for people coming out of detention.

feelings there. Thankfully for me, they are blessed with poor management and yet many of my customers shop there. It could be a gold mine, a sort of sleeping giant – and I really hope it doesn’t wake up.

I’ve heard a few stories of shopkeepers who have had members of sta open up their own places not far from them. It hasn’t happened to me but I know it really pissed them o . If it gets really threatening, many business owners I know have rung up key suppliers and told them: “it’s them or us”. The established business usually wins out and the start-up suddenly can’t get hold of the rep.

Then there are those people who threaten to be bad neighbours. They wander around your store asking interesting questions, saying they’ve wanted to open a deli or farm shop just like yours, and it’s all very attering. I’m guessing it’s happened to most of you.

My view is always to let them go ahead. “Take some pictures, I don’t mind. Unless you intend to open within 20 miles of me. In which case, get out. Life is hard enough, thanks.” The polite version I o en trot goes along something like: “It’s a hard business – are you sure? Look for a good-sized market town without a deli, maybe buy an existing business to avoid those growing pains. Do you have kids or a partner? You’ll never see them again.”

Maybe one day there will be enough demand for lots of small indies and lots more punters making the weekly pilgrimage to the cheese counter for something for the weekend. Until then, I like my neighbours selling something else to my jealously guarded ock of foodies.

SOLVING EVERYDAY SHOPKEEPING DILEMMAS. IN MINIATURE.

Isn’t it nice that it’s finally lively in here? Not sure about this ice cream counter. It’s really disturbing my peace – and the oldies.

Don’t worry everyone. From next week, I’m getting rid of that tinned rubbish and getting fresh fish in! Can’t I just have the deli I want to have?

I only come here for the tinned tuna

FFD says: The short answer is: no. Your business may not have grown into what you imagined it would be but it’s actually more important to look at it from your customers’ perspective. Will they like the changes you’re thinking of making? If you keep customers happy then they’ll come back and spend again – and again. It’s always worth asking them what they want and like.

CODE OF PRACTICE

Technical and regulatory advice from the Guild of Fine Food’s Assured Code of Practice for Deli Retailing

This month we take a look at...

...vacuum packing

All food contact packaging such as vacuum bags should be sourced from reputable and approved suppliers. You must only use packaging materials that are suitable for food and you should ask your supplier to provide you with a written specification for all the types of packaging materials you use. The packaging specification should give you concise, detailed information about the material you are buying.

This may include legal aspects such as chemical migration testing results or food contact approval. This information is vital to ensure the packaging is suitable for the types of food you are packaging and for the vacuum pack machine you are using. It is also important to update the packaging specification with any changes to the packaging material. Incoming checks: Packaging materials should be subjected to similar goods-inwards inspection and checked for compliance with specifications. Checks should also be made on the condition of it, to ensure it is free from contamination and signs of infestation. Packaging should not be used until all incoming checks have been completed.

Cross-contamination controls: Good design, size and layout of a food premises is vital for the control of cross-contamination.

The positioning of vacuum packing equipment and packaging for ready-toeat foods needs careful planning and consideration. The FSA advises that the business operator should undertake a risk assessment to decide the controls necessary to minimise the risk of cross contamination and ensure food safety.

You must only use packaging materials that are suitable for food

l More information can be found at:

food.gov.uk/sites/default/files/media/ document/vacpacguide.pdf

The guide is available in PDF format and is free for Guild members. For non-members, it costs £250+VAT. To request a copy of the Code of Practice, or for further information, email support@gff.co.uk

Milo Brown Roulote

@willys_pies

Expert’s view

PAULA BAILEY OF LAW FIRM HOWES PERCIVAL OUTLINES FOUR UPCOMING CHANGES TO EMPLOYMENT LAW

Sexual harassment in the workplace

A new duty on employers will be introduced to prevent sexual harassment and will support further protections from third-party harassment at work. There is also a suggestion that the time limit to bring a claim for sexual harassment at work under the Equality Act may be extended from three months to six months.

Tipping in the hospitality sector

The Government is bringing in new laws to make it illegal for employers to withhold tips from workers. The rules are designed so workers retain their tips on a “fair and transparent basis”. Employers will be required to have a written policy on how tips are distributed, and to keep a record of how previously received tips were dealt with. A new statutory Code of Practice covering this is expected to be introduced in 2022, replacing the existing voluntary Code.

Carer’s leave

Legislation is set to be introduced giving a right to leave for employees with long-term caring responsibilities, consisting of up to five working days of unpaid leave per year. This right would be from ‘day one’ of employment. However, to take the new carer’s leave, it has been suggested that employees will be required to give notice of at least twice the length of the notice requested, plus one day.

Neonatal leave

This new type of leave would take the form of an additional week away from work for every week that a parent’s baby is in neonatal care, with a maximum of 12 weeks’ leave being permitted. Employees would be entitled to neonatal leave from day one of employment.

l For more information on employment

law visit: howespercival.com/services/ employment-and-hr-

WHAT’S TRENDING

NICK BAINES KEEPS YOU UP TO DATE WITH THE NEWEST DISHES, FLAVOURS AND INNOVATIONS IN FOOD & DRINK

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1 Portuguese cuisine Beyond the pastel de nata, Portugal never really got much of a culinary look in. However, with restaurants like Bar Duoro and Casa Do Frogo now expanding, attention is shifting. As well as Portuguese recipes infiltrating mainstream food media, chef Nuno Mendez will imminently open Lisboeta, a restaurant that will serve as a love letter to Lisbon. Bar Duoro’s pop-up Roulote will also return to festivals this year serving its classic Portuguese bifana sandwiches and muchlauded octopus rolls.

2 The new pie hype For many years restaurant food trends have threaded a line of curiosity through Asia. However, we now have a burgeoning trend following that great British institution, the pie. Will Lewis is holed up in London Fields, under the name Willy’s Pies, turning out some of the most soughtafter pies in the city, with fillings such as Toulouse sausage cassoulet, and spiced lamb mince with braised greens and bechamel. It seems new life is being breathed into the city’s iconic dish.

3 Prebiotic soda Seltzers and kombuchas are on the rise as the pursuit of grown-up soft drinks intensifies. As well as providing an alternative to alcohol, there are brands upping the ante with seltzers injected with prebiotics to promote gut and brain health. Prebiotics are plant fibres that act as food for the good bacteria in your gut. Vina Prebiotic Soda in the US is leading the charge in this arena alongside Poppi, which makes flavours including strawberry lemon, raspberry rose, and watermelon. Closer to home, Moju has just launched a raspberry, lemon and baobab prebiotic shot to its line-up.