DELI OF THE MONTH

Perched in a prime location on the A303, Teals is one of Somerset’s newer farm shops but this operation is far from traditional. Serving both weary drivers and locals alike, its proposition is simple but executed with modern values and style.

Interview by Michael Lane Photos by Tanwen Dawn-Hiscox

On the road to success

ALL THE THINGS that have been credited with inspiring a retail concept, a cycling trip across Africa is a new one for FFD. But the journey that Teals’ co-founder Nick Sin eld made with his wife Ash, more than two decades ago, clearly made a big impression.

“On that trip, through searing heat and dust, we would end up in small villages with families that had mango or pawpaw trees in their back garden – and they would sell them to us,” he recalls. “We always latched on to the sweetness of that fruit a er a long day.

“These were tiny producers, farming the land and selling on their doorstep. We felt there was an opportunity to bring that spirit in here on a slightly bigger scale. Where we got respite on our journey, we hope that others will get that by coming in and stopping in an environment like this.”

Substitute the weary transcontinental cyclists for tired motorists on the A303, then swap the roadside gardens for a purpose-built retail unit surrounded by cider apple orchards – and you’ve got Teals.

In less than three years, the Sin elds have built the business quite literally from the ground up into a retail & foodservice operation that caters to the needs of the travellers passing through Somerset while also developing a local customer base. In a variety of ways, Teals is proof that rural retail can be modern and isn’t always easily pigeon-holed.

While it is not intended to be a service station (comparisons to Westmorland’s Tebay and Gloucester Services don’t really hold up), locating Teals on the famous A-road that runs through the county was a very conscious choice.

“We felt that the A303 was very underserved,” says Nick Sin eld. “As a holidaymaker or a commuter, there are places that you can stop but they tend to be selling non-British or corporate brands. What they do is allow you to refuel, buy a co ee, and get a sandwich. What they don’t do is expose you to the local area, and sell goods in a way that puts money back into the local economy.”

The Sin elds’ vision of o ering everyone

VITAL STATISTICS

Location: 1 Orchard Lane, South Cadbury, Somerset, ba22 7fs Retail space: 700 sq m Margins: 15%-55% (retail) No. of covers: 100 No. of staff: 55 (including part-time)

Ash & Nick Sinfield

using the road “better choice” chimed with both the county council planning department and the Montgomery family (of cheddarmaking fame), who own the land Teals is built on.

As its creators intended, the location is “very Somerset” but this is not your typical wood-clad farm-gate shop – even though it does sell lots of its landlord’s cheddar and potatoes.

Inside, there’s a striking blend of coloured xtures, natural lighting and, most impressively of all, high ceilings that give the interior a very up-to-date and calming feel.

Nick Sin eld says the rst thing most customers do is look up when they walk through the doors. “Commercially it’s not a very hard-working space but in terms of delivering experiences we’ve found it works well.”

Ash Sin eld adds: “Sometimes we get people who come in and are annoyed that we’re not a traditional farm shop, but it doesn’t happen very o en.”

The “food market” retail area is busily stocked, with a mix of local brands, independent staples and Continental lines. But it doesn’t feel overcrowded and the layout naturally funnels customers deeper into the operation towards the open kitchen and café seating, or the co ee and food-to-go area, or the butchery and deli counters.

When FFD visits, it’s clear that Teals is ticking along nicely. On a Monday morning before the schools have broken up, there are plenty of customers perusing the shelves and sitting down for co ees or late breakfasts. By midday, the car park is full and most tables in the hospitality area (there are nearly 100 covers inside and outside) have a customer at them.

“We achieved our second-year budget in Year One and we’re doing better than expected, which in the context of the pandemic we’re really pleased about,” says Nick Sin eld, adding that turnover is split 50:50 between retail and foodservice.

It is certainly good going, given that the builders had barely broken ground on Teals’ site before Covid and lockdowns gripped the nation in March 2020. Thankfully construction was allowed to continue and the shop opened to the public in December 2020.

Even though their landlords had neighbouring elds to a ord them very prominent signage along the A303 during the build, Ash says it took time for Teals to get up to full speed. “We only opened with half the business. We weren’t allowed to open the restaurant and could only do food-to-go, so we had to be creative.”

“In hindsight, it gave us a bit more time to iron out the operational side of the business. We had to work hard to engage with the local community.”

Takeaway nights proved popular with early customers and helped build up Teals’ reputation, as well as keeping all of the kitchen sta working instead of having to resort to furlough. The Sin elds also explored the potential of the site’s outside space by hosting tness classes in the orchard, which continue to run for three days a week.

By the time the dining side was permitted to open in June 2021, Teals had already built up some momentum and it is now functioning as its directors expected in 2022.

“These kinds of businesses work really well when you’re meeting a variety of needs,” says Nick. “Somebody comes in and they just want to have a co ee but they can also pick up their loaf of bread and a card for a birthday.”

Watching Teals’ shop oor in action from the corner of the hospitality area, it’s pretty clear that the site’s o er has broad appeal. The Sin elds analyse this customer base geographically and by age.

MUST-STOCKS

Isle of Wight Tomatoes Still Sisters Frome Gin

Montgomery’s Cheddar Gorges Granola Baboo gelato Holy Cow milk Red Ruby Devon grass-fed beef At the Chapel sourdough Somerset Smokehouse Scotch eggs Cult Jar kimchi

Wild Garden salad

Somerset Charcuterie Fennel Salami

Bruton Dairy organic clotted cream

There are destination shoppers – retired older couples who might travel from as far as 25 miles away – as well as young mums who fall into the “local” category of coming from within a 5-mile radius. And of course, there’s a smattering of people who have used Teals as a pitstop.

“You get a real mix,” says Ash. “It’s not an exclusive destination, it’s for everybody.”

Nick adds: “We’ve set out to be a very inclusive business. Although, we will not be for everybody – and we’re ok with that – we try as much as possible to stay warm and welcoming and be inclusive across our price points and our o er, so guests feel comfortable.”

Especially in the current climate, price is a hot topic in the industry. And is front of mind for the Sin elds and their team, whenever they are assessing new products for the shop or pricing up menu items.

Margins for foodservice sit between 65% and 75% but on the retail side items can o er anything from 15% to 55%.

“Our rst principle is whether something is good value for money,” says Nick. “And if it’s not, we don’t sell it.”

While they try to ensure that there is a range of options to suit budgets – for instance di erent cuts of meat for Sunday roasts – the directors also view retailing and their business through a more ethical prism.

Ever since they opened the doors, the team at Teals has been working towards B-Corp certi cation. While this sustainable accreditation has led to win-wins like the installation of solar panels (covering some 80% of the shop’s energy bill) and making the business more attractive as an employer, the sustainable lters also have to be applied to suppliers. This, of course, can mean increased cost and higher prices.

“The country is not yet in a place where you can go out and ip that message and deprioritise the ‘value for money’ angle for ‘purpose’,” says Nick, referring to Teals’ ethical stance. “Some people get it. The millennials and North Londoners who come in the door, they go for that. But the 60-70-year-olds, they want good value, tasty food and they’re not as interested in other things – and that’s ok.”

The di cult thing for the Sin elds is how to justify the way they do things and their pricing, without preaching but it’s something they’re determined to perfect, along with other areas they’ve identi ed for improvement.

Nick points out that Teals can e ectively be viewed as eight separate businesses and making sure all of these are attended to equally – particularly during summer lunchtime rushes – is still something the team is nessing.

In terms of physical improvements, there are a few measures that should prove bene cial. Nick highlights the deli counter and its stock as the next department for review and there is also a mezzanine area being tted out that will add covers to alleviate those busy periods on the hospitality side.

Meanwhile, Ash is looking forward to the imminent installation of eight electric car charging points. Whatever it does next, Teals seems certain to do so with some very modern energy.

teals.co.uk

Sometimes we get people who are annoyed that we’re not a traditional farm shop, but it doesn’t happen very o en.