12 minute read
Food & Beverage Delivery Services to Enhance Your Guest Experience
Postal Partners: How to offer guests the world, without the work!
From fire side faves like toasted marshmallow kits, to full on, off grid gourmet; this month’s feature will be showcasing the finest selection of possible “postal partners” (meaning food and drink businesses who offer nationwide delivery of their products) for you to share with your guests. We have rounded up an exquisite selection of epicurean entrepreneurs from around the UK who are all poised and ready to post your guests some flavour and fun.
By Martha Fosberry
When we head off on holiday the last thing you want to be doing is slaving over a hot stove, unless you are packing Jamie Oliver in your suitcase. Guests want convenient, experiential cooking experiences, with high quality produce, giving them the chance to treat themselves, unwind and focus on making memories, not the dinner.
As ever, the spotlight is largely on small scale independent businesses from around the UK who have a passion for ethical and sustainable production as well as providing the best food and drink in the business. These are just a few of the thousands of fab postal partners available across the UK; and you don’t always need to go far to find them!
Why not pop into your local bakery, butcher or deli and ask them about delivery options for your site? Or (as suggested in last issue’s outdoor spaces feature), why not pop a few items from local producers in an on site shop to encourage guests to order from local businesses during their stay? However, you choose to consider adding postal partners to your site, you really can’t lose! From postal pizza kits that bring the family together, fresh pies hot from the baker’s oven; or even if it’s just chatting up the local milk man to offer guests a fresh pint of local milk in the morning, the convenience, experience and fun of it all will be worth its weight in gold to your guests.
*Top tip – seek out your local farm shop and discuss hamper / delivery options with them. They are sure to be a fountain of local foodie knowledge.
Snacking is The Best Policy – perfect nibbles to get your glamping party started
Snowdonia Cheese
www.snowdoniacheese.co.uk
These mean cheese making machines create the most delicious range of colourful wax sealed cheeses that “marry an extraordinary depth of flavour with remarkable creaminess”. We love their “Black Bomber”, an extra mature cheddar that packs a punch and their new “Rock Star”, cave aged cheddar, matured in the Welsh slate caverns in the heart of Snowdonia. Also available from their online shop is a range of crackers, oil and chutneys to accompany their cheesy choices. (wax sealed cheese are available in three sizes 200g, 400g or a whopping 2kg and range in price from £4.75 - £37)
Borough Olives
www.borougholives.co.uk
These guys can offer your guests a postal taste of the Med, with everything you need for an al fresco picnic. Choose from a huge range of lip smacking flavours, including earthy black olives with sun-dried tomatoes or fiery green olives stuffed with piri piri (huge selections available ranging from £3.55 for 150g).
Weald Smokery
www.wealdsmokery.co.uk
This award winning smokery has been a small family run businesses for over 35 years. A fish lover’s delight with a huge range of smoked fish & shellfish, meat and cheese, these guys can provide the perfect luxury picnic hamper to accompany your guests on their adventures. You can shop online for items individually (such as their mouth watering sliced Smoked Salmon, available in 100g £8.95 – 400g £29.95 packs or smoked locally sourced mussels 100g £8.50 ) OR your guests could really push the regal boat out and opt for a luxury hamper to celebrate the start of their holiday in style! (Hampers range in size and price according to contents from £108 - £267).
Two Farmers Crisps
www.twofarmers.co.uk
This lovingly created brand was forged by two Herefordshire famers who wanted to diversify their potato farming into a business that gave back to the earth what it was giving them. With their fabulous flavours and pioneering TOTALLY home compostable crisp packaging, this dynamic duo have forged a foodie businesses to be reckoned with. We love their 150g sharing bags available in woodland mushroom & wild garlic, Herefordshire sausage & mustard and many more. (150g sharing bags £2.50 each or splash our on the epic 500g sharing tin for £15)
Two Farmers Crisps
The Main Event – click your way to a conveniently crafted dinner with these suppertime superheroes
Pasta Evangelists
www.pastaevangelists.com
UK based, Italian inspired. These guys are the postal pasta kings and queens! Guests can order a freshly made dish for every day of their stay should they choose, each kit includes everything they need portioned and ready to cook. Ingredients are sourced from the finest Italian suppliers for an authentic taste with each bite. (Kit options include flavours such as; Reginette with Beef Shin & Barolo Wine Ragù OR Vegetarian / Vegan options such as; Pea & Shallot Ravioli with Belazu Garlic Oil and Lemon. And many more – All ranging in price from £3.50 - £10.50 per portion) Currently they are offering 50% off your first two orders if you join their mailing list AND the company also only use 100% recyclable or compostable packaging – Hurrah!
Pasta Evangelists
The Cornish Company
www.thecornishcompany.com
Is there anything more delicious than a traditional cream tea in the sun? In the UK, Cornwall is among the crème de la crème of cream tea creators (Don’t worry Devon, we love you too). Why not suggest a bit of Cornish charm to your guest and introduce them to The Cornish Company, who offer postal cream tea kits so that you can tuck into your favourite Cornish treat wherever you are. (Hampers range from £16.95 - £25.95 and you even have the option to add cheeky pasty or two)
The Cornish Company
Yorkshire Handmade Pies
www.yorkshirehandmadepies.co.uk
Pies, by post! This family run business based in the heart of Yorkshire has been making pies for over a century. Traditional ingredients and locally sourced meat makes for a mean selection of deep filled deliciousness. Now firmly in the 21 century, these age old family fillings are available by post. (A 6 pie mixed taster case ranges in price from £22.50 - £24.50 – Vegetarian and vegan pie selection box also available £22.50).
Yorkshire Handmade Pies
Neal Powell Butchers
www.neilpowell.co.uk
Get those guests grilling! If your site has outdoor cooking areas it would be worth your while befriending a local butcher who can offer BBQ & breakfast hampers to your guests – they are a meat eaters must. Should no one local offer delivery; we love Neal Powell based in Herefordshire who offer a stonking range of meaty postal packages. (The burger box is a BBQ must have at £34.43 or the Summer BBQ special box £48.44 and for the morning after the breakfast club box for four people at £33.38).
Birtellis Postal Pizza Kits
www.birtellis.co.uk
If you have a wood fired pizza oven on site these guys can offer your guests some memory making magic. Simple, delicious and so much fun to put together, these postal pizza kits are spot on for a speedy off grid supper. We love that Birtellis celebrate quality produce from around the UK in their kit range, including spicy Doreset Nduja sausage, English pepperoni from award-winning charcuterie, Cobble Lane Cured in Islington, and so many more. Kits are delivered ready to assemble, all you need to do is get the fire started (or pop the oven on). All of the packaging used is 100% compostable or reusable which is must for any eco conscious outdoor business owner. (Each pizza kit ranges from £10.99 - £12.49 and you currently get a discounts of up to 15% per pizza when building an order online with 2+ pizzas).
Sublime Sweets - tempt your guests to treat themselves
The Naked Marshmallow Company
www.nakedmarshmallow.co.uk
These cheeky chaps have created a really fun range of gourmet marshmallows with some exciting flavour twists. Partnering up with these guys will allow your Glampers to glam-up the fireside tradition of marshmallow toasting with the family. (mini hampers that even include a little toasting fire should you need it, start from £22 and include a dip, S’mores biscuits and two flavour combinations of marshmallows. We also love the look of their new boozy marshmallow collection, 3 packs for £15).
The Naked Marshmallow Company
Conscious Candy Co.
www.consciouscandy.co.uk
Sweet treats galore, straight to the front door. The Conscious Candy Co are one of the UK’s first vegan postal sweet service. Stocking a huge cruelty free range of midnight munchies for your guests to grab. (1kg “pick and mix” bags available for £9.99 plus delivery. All packaging is home compostable)
Conscious Candy Co.
Cutter & Squidge
www.cutterandsquidge.com
The cake-tastic team of sisters behind this family run business sure know their creme-pat from their buttercream. Offering nationwide delivery of delicious postal brownie boxes (vegan options available), afternoon tea hampers and even full on celebration cakes! The postal possibilities are endless with these guys. Perfect if your guests are celebrating birthday celebration while staying at your site. (Brownie and shortbread postal boxes range in price from £15.99 - £28.99 depending on portion size, cake range from £35.99 - £37.99; Currently customers can get 15% off if you take their online survey when making an order.)
Cutter & Squidge
I’ll Drink To That – the best delivery drinks to delight
Artistraw Cider
www.artistraw.co.uk
These Hereford heroes have built their award winning natural cider business (made using no added sugar or sulphates) lovingly one apple at a time. Such care is taken in the production right down to inventing the natural glue used to stick the hand designed labels to the bottles – that love is evident in the taste too, delicious, crisp and refreshing; just what your guests need after a busy day exploring. (A mixed sample case of 5 x 75cl bottles is £80, plus shipping which includes two glasses and a tote bag featuring their signature blue shrew design hand painted by Lydia herself.)
Artistraw Cider
Qwerty Beer Box
www.qwertybeerbox.co.uk
Quirky Qwerty is a new beer box service offering postal delivery on over 1000 independent craft brewers from across the country. Signpost your guests to their website and let them browse the regional brews on offer. (Their “best of Devon” selection containing 8 independent craft beers is currently on sale for only £35.40 or why not head to the South-West and try some of Bristol’s finest independent brews for £28.90 for a selection of 6 bottles).
Qwerty Beer Box
Small is mighty, but big can also be a belter
Here is a small selection of some businesses who offer a larger selection of online goods that can be pre ordered and delivered nationwide; offering a wide range of specially selected products so your guests can stock up for their stay at your site.
The Fine Cheese Company
www.finecheese.co.uk
Also a cheesetastic champion offering a huge range of cheeses, crackers, wine, charcuterie & sweet treats delivered to your door or dome.
The Fine Cheese Company
British Fine Foods
www.britishfinefoods.com
Much like the title suggests; a large online retailer of fine food from across the Britain. Why not push the British boat out and celebrate in style with their “Royal Picnic Hamper” for £75?
British Fine Foods
Artisan Deli Market
www.artisandelimarket.co.uk
Offering a “build your own” online hamper service of goodies for your guest to get stuck into. Dreamy charcuterie & cheeses that please.
Artisan Deli Market
Postal Pantry
www.postalpantry.co.uk
From the basics (tea, toilet roll) to the best (hampers and handmade gifts) these guys have got it covered.
Postal Pantry
The Good Club
www.goodclub.co.uk
As the name suggests, the Good Club have goodness at the heart of their business. Guests can select from a HUGE range of eco, organic and sustainable products – and they can even order in bulk! Saving money and ensuring the cupboards aren’t bare when they return from holiday.
*Please note, this service requires membership
The Good Club
The Vegan Kind
www.thevegankind.com
Similar to the Good Club above, but specialising in only vegan society approved produce.
Riverford Organic
www.riverford.co.uk
These guys have eco credentials that would make a polar bear grin! Usually offering delivery once a week of seasonal, fresh organic fruit, veg, dairy & baked products. They also offer step-by-step meal kits.
Riverford Organic
Daylesford Organic
www.daylesford.com
Daylesford offer the most wonderful range of high quality, organic meat, luxury ready meals, INCREDIBLE hampers, seasonal fruit, veg and dairy. They even offer lifestyle products such as vitamins & juice shot! Just in case guests need a good old detox after your break away.
TOP TIP
If you have a blow-the-budget booking for a large group, celebration or big family get together, why not chum up with a local chef to offer private on site catering? There are online services that can hook you up with a trained local chef who will have references and their own insurance, so guests can dine with peace of mind.
