Morrisons has announced the first Yorkshire suppliers to be listed in its stores as part of a programme that aims to put more homegrown food and drink in customer’s homes.
The supermarket first announced the search for more local food and drink makers in February after research found that Yorkshire customers want to see more food and drink made and produced ‘just down the road’ from their communities.
Morrisons is already British farming’s biggest single customer and the company has made sourcing more local food a priority, to reduce the distance food travels, support local communities and respond to regional tastes.
75 Yorkshire suppliers applied to take part in Morrisons local foodmakers programme and the top 20 were then invited to the event at Keighley Town Hall, West Yorkshire where they met Morrisons customers, buyers and the local WI.
Now, the first three local food and drink makers have been selected to be listed in stores around Yorkshire. They are:
• Masons Gin – now in 133 Morrison stores
• Grandma Wild’s Biscuits – now in all Yorkshire stores
• Parrs Foods – now in all Yorkshire stores
Earlier Sheffield dairy farm Our Cow Molly also entered three local Morrisons stores.
The local businesses will be stocked alongside Yorkshire products already ranged in Morrisons such as, Wakefield Rhubarb, Bradford parkin and Yorkshire ham.
Danny Clee, Local Solutions Manager for Yorkshire said: “Morrisons is a Yorkshire business with over 20,000 colleagues in Yorkshire. Our customers tell us they want to see more local food and drink produced in our stores and this programme aims to do just that.
“At our event in Keighley in March, we saw a great range of Yorkshire products and are delighted to welcome the first of our new local suppliers to our stores.”
Morrisons are expected to announce more successful Yorkshire suppliers as part of the programme later this year.
