Farm shop - anyone in this industry?
Discussion
Ravendere Retreats is going well, our next (and last) build underway soon, and my attention has been grabbed by the idea of a good farm shop locally and think It would be a winner.
We are in a very popular tourist destination, mix of caravan parks, and multi million pound beachside mansions, getting more and more populated, and year on year, less and less availability in the holiday lets, The seasons are also extending, with more and more people coming down Feb-October, then over xmas and new year. Then on top of that we obviously have the locals, who are a rural bunch, who also like to shop independent, and 2nd home owners from that there London.
I'm possibly thinking about branching out into a glamping site, and these often have shops/cafes anyway, so by combining them, I could have the farm shop/cafe/deli/bar open to the glampers, but vitally, open to the public all year too.
Im not thinking a small log cabin, I'm thinking a large, almost small supermarket size place, with parking, covered seating area, hot and cold food and gins/cake/coffee for the ladies that lunch crowd
I've made a good number of contacts recently, from good local butchers, to farmers, to craft beer/gin shops, so I'm kind of imagining this being a shared collaboration shop, I own the premises and business name, and I outsource all of the skilled, experience based rolls to people that know their stuff, the butchers counter to a butcher, fresh bread supplied by a local bakery, the beer/wine/gin section is stocked and maintained by that company (with a agreed % at the tills), cafe/deli/bar owner to do the same, then I take on the main sundries element of the shop in house.
All we have around here are Tesco's and Co-ops, so there is no waitrose or other farm shops to speak of.
Thoughts?
We are in a very popular tourist destination, mix of caravan parks, and multi million pound beachside mansions, getting more and more populated, and year on year, less and less availability in the holiday lets, The seasons are also extending, with more and more people coming down Feb-October, then over xmas and new year. Then on top of that we obviously have the locals, who are a rural bunch, who also like to shop independent, and 2nd home owners from that there London.
I'm possibly thinking about branching out into a glamping site, and these often have shops/cafes anyway, so by combining them, I could have the farm shop/cafe/deli/bar open to the glampers, but vitally, open to the public all year too.
Im not thinking a small log cabin, I'm thinking a large, almost small supermarket size place, with parking, covered seating area, hot and cold food and gins/cake/coffee for the ladies that lunch crowd
I've made a good number of contacts recently, from good local butchers, to farmers, to craft beer/gin shops, so I'm kind of imagining this being a shared collaboration shop, I own the premises and business name, and I outsource all of the skilled, experience based rolls to people that know their stuff, the butchers counter to a butcher, fresh bread supplied by a local bakery, the beer/wine/gin section is stocked and maintained by that company (with a agreed % at the tills), cafe/deli/bar owner to do the same, then I take on the main sundries element of the shop in house.
All we have around here are Tesco's and Co-ops, so there is no waitrose or other farm shops to speak of.
Thoughts?
Sounds similar idea to loch leven’s larder ? Tho this is farm based.
Does really well.
https://www.lochlevenslarder.com/
Does really well.
https://www.lochlevenslarder.com/
I'm not in the business but I am a BBQ enthusiast and groups like Country Wood Smoke on FB are always promoting Local Farm shops etc. so it's worth joining that and having a look around. It'll link you into the selling pages too.
As an FYI there's a local Farm Shop up here just outside of Edinburgh, they used to only supply restaurants but branched out to serve Joe Public due to lock down and they can't keep up with demand, especially now the restaurants are up and running again!! The produce is outstanding though.
As an FYI there's a local Farm Shop up here just outside of Edinburgh, they used to only supply restaurants but branched out to serve Joe Public due to lock down and they can't keep up with demand, especially now the restaurants are up and running again!! The produce is outstanding though.
Likewise, not in the business but would suggest incorporating a delivery element which has taken off due to covid.
My local fruit and veg shop really took off during lock down as they stepped up and supported the local community with deliveries - post covid, they have held onto a lot of their customers due to this.
The other suggestion would be hampers which could be given as gifts as well as seasonal ones - Easter, Xmas etc.
My local fruit and veg shop really took off during lock down as they stepped up and supported the local community with deliveries - post covid, they have held onto a lot of their customers due to this.
The other suggestion would be hampers which could be given as gifts as well as seasonal ones - Easter, Xmas etc.
This guy seems to have some good farm shop ideas: https://youtu.be/TGZsBfUQ3J4
Don't underestimate how fickle people are. Everyone will tell you it's a fantastic idea and can't wait for you to open, but if there's a Tesco within 10 miles they'll go there if they're 5 pence cheaper than you. Quality doesn't come into it for the vast majority of folks.
Edited by Lemming Train on Thursday 3rd September 00:14
Lemming Train said:
Don't underestimate how fickle people are. Everyone will tell you it's a fantastic idea and can't wait for you to open, but it's there a Tesco within 10 miles they'll go there if they're 5 pence cheaper than you. Quality doesn't come into it for the vast majority of folks.
Do you just spread misery, bulls
t and conspiracy theories around every thread? To respond to the OP:
Farm shops around us (semi rural/commutable to London) do very well. Would imagine of you’re somewhere with lots of holiday lets and second home owners you’d have a ready market.
Only thing to consider is seasonality. You need a core of local customers (or do you, you could maybe only open for peak months, but that may, or may not, be an issue with all or some suppliers) with the holiday lot on top. I’d look at as the locals covering the costs, the holiday crowd providing the profit. It’s obviously not quite as simplistic as that but the holiday makers are more likely to be regular buyers of your premium/high profit margin items than the locals where margins may be lower but you’ll get a decent turnover and be able to cover the lean months.
Hi Kieran... sounds like a great idea. I know it’s a way from you but we are down in Port Gaverne at the moment and there isn’t a great deal of high end produce shops, except for fish and seafood of course. A one stop shop for fantastic locally sourced produce would be excellent.
I did see a delivery van today in polzeath that was a food supplier for holiday lets, which I thought was a great idea and shows there must be a market for that type of thing. It’s always a pain trying to get decent produce when you are away in these small little nooks of Cornwall/Devon when you don’t know the areas too well.
To be able to offer food packages for your treehouse and next place would be amazing too, a bit like those “recipe” delivery services where you get everything you need to cook x y or z and instructions.
I think the Glamping idea is a great one too, although I am sure you can come up with something a bit more quirky and luxury than a teepee in a field.
Up to ilfracombe tomorrow, soooo near yet so far
Rich.
I did see a delivery van today in polzeath that was a food supplier for holiday lets, which I thought was a great idea and shows there must be a market for that type of thing. It’s always a pain trying to get decent produce when you are away in these small little nooks of Cornwall/Devon when you don’t know the areas too well.
To be able to offer food packages for your treehouse and next place would be amazing too, a bit like those “recipe” delivery services where you get everything you need to cook x y or z and instructions.
I think the Glamping idea is a great one too, although I am sure you can come up with something a bit more quirky and luxury than a teepee in a field.
Up to ilfracombe tomorrow, soooo near yet so far
Rich.
Are you the guy in Lee?
Was down there paddleboarding on Monday.
If you are...is there enough local population to keep the shop going over the winter? It's not a place that will get much or any passing trade out of season.
Farm Shops were definitely popular in the area a few years back, with loads popping up, but quite a few have closed too - one at Coulsworthy and one at Arlington are both gone now.
On the plus side, Lee beach was busy on Monday with lots of locals (we saw our neighbors there) and if there had been a cafe/pizza/fish and chips/takeaway place available we would all have been staying for a bit of dinner, so there is definitely some scope for improved facilities in the village.
Was down there paddleboarding on Monday.
If you are...is there enough local population to keep the shop going over the winter? It's not a place that will get much or any passing trade out of season.
Farm Shops were definitely popular in the area a few years back, with loads popping up, but quite a few have closed too - one at Coulsworthy and one at Arlington are both gone now.
On the plus side, Lee beach was busy on Monday with lots of locals (we saw our neighbors there) and if there had been a cafe/pizza/fish and chips/takeaway place available we would all have been staying for a bit of dinner, so there is definitely some scope for improved facilities in the village.
Do you have the space for something for kids?, e.g. a Vietnamese pot bellied pig or a few meerkats and an adventure playground might make it more an enjoyable family day out rather a necessary trip to the shops.
Are you going to try to sell everything a family typically would buy in Tesco's? If someone's going to have to go to Tesco's because they need e.g. some washing up liquid, then they might buy all their other things there for convenience rather than make a separate trip. Maybe get a (possibly local "eco") supplier of this sort of stuff on board.
Are you going to make it "premium and expensive" or competitive on price? If too expensive, people will go for a special occasion but not regularly.
Are you going to make anything of being "green"?
Can you get an electric car charging point? - if someone's charging their car then they will stay with you for an hour or so.
To what extent is the customer going to see a "Market" with lots of stalls for independent traders or a "Supermarket" with a consistent experience across the shop?
Are you going to try to sell everything a family typically would buy in Tesco's? If someone's going to have to go to Tesco's because they need e.g. some washing up liquid, then they might buy all their other things there for convenience rather than make a separate trip. Maybe get a (possibly local "eco") supplier of this sort of stuff on board.
Are you going to make it "premium and expensive" or competitive on price? If too expensive, people will go for a special occasion but not regularly.
Are you going to make anything of being "green"?
Can you get an electric car charging point? - if someone's charging their car then they will stay with you for an hour or so.
To what extent is the customer going to see a "Market" with lots of stalls for independent traders or a "Supermarket" with a consistent experience across the shop?
Thanks for your helpful and encouraging posts all,
To cover off a few points:
Yes delivery rounds are a great idea, especially for the holiday lets and locals with repeat weekly orders
Agreed people are fickle, and to another poster, i know a few farm shops have popped up and gone, but they were half assed attempts in a garden shed, so at no point would you be able to actually rely on them for any kind of substance, its a long trip out for a pack of bacon when you need to go elsewhere for the rest of your essentials. Popped into a local "farm shop" at stowford medows at the weekend, it was worse than a londis, buckets and spades, long life milk, plastic souvenirs, mars bars and papers, and one fridge at the back with some local packaged bacon and sausages. They sold "hot food" which was frozen sausage rolls so terrible i had to bin it, and im not fussy!
85 Carrerra, yes agreed that getting a great local customer base year round would be core to the business, pay the wages and bills, then the holiday crowd in the seasons to really elevate it.
Also on costing, it wouldn't be pull your pants down expensive, but also wouldn't compete with tesco, somewhere between, premium produce for 'reasonable' money. We would also keep a stock of basics, loo roll, eco washing up produce etc so if they didnt want to, there would be no need for a tesco shop.
As for location for those that know the area, or even come to stay with us (hi and thanks
) im not thinking lee bay, as its a bit of a non through/dead end, probably more Braunton way, thats a main cut through for Cryode, Saunton, Woolacombe, Ilfracombe etc, so people come through there in their thousands each day.
Yes to electric car charging points, yes to a big play park outside and perhaps a small animal pen area. Would also make sure the car park was caravan friendly, bike friendly, motorbike friendly.
As for the market/consistant shop feel, the fact there is one till, rather than lots of small traders, one trolley etc, i think it would feel like a cohesive shop rather than a market, not that i think that would be a bad thing anyway, farmers markets are huge business too!
To cover off a few points:
Yes delivery rounds are a great idea, especially for the holiday lets and locals with repeat weekly orders
Agreed people are fickle, and to another poster, i know a few farm shops have popped up and gone, but they were half assed attempts in a garden shed, so at no point would you be able to actually rely on them for any kind of substance, its a long trip out for a pack of bacon when you need to go elsewhere for the rest of your essentials. Popped into a local "farm shop" at stowford medows at the weekend, it was worse than a londis, buckets and spades, long life milk, plastic souvenirs, mars bars and papers, and one fridge at the back with some local packaged bacon and sausages. They sold "hot food" which was frozen sausage rolls so terrible i had to bin it, and im not fussy!
85 Carrerra, yes agreed that getting a great local customer base year round would be core to the business, pay the wages and bills, then the holiday crowd in the seasons to really elevate it.
Also on costing, it wouldn't be pull your pants down expensive, but also wouldn't compete with tesco, somewhere between, premium produce for 'reasonable' money. We would also keep a stock of basics, loo roll, eco washing up produce etc so if they didnt want to, there would be no need for a tesco shop.
As for location for those that know the area, or even come to stay with us (hi and thanks
) im not thinking lee bay, as its a bit of a non through/dead end, probably more Braunton way, thats a main cut through for Cryode, Saunton, Woolacombe, Ilfracombe etc, so people come through there in their thousands each day. Yes to electric car charging points, yes to a big play park outside and perhaps a small animal pen area. Would also make sure the car park was caravan friendly, bike friendly, motorbike friendly.
As for the market/consistant shop feel, the fact there is one till, rather than lots of small traders, one trolley etc, i think it would feel like a cohesive shop rather than a market, not that i think that would be a bad thing anyway, farmers markets are huge business too!
I would say that if you managed to cater for coeliac's you'd be laughing.
Went to North Yorkshire last week and went to a few farm shops, the mother in law is a coeliac and loves a sausage (ahem) but often can't find any from farm shops that do it. And it's not like it's a purely coeliac thing to provide. Provide sausages that are 95/97% pork content. That's it. But was surprising to see how many farm shops don't do this.
Went to North Yorkshire last week and went to a few farm shops, the mother in law is a coeliac and loves a sausage (ahem) but often can't find any from farm shops that do it. And it's not like it's a purely coeliac thing to provide. Provide sausages that are 95/97% pork content. That's it. But was surprising to see how many farm shops don't do this.
If you are ever travelling near Northampton then you shoud visit
https://www.beckworthemporium.com
This is just as you have described. The butchers and other trades buy space and there is a large selection of fresh and upmarket frozen food.It has a restaurant that does anything from full english breakfast to afternoon teas.
At Christmas in the past they have had a iceskating rink which appears to be poulated by the whole of Northanptonshire school children with parents ambling about purchinsing food and Christmas "tat".
It is very well setup and although in the middle of the countryside is near both Northampton, Wellingborough and Kettering all affluent towns.
It is most definitely a destination place
No link to them just admire their business model !
https://www.beckworthemporium.com
This is just as you have described. The butchers and other trades buy space and there is a large selection of fresh and upmarket frozen food.It has a restaurant that does anything from full english breakfast to afternoon teas.
At Christmas in the past they have had a iceskating rink which appears to be poulated by the whole of Northanptonshire school children with parents ambling about purchinsing food and Christmas "tat".
It is very well setup and although in the middle of the countryside is near both Northampton, Wellingborough and Kettering all affluent towns.
It is most definitely a destination place
No link to them just admire their business model !
Edited by Redarress on Thursday 3rd September 09:57
Get in with the local letting companies to allow holidaymakers to preorder.
They can arrive to the fridge packed and a nice food box on the table.
Be sensible about pricing. Our local farm shops are reasonably priced for meat (it is good quality) but the veg is about 3x the price of the supermarkets, not kept chilled and not obviously any fresher / tastier.
Don't rule out a freezer full of ready food (another opportunity for home made...) as people aren't always in the mood to cook.
They can arrive to the fridge packed and a nice food box on the table.
Be sensible about pricing. Our local farm shops are reasonably priced for meat (it is good quality) but the veg is about 3x the price of the supermarkets, not kept chilled and not obviously any fresher / tastier.
Don't rule out a freezer full of ready food (another opportunity for home made...) as people aren't always in the mood to cook.
The other source of inspiration I would suggest is Gloucester Services.
OK, it's a motorway service station but it incorporates a farm shop which is relevant.
Plenty of articles and videos about for you to research.
Looking forward to a separate thread if you do decide to pursue this.
OK, it's a motorway service station but it incorporates a farm shop which is relevant.
Plenty of articles and videos about for you to research.
Looking forward to a separate thread if you do decide to pursue this.
Since "lockdown", my OH has started using loads of smaller local businesses for "extras" but the most important thing is delivery.
She'll still use Tesco home delivery for all the basics, but we use a local butcher (also makes fantastic pies) , local baker, woman that makes cakes, other shop that does "short shelf life" stuff etc.
A lot of them have come from recommendations on Facebook so this is something to think about.
Something else to consider is local holiday let (cottage) owners. Some years back we used to visit a cottage in the Scottish Highlands - about 25 miles from the nearest supermarket. The owner of the cottage had worked something out with a local shop - they provided a list (including meats from local suppliers) and we faxed it to him (I did say it was a few years ago!). When we turned up at the cottage, all the shopping was already there with the frozen stuff in the freezer - brilliant!
She'll still use Tesco home delivery for all the basics, but we use a local butcher (also makes fantastic pies) , local baker, woman that makes cakes, other shop that does "short shelf life" stuff etc.
A lot of them have come from recommendations on Facebook so this is something to think about.
Something else to consider is local holiday let (cottage) owners. Some years back we used to visit a cottage in the Scottish Highlands - about 25 miles from the nearest supermarket. The owner of the cottage had worked something out with a local shop - they provided a list (including meats from local suppliers) and we faxed it to him (I did say it was a few years ago!). When we turned up at the cottage, all the shopping was already there with the frozen stuff in the freezer - brilliant!
I used to work with a guy who resigned and has bought a established farm shop.
The whole corona virus has worked out really well for them , they began doing home deliveries and as the shielding has come to a end the majority of the customers have carries on using the farm shop.
There located on a small rural trading estate next to a heritage railway, so normally that would help as well.
The whole corona virus has worked out really well for them , they began doing home deliveries and as the shielding has come to a end the majority of the customers have carries on using the farm shop.
There located on a small rural trading estate next to a heritage railway, so normally that would help as well.
SpeedBash said:
The other source of inspiration I would suggest is Gloucester Services.
OK, it's a motorway service station but it incorporates a farm shop which is relevant.
Plenty of articles and videos about for you to research.
Looking forward to a separate thread if you do decide to pursue this.
I was going to suggest Darts farm which is a bit more local (but far enough away for them to not be bothered about competition)OK, it's a motorway service station but it incorporates a farm shop which is relevant.
Plenty of articles and videos about for you to research.
Looking forward to a separate thread if you do decide to pursue this.
https://www.dartsfarm.co.uk/
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