Made In Northamptonshire
The Mallows Company set up the countywide networking group, Made In Northamptonshire (MIN), designed to bring like-minded businesses from the food and drink sector together in a supportive setting.
MIN operates through a multi stakeholder cooperative, and is aimed at:
• Producers wishing to find new markets and to work collaboratively
• Retail outlets wanting to sell the ‘best of Northamptonshire’
• Chefs and eateries looking to source good local produce
• County food and drink firms which support local business
• Those who love the ‘buy local’ philosophy
MIN was launched in January 2011 and now meets quarterly, offering members the chance to gain access to grants and other financial support and receive free advice and information from sector partners as well as the opportunity to share expertise and work collaboratively.
Annual membership of MIN is £80.
MIN members should be registered and producing in the county.
MIN has already enjoyed a number of successes including finding new outlets for county produce, helping retailers to source local products and thereby reducing ‘food miles’ and has attracted praise including from the Campaign to Protect Rural England for its efforts in promoting the excellence on its doorstep. It distributes and monitors use of the MIN logo, a county ‘kite-mark’ for producers, retailers and venues stocking and serving local produce and also produces an annual directory of Northamptonshire producers and suppliers. To view and/or download the 2019/20 directory, which has over 140 listings of everything from local drinks to butchers, bakers to farm shops, please click here
Find Made In Northamptonshire on Facebook®
“MIN has been a fantastic way for the business to grow thanks to the many networking opportunities it has offered over the last few years. Through MIN meetings we have met everyone from stockists to event organisers, providing plenty of growth potential. Outside of the meetings, MIN never stops working, for example in constantly opening doors to suitable, helpful press and advertising streams.”
Ian Horton – Ganders Goat, Cottingham
Made In Northamptonshire and BigBarn Food Map
MIN has been working closely with BigBarn’s founder Anthony Davison to establish a designated Northamptonshire platform and add to the local food map (below) that is also on 90+ other websites.
BigBarn is an online food and drink retailer and is the UK’s number 1 local food website which currently lists some 7,000 producers and 3,500 visitors UK wide and encourages us to build a local, social, sustainable food industry.
Even if you already have your own sales platform or website this is a route that very much helps to promote local food and is a cheap and effect way of promoting your own products and winning local and national customers.
Joining BigBarn via MIN entitles you to a reduced cost of £60 + VAT/six months.
For more information please give Lyn a call on 01933 664437.
A: 23 High Street, Bozeat, Northamptonshire, NN29 7NF
T: 01933 664437
E: info@themallowscompany.com
