Food and Drink

Dorset Blue Vinny Cheese

Delivering Dorset Food

Dorset’s chocolate fills the shelves of Harrods, its cheese is sold in the food halls at Harvey Nicks, and its meat is used by top chefs around the UK. Yet until recently, producers have found it difficult to get their food to the dozens of delis and restaurants around the county.

Alan Stockley and Angie Roberts

Weymouth firm Roberts has decided to make a difference. It’s a small, family-run company that already delivers other types of products to Dorset’s catering industry.

I met Angie Roberts among the tables of Dorset cheese, cakes and chocolate at the Langton Arms in Tarrant Monckton. She explained why it made sense for her firm to expand into the local food market.

“Chefs in restaurants around the county really wanted to source local food. They were fed up of plastic cheese and limp vegetables from outside but didn’t have the time to go to individual farm shops.”

“We already had a network of contacts and four delivery vans, so we decided to help bring local producers and chefs together.”

Many local producers have already signed up to the scheme. Sarah Chaffey from Dorset Farms explains why: “Our main clientele is in London. We supply ham and bacon to Harrods and Harvey Nichols but have found it difficult to deliver to the local market. We’re hoping this will solve the problem.”

Emily Davies with her Dorset Blue Cheese

Small producers often face a dilemma. It is impossible for many of them to supply the quantities required by the supermarkets. Yet it’s hard to make a profit from running a farm shop or visiting a weekly farmers’ market.

That’s why Emily Davies from the Dorset Blue Cheese Company is endorsing the new scheme: “It might be easier to sell our produce to a supermarket but I can’t think of anything worse. I’d much rather supply local stores and maintain the speciality of our product.”

The pressures on local producers have grown over the past few years, according to Patrick Gibb who runs Bridfish. “I started out in trout farming 30 years ago and now supply all types of fish to local delis and restaurants. But there’s just more and more admin to get through. I really feel we’ve gone over the top with labelling.”

One chef trying to support local producers is Mike Feasey, a food critic, broadcaster and organic food specialist who moved from London to Dorset five years ago. He is now head chef at The Brace of Pheasants in Plush.

Mike Feasey's raspberry tart

“Dorset has spearheaded the organic food movement. There’s so much knowledge here and a variety of different soils. As a result there’s a whole wealth of food in the county - from blackberries to chillies.

“But many organic producers are tiny – just one man and his dog. Often without the dog. They can’t afford the official stamp from the Soil Association. So we need to find those producers and nurture them.”