Hospice boosts its funds – with food
AWeStCountRy hospice is expanding into the food preparation and delivery busines to raise funds for its work caring for the terminally ill.
Rowcroft Hospice serves the community throughout South Devon. now it has established the Devon Farm Kitchen food delivery business with a pledge to give every penny of profits to support the torquay hospice.
The team behind the venture say they hope Rowcroft’s crew of friendly drivers will help it grow into Devon’s number one food delivery business
The fresh-frozen meals have been created by a top chef with the help of dietitians to help keep the community healthy, and Rowcroft hopes they will transform mealtimes for many people.
Family favourites on the menu will include locally sourced roast beef and yorkshire pudding, sausage and mash, and Brixham fish pie.
International dishes include Thai fishcakes and vegetable curry, while the dessert menu ranges from lemon curd pudding to sticky toffee pudding, chocolate and walnut pudding to a choice of Langage Farm ice creams.
A spokesman for Rowcroft said the scheme will drive much-needed income into providing care for people with life-limiting illnesses in South Devon, and added: “Devon Farm Kitchen will be offering a range of high-quality and ‘deliciously satisfying’ hand-made dishes to provide wholesome and nutritional support to those that need this service in the region.
“Meals have been carefully developed with Peter Gorton, a Fellow of the MasterChefs of Great Britain and one of Devon’s finest chefs. Devon Farm Kitchen is all about giving something back to society in creating profits that will help sustain the vital service Rowcroft Hospice provide patients across South Devon.”
The fresh-frozen meals have been developed with the help of registered dietitians, Sarah Jones and Debs Howland, who said: “We have been delighted to be involved in such an exciting project, not only to support Rowcroft Hospice but also the nutrition of the people around us in our community.
“Food is very close to our hearts. The importance of the food we choose is wide-ranging and not only for energy and strength but also for the healthy functioning of the immune system, maintaining independence and mental health, as well as supporting healing and recovery when needed.”
Mark Hawkins, chief executive of Rowcroft Hospice, said: “Devon Farm Kitchen will transform meal times for many people and our distribution delivery service forms a vital component of the Devon Farm Kitchen proposition. We are proud to go above and beyond, using our own friendly and well-trained delivery drivers, all of whom are there to support customers with the exciting range of meals and desserts, the nutritional benefits of each dish, and cooking instructions.”
Devon Farm Kitchen launches on March 22. Telephone: 01803 217477.
APLYMOUTH tech firm has seen its turnover hit £2.5million as the coronavirus pandemic created an e-commerce boom.
IT and investment company Vertical Plus saw nearly all of its 50 client businesses generate increased sales due to the demand for home shopping.
The company, headquartered at Plymouth Science Park, invests in e-commerce businesses with potential and in return gets a percentage of their sales.
This investment includes building clients’ platforms, their inventory and their market edge by providing allencompassing strategic consultancy, inventory and technical support.
“It’s performance-based selling,” said sales director Justin Smith.
David Gadd, Vertical Plus chief executive, said: “We think of ourselves as investors. Some call us an agency, some call us an IT company, but we don’t give them (partner firms) cash, but do give a website and fully managed service.”
Clients include Plymouth-based and national firms such as Roof Giant, jewellery company Catherine Best, and The Pet Express. With lockdown forcing the closure of “non-essential” retailers Vertical Plus has seen its clients’ e-commerce turnover hit £25million through its platform.
Mr Gadd said 48 of the firm’s 50 clients had seen turnover double during the past year. He said: “The increase in turnover for most of our partners has double and in some cases trebled.
“So it’s been a successful year for us, we did not expect to hit these sales figures until 2024/5, so it has brought our growth forward three years.”
That is not to say there are not pitfalls and challenges ahead but Mr Gadd said Vertical Plus now has a wealth of experience in the e-commerce sector and knows how to make a success of it. And its commissiononly business model means it only makes cash if a client does. “If turnover can double overnight, it can half over night,” Mr Gadd said. But he doesn’t think the end of lockdown will hurt e-commerce, if the experience of summer 2020 is a guide.
“When the last lockdown ended, turnover carried on,” he said. “At our peak we were treble (turnover), the average was double, but out of lockdown it was still a 75% to 80% increase. We think it will stay that when we are not in lockdown.
“We are wondering what happens when retailers can reopen, but it’s clear some big retailers were vulnerable and will not be back on the high street.”
Vertical Plus employs 28 developers, inventory specialists and consultants, most of them local to Plymouth. And it has already supported several local charities and wants to help more.
It has been involved in a European Union funded project helping additional businesses in the South West to achieve their growth potential by providing free consultancy.
“We had 500,000 euros so we could give free advice to local businesses,” Mr Gadd said. “The project ends in July, but has enabled a further 12 businesses to grow and we are still looking to see how many more of these sorts of businesses we can bring onboard.”
Vertical Plus is looking for new partners outside of this project. Mr Gadd says: “We have worked with some e-commerce companies for 10 years, but have taken on some new ones. The focus for us now is to try to bring in new entrepreneurs in Plymouth with good brands, great ideas and ambition so we can work with them to grow.”