Shop local and reduce waste
Click and collect with NeighbourFood Comrie
We really love that NeighbourFood allows local farmers and producers to take on the supermarkets in terms of the convenience ...
Nino Battersby
Local producers have got together to form a new way of shopping for fresh food that ensures their customers stay safe and promotes the ‘shop local’ ethos in the Strath.
Called NeighbourFood Comrie, it’s the equivalent of an online farmers’ market.
Those behind the initiative say their mission is to bring the best produce to customers’ tables, support local food producers and build a community around delicious food.
Customers can choose from a wide range of local produce, including Strathearn Cheese, Wild Hearth sourdough bread and pastries, Tomnah’a seasonal fruit and veg and Hugh Grierson’s organic meats.
Other producers and products featured include Buddy Kombucha’s fermented tea, as well as Linton and Co’s luxury brownies.
The order book is open until a Wednesday night and then, on a Friday or Saturday, customers collect their food from local host, Comrie Croft.
All of the products listed in a NeighbourFood market are grown or produced by local farmers or artisan producers, or are sourced from the nearest organic producers out of season.
The sale of any large-scale commercially grown vegetables, non-organic imported fruit or vegetables, genetically modified products, intensively reared meat, imported fish or battery eggs is not permitted to be sold at a NeighbourFood market.
Customer Andrew Thompson from Comrie thinks it’s a great idea and has already been making use of the service.
He said: “Being in lockdown, the NeighbourFood market has been great.
“It has allowed us to avoid the risks of supermarket food shopping, and enabled us to support a wide range of local producers.
“The NeighbourFood market has made some top quality fresh staple foods easily available. As a bonus the market has introduced us to interesting ready meals and some special treats produced locally to fend off the Covid blues.
“It works really well. It’s such a good idea that we will definitely continue to use it once things return to normal.”
Nino Battersby from Comrie Croft commented: “We really love that NeighbourFood enables local farmers and producers to take on the supermarkets in terms of the convenience, while ensuring that producers get 80 per cent of the retail price rather than as low as 15 per cent they receive if supplying a supermarket.”
Drew Watson from Strathearn Cheese said: “It’s great to have a mutually beneficial relationship with our customers, other producers and the market hosts at Comrie Croft.”