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What the
press say
15/11/00
Express & Echo
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Farmers
flock to web firm
A DEVON Internet company is helping farmers sell their produce
direct to the consumer via their own website.
Taste of England, which is based in Cullompton, has attracted nationwide
attention for its innovative scheme which is proving a huge success
with farmers up and down the country.
Farmers approach the company to discuss developing a website to
advertise their goods.
They are then put on a list of more than 800 producers who sell
direct to the customer.
Taste of England's director Roger Mudditt said: "People order
the food using their credit cards and the farmer sends the goods
direct to them fully packaged and in a well insulated box."
A range of other fascilities are available on the site, including
a list of all farmers' markets in the UK.
Roger said: "The farmer gets a decent price for his goods and
the customer gets fresh produce direct from the farm - it cuts out
the middle men."
He said the company also helped farmers to set up their own website.
"These websites not only have a shop but also photographs of
the stock and the people on the farm. It's a bit like a farmers'
market only more convenient," he said.
Organic farmers Chris and Sue Argent, from West Yorkshire, are the
latest farmers to be attracted by the companies expertise.
Sue said: "We noticed that people travelled a long way to reach
our shop and we realised we could reach a lot more people if we
could start a website."
Chris said: "Taste of England had the motivation and drive
to attract us and the site will be especially useful at Christmas
when people are looking for something special."
12/09/00
Mid Devon Gazette
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Tracy's
virtually perfect idea for selling food on the internet
A VIRTUAL delicatessen has just been launched from Cullompton to
bring the advantages of farmers' markets into the living room -
via the Internet.
The 'tasteofengland.co.uk' site has been spearheaded by Tracy Frankpitt,
who played a key role in founding Cullompton Farmers' Market, along
with other directors Roger Mudditt and Richard and Fiona Bentley.
"We've been bowled over by the response to the farmer's market
in Cullompton but have always felt there must be a way of widening
the appeal of the concept," said Mrs Frankpitt, whose family
business is Peverstone cheese in the town.
"The internet gives us an exciting opportunity to do this,
allowing small producers thoughout England to earn badly-needed
extra income though direct sales."
The four have created Taste Direct, which will provide a range of
internet services to small and medium-sized speciality food producers.
The website, its first initiative, will give farmers in the West
Country, the opportunity to sell speciality food and drink direct
to consumers in the UK and abroad.
"People will be able to make virtual tour of the country to
search out unusual and tasty produce and a lot of it is in the West
Country," said Mrs Frankpitt.
Items available include a wide range of unusual meats, such as peacock,
ostrich, crocodile and bison. One of those selling bison is Graeme
Wallace from Hill Farm, near Hemyock.
Tracy and her co-directors are so convinced there is a strong market
for quality food 'direct from farm gate to plate' that they are
offering producers the change to try the site free for a year.
The website has been designed by Mr Mudditt a marketing and internet
specialist.
26/07/00
Western Morning News
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New online
trading for specialist producers
FOOD ON THE NET
A new Internet site has been set up to sell Westcountry
produce and bring the farmers' market concept straight to consumers
via the latest electronic technology.
Tracy Frankpitt, who started Cullompton farmers' market, is behind
the new initiative, called tasteofengland.co.uk,
which is open to producers from across the region and for the first
year is available to sellers free of charge.
"I've always felt there must be a way of bringing the farmers'
market concept to more people, so they can enjoy buying tasty, wholesome
food direct from the producer," she said.
"The Internet gives us an exciting opportunity to do this,
allowing small producers throughout Britain to earn badly needed
income through direct sales."
"We'll be operating a tight monitoring process to ensure that
all of the producers on tasteofengland.co.uk
are offering high quality, fresh goods, produced in England,"
she added.
The range of foods on offer includes kitchen garder preserves,
traditional ginger beer, specialist cheeses, specially cultivated
mushrooms, handmade fudges and smoked meats.
Website browsers will be able to make a virtual tour of England
to search out unusual and tasty produce, the type the could previously
only buy direct from the producer when travelling around the country.
The website is designed to give each product its own destinctve
character rather than using a uniform format. - Anna Browning
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