Local flavour for Co-op

The Co-operative Food store in Malvern Link in Herefordshire is giving its customers a taste of local produce, with apples grown a few miles away at the Co-operative Farm in Tillington.

Farm manager William Barnett, who has been growing fruit for over 30 years, delivers apples to the store several times a week, to ensure the produce is kept at its most fresh.

Barnett plans to supply the store with the most ripe varieties throughout the season - whilst at the moment, the store is stocking Cox, varieties due to appear through the rest of the season include Red Windsor, Worcester and Spartan. The store will ensure that the name of the apple is displayed next to the fruit, so customers know which variety is instore.

The 800-acre farm at Tillington is part of the Co-op’s farming business, which supplies products including potatoes, strawberries, flour and frozen peas to selected Co-op stores.

Gary Heason, the Malvern Link store’s manager said: “Having fresh apples delivered from the nearby Co-operative farm is great for our customers, who are interested in the food that is grown locally. We also sell Co-operative Tillington Hill Premium Dry Cider, made from apples grown at the same farm.”

Barnett added: “I’m pleased to be able to help provide shoppers at Malvern link with the opportunity to buy locally-grown apples. It means they can buy just-picked, high-quality, seasonal fruit, knowing that it has only traveled a few miles from where it was grown on the farm.”