On the evening of Friday 15 November we went to the VIP opening of Hunt’s Food Outlet in Sherborne. The store combines independent supermarket with a cash and carry will be open to the public and the catering trade. They are offering a wide range of organic produce, including lots of OTB member brands, alongside bulk products, a packaging free refill station with fresh milk vending too.
The company is well known to local residents, as they have served the South West catering industry from their base in Sherborne for over 80 years.
The Hunt’s Food Outlet will supply wholesale products in a friendly retail environment. Unlike other local cash and carrys’, customers do not need an account to shop in the Hunt’s Food Outlet which means everyone is welcome.
Richard Hunt, Managing Director of Hunt’s Foodservice said; “The family business had a shop back in the 1930s and it was a key part of the community. I wanted to be able to offer a unique shopping experience again to the people of Sherborne and I think the new Hunt’s Food Outlet does just that. If its family value packs of meat, frozen veg, vegan mayo or zero packaging your after, the Hunt’s Food Outlet has it al!”
Speaking to local people too, they were excited about the new store, saying that the stock provided included products that they would usually only be able to get in Bristol or London, including organic, fermented and vegan products.
The USP of the store is that shoppers will find organic, vegan, free from, plastic free and fermented, alongside catering size products and all at reasonable prices. They are also listening to what their customers request and adapting their offering to meet demand.
Hunts bought the wholesaler, Queenswood Natural Foods 4 years ago and so many of these products sold, including Queenswood own brands, are available from the Queenswood catalogue.
We are looking forward to see how the store does in coming months, as in a crowded retail sector, in a rural area, they are providing a unique offer.
