Every month we publish a Q&A with one of our customers or suppliers from across the South West, this month we focus on one of our longest standing customers Exe Valley Farm Shop.
Exe Valley Farm Shop is a bustling farm shop located in Thorverton just outside Exeter. It has been owned and run by the same family since 1990 and we have been supplying our artisan cheeses, sliced and deli meats and dips and salads there since 2015. However with the launch of their Ruby Red Cafe a few years ago and the influx of new customers due to the Covid-19 pandemic, their requirements changed and orders increased as demand for local produce grew.
We caught up with manager Marion to find out more about how this farm shop works and the people behind it.
Q: How long has Exe Valley Farm Shop been established and if different, when did you start running it?
A: The Exe Valley Farm shop was established over 30 years ago and I (Marion Cann, Manager) started running it in 2018 when it under went a major refurbishment to create the shop and in 2020 we had another large extension to add a larger retail space, deli, butchery, café and function room.
Q: What drew you to working at Exe Valley?
It’s owned by my Auntie and Uncle! It’s great to get stuck into a new challenge and I find it very exciting watching the business grow.
Q: What do you like the most and least about working in the food industry?
The best thing is the variety of new and exciting quality products that are not available in the supermarkets.
The least is it’s sometimes hard to predict sales of short dated items causing wastage.
Q: What three words would you pick to describe Exe Valley Farm Shop?
Local, Friendly, Passionate
Q: If you were putting together a cheeseboard what would be your top 3 cheeses?
Devon Blue, Sharpham Brie, Barnstormer
Q: How has Covid and the numerous lockdowns affected your business?
The customers have been really appreciative of the hard work and dedication that our wonderful staff have given, often putting themselves on the front line to continuing serving the local community.
We gained new customers as we often had items in stock that the supermarkets didn’t.
Q: What are some of your best-selling products?
Cheeses, scotch eggs, our home reared beef, lamb and pork.
Q: Do you regularly look for new stock? Are there any products we don’t currently sell that you’d like to see available?
Yes what about gluten free pies and quality oils? – we are looking for a supplier of gluten free pies and currently stock Bell & Loxton rapeseed oils which are produced here in Devon.
Q: Where is your favourite place to eat locally?
The Keepers Cottage At Kentisbeare.
Q: What is your favourite meal to cook?
Red Ruby Devon steak from the shop and home-cut chips with creamy garlic sauce
Q: As a very valued customer is there anything, we can do better to improve the service you are receiving from us?
Pricing! And dates as sometimes things are shorter dated then ideal. – unfortunately I have no control over pricing but will raise this with our MD. We always endeavour to provide the best dates possible on our products however sometimes things do slip through the cracks, we will try to limit this as much as possible.
Thank you Marion for your time and insight into Exe Valley Farm Shop.
