A new shop in Canonbury is connecting farmers and local suppliers from across the UK to consumers in Islington.
Field to Fork sells a broad range of products from fresh vegetables to organic goods, bought directly from farmers every week.
The shop has recently opened on Southgate Road and is run by married couple Sarah Georgiou and Danny Hooker.
Mrs Georgiou says she was inspired by her parents. “My father has been a butcher since he was 14-years-old and my mum is a greengrocer, we have always been working with local producers. I wanted to take a bit of my dad and a bit of my mum and have a local farm shop,” she said. “It is a dream come true.”
Field to Fork uses a range of suppliers from farms in Kent, Suffolk and Colchester.
“In apple season we go to the farms, collect the apples and they are taken straight to the shelves. When it’s asparagus season, they are cut in the morning and we bring them here in the afternoon. There is no packaging, no intermediary.”
The couple expects the spot to become the local supermarket for the residents in the area and believe that new household patterns can impact the business positively.
“We are changing the way we shop. Families are smaller now and young couples just buy what they need. Big bags of food mean waste,” Mrs Georgiou points out. “We have a lady who comes here to buy one mushroom and half cabbage every evening.”
The manager says the consumers have been responding well to the new enterprise. “People want to know where the products come from and how we found the farmers. We are used to going to the supermarket and buying products we don’t know the origin of. It is nice to show where come from what we sell.”
Credit: Keila Guimaraes
Hi Sarah
I have been trying to contact you regarding Dylan, I am a bit concerned as I have not received his kennel club registration which you said you would be sending to me. I hope that everything is OK if you could call me or email I would be grateful, I have left several messages on the mobile number that I had without any success, also on a different email.
Dylan is doing quite well, but is a nightmare at night, he is growing and is very happy, he is quite a little character. Please let me know about his registration as I have nothing regarding his pedigree, regards and thanks, Judy Danks