Local Food Sales Top £1 million in Asda's North East stores ( August 2006)

The demand for locally-produced food in Asda's 20 North East stores has shot up in recent months and sales are now running at over £1 million a year, according to Northumbria Larder, the regional food group.

The announcement came as Asda staged a month-long celebration of all things local in its regional stores.

According to Newcastle-based AHG Management Limited, which in partnership with The Corbridge Larder runs the Asda ' hub ' in the North East on behalf of Northumbria Larder, new growth has been driven by three County Durham milk businesses - Acorn Dairies, of Darlington; Rock Farm Dairy, Wheatley Hill; and Lanchester Dairies, of Lanchester.
" Including milk sales, we have 27 local producers selling over £20,000 a week in Asda stores compared with a figure of just £5,000 only a year ago, " said Geoff Wright, Managing Director of AHG Management. " Some of our suppliers have tripled their sales in a matter of months. "

He added that local sourcing had started in November 2002 when the first delivery of six lines was made to Asda's then new store in Bishop Auckland and has grown steadily since.

Northumbria Larder has provided both financial and practical suppport for the Asda ' hub ', including funding the services of Judith Adams as AHG Management's account manager for the project. It also supports the logistics operation run by Dick and Sue Moules of The Corbridge Larder, who handle all the paperwork and timetabling to ensure that the local food suppliers get their orders to Asda on time and in the right quantities.

Judith Adams says they are continually looking for new local products and word is spreading about the success of the Asda tie-up. " We have come up with nine new suppliers in the past 12 months and some of our existing suppliers are also introducing new lines. "