Sometimes it can be hard to know how to start a conversation with a local business, so this section gives some great ideas you can present to businesses in your area to help them become incredible.
Buying local food
Every business can do their bit for their local economy and community by buying local food. And every business buys food and drink – it might just be the milk in the tea or coffee but this can be local and will put money into a local dairy rather than a supermarket. Other businesses that aren’t in the food business (making or selling food and drink) still buy lots of food. These could include catering for events or meetings; contracts or agreements with sandwich trolleys etc for staff; or corporate entertaining/ dining.
Local food can be seen as a more ethical choice than non local food, so why not also go that extra little bit and swap products that can’t be bought locally for Fairtrade products?
Local businesses supporting each other
Rounton Coffee Roasters are a Speciality Coffee Roasters based in East Rounton, North Yorkshire.
They are suppliers of freshly roasted speciality coffee that is ethically sourced, where a fair and sustainable price has been paid for.
Since the coffee cannot be grown local to Middlesbrough, they apply their ethos to the other products that are sold in their coffee bar and cafe. By having a policy of sourcing as much local produce as possible and always from independent suppliers, they are putting more money back into the local economy, employing local people and supporting other independent traders like themselves. As Rounton Coffee grows they also want other smaller independent businesses to also benefit at the same time.
The local produce they use include eggs, organic milk, biscuits and fresh daily bread exchanged for coffee (instead of using money) from a restaurant two doors down the road!
Rounton Coffee have secured big contracts to supply Teesside University with coffee in their food outlets and Middlesbrough Council’s Live Well Centre. Securing contracts such as this means that Rounton Coffee can grow and continue to follow their ethos and support the local economy.
A lot of people are employed by businesses, and therefore if these businesses can put up a poster or circulate an email promoting buying local food or a local food initiative (market or food trail etc) to staff and clients, the reach would be tremendous.
And if this business buys local food or drink, get them to be proud of buying local and get them to tell everyone, via social media, newsletter etc. It will mean so much to independent businesses and they may pick up business through being recommended. The business is then a part of that positive movement and may also benefit as people might choose them over another as they are doing their bit for the local economy and community.
Do you have some land (it doesn’t have to be big), some flower beds that are only growing weeds or a raised bed or two that you can allow an Incredible Edible group to grow some fruit or veg in? This is a great way to improve your profile in the community, with clients and on social media, get your premises looking better and potentially reduce your ground maintenance costs. You staff could get involved, and you could all benefit from having lovely fresh produce to pick and eat.
Another way to improve your profile in the community and get some very cheap positive publicity is to sponsor a disused planter or growing space within your vicinity. It’s a very quick and easy way to do some CSR. Similarly to the above, you could support your staff to get involved. With a bit of help, your local Incredible Edible group could take this little project on and get other businesses involved.
