HEART of ENGLAND fine foods (HEFF) moved to its new home at Shrewsbury College over the weekend, and officially opened for business on Monday.
The regional food group’s new Local Food Store is more than three times larger than the previous shop at the Shropshire Food Enterprise Centre in Battlefield, which was where HEFF had its administrative headquarters.
But now, thanks to an innovative link up with further education partners Shrewsbury College, HEFF has moved its offices and shop to the London Road site, where it is already serving up locally produced food and drink in its new TASTE Kitchen.
Chief executive of HEFF, Karen Davies MBE, said the move had been a great success and thanked her team for their hard work in ensuring the new food store doors could open this week.
“HEFF has been through a period of really positive change over the past few months, and marks the start of a new and exciting era for us.
“The new Local Food Store has opened this week, it is a huge space which allows us to expand the ranges we offer to our customers and compliments the online food store as well.
“We’re looking forward to welcoming our regular customers and also new customers who will now be able to perhaps more easily access some of the region’s best locally produced food and drink, given the more central location in London Road.”
The move has already proved successful for HEFF’s TASTE Kitchen @Origins, which is open everyday for breakfast, drinks and light bites from 8am to midday and also offers customers a fine food dining experience on Friday and Saturday evenings, as well as a new Sunday lunch menu.
Mrs Davies said: “We have been delighted at the response to our new TASTE Kitchen, particularly at weekends. Word of our talented new executive chef, Mark Riding, has travelled quickly, and Friday and Saturday evening offer a real treat for foodies, as well as supporting our local producers.”
The TASTE Kitchen is now also open for Sunday lunch, offering a roast sharing platter, with enquiries for Mother’s Day bookings already coming in, added Mrs Davies.
Shropshire Live is regulated by