Simonstone businessman's mission to cut food miles (From Lancashire Telegraph)
When news happens, text LT and your photos and videos to 80360. Or contact us by email or phone.
|
JOIN THE DEBATE BY ADDING YOUR COMMENTS ON THESE STORIES Registering to post comments on the Lancashire Telegraph website only takes a few seconds. Click here to go to the registration page. |
Simonstone businessman's mission to cut food miles
9:00am Sunday 5th September 2010 in
-
- By Nazia Parveen » Reporter
LAMB reared in Clitheroe, bacon from Barrowford and Bowland Forest eggs – a Padiham businessman has joined the bid to reduce food miles.
Sourcing all his goods from local producers Gavin Lunniss, who previously worked as an engineer at defence giant BAE, is using his experience in logistics to make a success of his four-week-old business, Local Foods 2 U Limited.
The 32-year-old, who lives with his partner Lisa and their two children, Mia Rose, 2, and Leo,7, embarked on the venture after becoming frustrated with the world-wide nature of the food he purchased in supermarkets.
Three years later he began a five-month trial to ascertain whether his business model of sourcing locally would be viable in the current economic climate.
He said: “The majority of our milk comes from Scotland or the Midlands and I had meat products from the Netherlands and fruit from Spain.
"It just didn’t make any sense when we have all these things on our doorstep.
“There is a demand for locally-sourced produce. I am not here to get rich within a short period of time, but I would like to offer the people of Lancashire, Lancashire produce.”
Mr Lunniss, who is based at Time Technology Park, in Simonstone, distributed 20,000 leaflets to Church, Oswaldtwistle, Clayton-le-Moors and Simonstone and has almost 200 customers.
He currently employs a driver and a cleaner and is hoping to expand his business into Preston and create further employment in the area.
Plans are in the pipeline to add fresh fish and sweet pastries to the current product list which includes dairy goods from Holt Farm in Rishton, yoghurts from Ann Forshaw’s and cheese from Singleton’s in Longridge.
And Mr Lunniss who spent time in women’s refuges as a child is to donate a percentage of his £1 delivery charge to domestic violence charities.
He said: “The children who end up in these places have the odds stacked against them and because of my previous experiences I want to give something back to help them leave the cycle of violence behind.”
Comments(15)
ste.g
says...
4:08pm Sun 5 Sep 10
Jimpster
says...
4:35pm Sun 5 Sep 10
MJA
says...
8:15pm Sun 5 Sep 10
sharonAccy
says...
8:44pm Sun 5 Sep 10
LUNNISSG
says...
10:03am Mon 6 Sep 10
burnleybiker wrote:Burnley Biker...
Well done that man,I admire your initiative and determination. We need more ventures like this to succeed to help boost local employment and economy.
Is their a customer website and can anyone use this service or is it only available to businesses?
Thankyou for your kind words, you can visit and review the business at address:
www.localfoods2u.co.
uk
We only deal with the general public at present and deliver direct to your door for £1. Thankyou
Gavin Lunniss
LUNNISSG
says...
10:07am Mon 6 Sep 10
sharonAccy wrote:Sharon
sounds good in theory, was there something wrong with distributing leaflets in Accrington......i have a young family and feel local produce would be beneficial for them
The company has distributed leaflets to 90% of Accrington and the town is certainly one of focus for us as in close proximity to our business, if you have not received a leaflet please contact me either through e-mail info:localfoods2u.co
.uk or call me on 0800 002 9102. Thankyou Gavin Lunniss
LUNNISSG
says...
10:15am Mon 6 Sep 10
Jimpster wrote:Jimpster
best of luck in the venture but will depend on price - put local or organic in any offering and you can bump prices up by 25% or more
The company trys to keep the prices in- line with supermarkets in order to help our customers make the move, we rely on customer volume to keep the business afloat. I do not want this business and product to appeal to just the wealthy but everyone, local food isnt expensive why should it be?
Check it out for yourself @ www.localfoods2u.co.
uk
LUNNISSG
says...
10:20am Mon 6 Sep 10
ste.g wrote:ste.g
if the service is open to anyone i will be giving you a regular order as long as the produce is what you say it is,as i to am fed up of supermarkets and what they have to offer.
The business is open to anyone within the BB postcode, you can order on-line at www.localfoods2u.co.
uk or call and make an order over the phone - 0800 0029102.
Thankyou for your comment.
Gavin Lunniss
pinklady83
says...
12:20pm Mon 6 Sep 10
The meat is of high quality and the milk is cheaper than most shops.
I have a 2 year old who just loves the strawberries, bananas and apples from there. She also likes to see the cow on the back of the delivery van. Gavin and his team are very polite, helpful and are willing to go the extra mile for their customers.
I intend to purchase all my fresh foods from Local Foods 2 U LTD in the future.
Good local produce at a reasonable price as well as helping the local farming community. Well done and good luck Gavin.
time.team
says...
12:41pm Mon 6 Sep 10
Barry G
says...
8:30pm Mon 6 Sep 10
Blob
says...
11:17am Tue 7 Sep 10
Good luck to this venture, I'd rather give him my money than Tesco anyday!
MJA
says...
11:38am Tue 7 Sep 10
LUNNISSG
says...
11:42am Tue 7 Sep 10
Blob wrote:Blob
What a great story - I will be placing an order later this week. Good luck to this venture, I'd rather give him my money than Tesco anyday!
Thankyou for your words and we hope to provide you with the best.
I just hope all follow your thoughs re. supermarkets, they are killing our local producers/businesses
.
Gavin Lunniss
More Burnley stories
- Burnley teen jailed for attack and burglary
- Motorbikes to be crushed after Burnley crackdown by police
- Burnley murder suspect Barry Morrow found hanged in prison cell
- Rossendale couple win payout from Thomas Cook after ‘holiday from hell’
- Tribute to Burnley and Padiham miners
- Go-ahead for Burnley home for ‘emotional teens’
- Jobs in Blackburn and Burnley saved after superstore UGO is sold to Poundstretcher
- Wallpaper firm Graham and Brown axes 28 workers
- Burnley’s Apollo cinema set for refurbishment
- Extra patrols to beat Burnley burglars
FOOD SOURCE: Gavin uses his loaf for his business venture
Most popular
Local Information
Enter your postcode, town or place name
burnleybiker says...
12:35pm Sun 5 Sep 10
Is their a customer website and can anyone use this service or is it only available to businesses?