SMALL BUSINESSES THRIVE AS COVID FORCES US ALL TO BUY LOCAL

Online orders double at Herefordshire small business

A small drinks company based on a Herefordshire farm has adapted its business model in response to the seismic challenges it faced from Covid-19.

Recent Barclays research found one in seven people had never visited a farm shop before the pandemic, but now visit regularly. It discovered that twothirds of consumers now look for more home-grown and seasonal produce as a result of the pandemic and Brexit.

One business, White Heron, a drinks offshoot of Whittern Farms in

Herefordshire, has been thriving off the behaviour change. White Heron produces a British Cassis from the farm’s blackcurrants, as well as British Framboise and its own Whittern Pink Gin – and it saw online orders double in 2020.

“When physically going to shops was a no-no, all our online outlets have been inundated with orders,” said Jo Hilditch, managing director of White Heron. “The warehouse has been so busy that many of my days have been spent bottling and packaging.

“It’s encouraging that consumers are looking for more ways to shop locally and buy British produce, so we’ll continue to make the most of this growing demand.”

Sweet smell of success for one-year-old Broadway natural beauty business

A Worcestershire skincare company which uses natural remedies, forgotten customs and folk medicine is set to expand after celebrating its first anniversary.

ORKA-Naturals uses age-old remedies, healing knowledge and natural ingredients for its range which has been sold successfully online.

The company, based in Broadway, is now introducing new products. Founder Kate Varvedo was raised in Hungary where her grandfather taught her about nature and animals.

Kate said: “ORKA-Naturals is very much about going back to basics and using organic ingredients to create products that hail back to a time when natural remedies were used.

“Many of the herbs that are used I grow myself and those that I do not grow, I source from natural organic suppliers.”