Speciality Food Magazine JulyAugust 2024

suppliers, showcasing seasonal items, and sharing the story behind all of our products with our customers,” says Nick “This runs across all the departments, and we are proud to stock many local and artisan producers. As an example, we have recently launched a new candle range by Elsie & Tom from Suffolk, which has now become one of our best sellers.” Suffolk Food Hall’s buyers and retail team work closely together to ensure the right mix of products for their customers, and attend local and national shows as well as listening to customer feedback to help shape their ranges. “By attending, we are able to build on our relationships with existing suppliers and forge new collaborations. We are often the first retailer to stock small artisan suppliers’ products, helping them to launch their business,” says Nick. Bringing some elements of its homeware selection into the food area has benefited Suffolk Food Hall, he continues. “We merchandise a selection of our home products in the Food Hall to demonstrate how they can be used at home, creating an inspirational shopping experience for our customers.” Another retailer renowned for its homewares selection is Daylesford Organic, where it is “an integral part of our overall offering,” says a spokesperson. “Since starting over 40 years ago, we have evolved from an organic farm into Daylesford as we know it today. The inclusion of household goods and homewares, which began just a year after opening, has grown to encompass a wide range of items including table linens, crockery, glassware, kitchen items, candles, toys, and gifts as well as a dedicated garden space and plant nursery. These products are crafted in collaboration with skilled makers, emphasising natural materials and sustainable practices. Each piece is carefully selected to reflect our ethos and enhance the customer experience.” W hile space is often a premium at fine food retail establishments, it’s well worth considering adding a home and gifting range to your offering to not only delight your existing customer base but also to attract new ones in search of quality gifts for loved ones and themselves. Plus, by widening the selection you provide you might well widen your customer base, too, and make your shop a destination for shoppers from nearby and further afield. One fine food retailer which has done just that is Suffolk Food Hall, based just outside of Ipswich. “Since the Food Hall has opened, we have worked hard to create an inspiring home department for our customers,” begins Nick Punter, marketing manager at Suffolk Food Hall. “The original idea was to create a one stop shop for food and home interiors by linking together our food, home, and garden departments. We have achieved this through complementary products such as our Kadai range, which we link with our butchery through promotional offers for our customers.” Not long after opening, the team realised that the move into homewares reaped great rewards. “Within our retail sector, home contributes a considerable proportion of our turnover and generates footfall across the whole site. For our customers, it is the perfect addition to the Food Hall, allowing them to be inspired whilst visiting us.” Offering a wide range of home and gifting ideas is key: “Our home department attracts all customers and caters to everyone’s needs, including children’s toys, gifting, garden, and soft furnishings,” says Nick. While you might think food and homewares aren’t natural bedfellows, by choosing your suppliers wisely they can support each other – and your philosophy – well. “The core values of our business include using local 30 @specialityfood Done right, homewares can boost footfall and create a destination for discerning shoppers MAKEYOURSELF AT HOME SUFFOLK FOOD HALL