Benefits for Customers

Heart Distribution’s services enable producers’ customers to benefit from:

• Access to a wide range of high quality, locally produced products from over 120 producers from the six Heart of England counties

• Consolidated order placement, delivery and invoicing

• A regular and constant customer order and delivery day, enabling regular replenishment

• A simplified supply chain that ensures traceability and adherence to health and safety practices

• Meeting consumer demand for locally produced food - a Mintel Food and Drink report in 2010 documented that 43% of the population would like to see more local produce in their supermarket

• Advertising the fact that they are part of a network that is socially responsible, committed to minimising its environmental impact and supportive of regional food and drink producers

Benefits for Producers

Heart Distribution’s services enable producers to benefit from:

• The consolidation of orders, invoicing and chasing of payment

• Reduced distribution costs, which bring down the cost of products and make them more competitive against mainstream goods and more accessible to more customers

• Access to new markets – Heart Distribution has a nationwide customer base and works with over 200 farm stores and delis

• Our mini hub scheme, which allows producers to service nationwide customers via a single drop off point in their county

• A positive cash flow scheme that pays all our producers within ten days of Heart receiving the product

• Experience and knowledge in the operational and commercial elements of food retailing – the Heart Distribution team has experience in all parts of the food industry

• The opportunity to build relationships with other producers, share experiences and create new and innovative products

• Recycling facilities that are open to both producers and customers – our reusable trays available to producers can reduce packaging costs