Food hub delivers the goods in Cambridge

Cambridge took another giant step towards becoming a sustainable food city this week when a food hub undertook deliveries for the first time.

The move marked the official start of Cambridge Food Hub’s pilot phase, and an exciting new era for the city’s local food system.

Two of Cambridge’s much-loved independent retailers, Cambridge Cheese Company in All Saints Passage and Radmore Farm Shop on Mitcham’s Corner, took delivery of goods which they had ordered through the hub’s online trading platform. The hub provides services that enable members of the local food eco-system to trade directly with one another and manages the supply chain with the objectives of eliminating food waste.

Jacky Sutton Adam, owner of Cambridge Cheese Company, said: “Supporting independent and local food businesses is a core value for us and we’re excited to find a platform that seamlessly links the local producer scene with an efficient transport and delivery system. We’re really happy to be involved with the hub.”

Ben Aveling, owner of Radmore Farm Shop, added: “It’s an exciting time for food in Cambridge. The opportunity the hub represents for food establishments is not to be underestimated.

“With a focus on sustainability, ethics and taste, there’s never been a better time to be a food buyer in Cambridge. I’m excited to support such a fantastic project.”

The Food Hub is a joint project between the sustainability organisation, Cambridge Sustainable Food, and local organic veg box business, the Cambridge Organic Food Company. The project was conceived with the intention of reducing the environmental impact of food and supporting local food businesses.

The team behind the hub aim to create a physical building by early 2021. The enterprise zone at Northstowe has been identified as a potential site. In addition to being a distribution centre for locally produced food, the hub will include commercial kitchen units for small businesses, a shop and a cafe.

The project is led by Duncan Catchpole, who is also the founder and owner of the Cambridge Organic Food Company. The project manager is Alice Guillaume, who is a recent geography graduate from Newnham College.