The Original Factory Shop is showcasing local businesses including food & drink firms at stores across the country.
Every month, 180 of the retailer’s stores will invite a local maker, artisan or a small craft business to a ‘meet the maker’ session.
A pilot version of the initiative, which launched in June, has already showcased 565 businesses to their local community, according to The Original Factory Shop.
Food & drink businesses to have benefitted so far include local cake makers Baker 39 and Lush Innit, who featured at TOFS’s Brandon and Carterton stores respectively. Others include Sandridge Brownies and Bakes in Melksham and Leighton Quays Catering in Abergele.
Each TOFS store has its own Facebook page where local makers can find details on the planned events. To be eligible, they must make something that does not compete directly with TOFS’s range, which includes fmcg, clothing and household products.
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“At The Original Factory Shop we’re committed to supporting our local communities and this initiative puts local businesses at the heart of what we stand for,” said TOFS brand and customer director Oliver Peck.
“We’re so excited to use our space to help showcase small and local businesses in our 180 stores. No matter how big or small their business is we do encourage them to get in touch.”
Sophie Green of Soph’s Handmade Cards, one of the non-food businesses to have featured at TOFS’s Pensarn store, said: “I heard about the event on Facebook. The atmosphere there was brilliant and personally I would like to say how grateful I was to the staff for how they looked after me while I was there.
“My business benefitted from having a presence there and I would hope I can do it again.”
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