Taste @ The Honey Tree

Atmosphere

2010-10-30T07:54:00.000-07:00

It might be a small thing to some but its a major part of what we have tried to build in our buisness "atmosphere". In our opinion Supermarket food shopping is sometimes more hassle than its worth - we set out to create a completely different approach to buisness.

Our staff are friendly and always have free licence to be themselves. Nobody on our tills is ever preprogrammed.

Shop Smart Shop Local

2010-10-30T07:28:00.000-07:00

Over the last few years we've tried to respond to the increasing desire of our customers to shop smart and not only save money but cut down on packaging and food waste. Our aim is always to offer unrivalled quality and providence , but wherever possible to offer good value.

Here are some of the ways we do that.

"Loose Commodities" We offer an ever expanding range of organic cereals,rices and dried fruits for sale over the counter. Instead of the plastic packaging you can buy such items as porridge oats over the counter. That means that on many organic products from raisins to red lentils we can offer you the cheapest price around without skipping on quality. Some customers even bring there own bags. If you have the container we will try to fill it. Spills thrills and refills is our buisness.

"Wholesale Orders" - wherever theres a product you love or use a lot we are always happy to order that product in bulk for you. We offer 10% off all products bought in whole cases. Some products such as fruit and veg we can offer a lot more. Whether its a wheel of cheese for the family , whole bag of potatoes or a box of apples - please ask at the counter.

"Ecover Refills" - We offer refills for 5 ecover products: washing up liquid, multi surface cleaner, fabric conditioner, laundry liquid and toilet cleaner. Refills save 10% on our retail price and over a year they save on almost a shop full of containers. On the last count over 2/3rds of our sales of eco-cleaners were refills.

"Milk,Bread and Eggs" For the casual shopper we offer all three for under £3. Free range eggs from sunny hill farm, handmade wholemeal bread from mistletoe bakery, and organic milk from the local dairy in darlington are all available for only 99p each.

"Loose Fruit and Veg" Supermarket organic food not only fails to deliver on taste - what else can you expect when farmers are producing the cheapest crops for the lowest prices only to be stored for months at an end ? Supermarket organic vegetables are always over packaged. That not only is a big waste on packaging, and a reason for the high prices, but it also means when you want 4 apples - you have to buy 6. Prepackaged food is one of the main reasons for food waste. With us you choose exactly what you want - and you dont even need to use our paper bags - grab a box and bring it back with you the next week if you like.

As the proverb says - you can shear a sheep, but you can only skin it once. We've always steered clear of selling overpriced and exotic produce. One reason our customers come back is that they realise their money is as valued to us as it is to them. We like to think we've built our own little food chain in which everyone is respected: the producer and retailer and you the customer.

About Us

2010-10-29T09:36:00.000-07:00

The Honey Tree has been trading for over 10 years now.

A social enterprise we started in 1999 convinced we could make a difference to the food sector in the north east. We wanted to offer customers really good local food without the spin and over-sell of the gourmet food halls. We wanted to make local, ethical and organic food part of everyday life in Heaton. Inspired by food coopertives like unicorn in Manchester, our hard working approach has built a community of customers who know a good thing when they taste it. We have come a long way since we began with just a sandwich counter and some packets of brown rice. Indeed since we started we have been delighted to see ethical and green issues come to the front of the political arena. We are sure in some small way we, and our customers have been part of that change.

The financial crisis of the last few years has placed great strain on many of us. We are very grateful to the customers who continue to believe in and support our common-sense approach to good food and all the joys that come with it !

Local Dairy, Patisserie and Wholefood Groceries

2010-10-29T09:18:00.000-07:00

Acorn dairy are one of the success stories of local organic food in the north east. We sell their milk at only 99p/Litre as well as their butter and cream. Local cheese comes from Doddington Dairy - its unpasturised and has a loyal customer following. Our local free range eggs are only 99p a half dozen and complement our range of day fresh breads from Mistletoe bakery in Jesmond. Castle Bakeries supply artisan bread every Saturday and their continental style bread help make the weekend taste that little bit special.

Like many little shops we rely on Suma for our Grocery supplies. What makes us different is our full range of dried goods - rices, nuts, fruits and seeds. Suma's range is carefully and ethically sourced and is not only wider but also better priced than the ever narrowing range available in supermarkets. Organic, fairtrade and natural goods are their speciality.

We also sell almost the full range of Suma's other products - such as soups, pestos and coffee's as well as a range of specialist produce - japanese foodstuffs, herbal teas, vegetarian and vegan foods - all the things you would traditionally find in a wholefood store.

But just in case you thought we were getting too healthy and other worldy - we take great pleasure in stocking local patisserie from beckelberries. This small local producer provides nationally award winning cheesecakes, ice creams, tarts and tort's. For many of our customer's the weekend is not complete without the delight of what they simply call "a beckleberries".

Local Free Range and Organic Meats

2010-10-29T09:08:00.000-07:00

Every two weeks we take a fresh delivery of meat from our farm-butcher Steve Ramshaw. Steve's reputation is national and the quality of his organic beef and lamb has recieved national recognition time and time again. We always stock a full range of frozen meat from his company. On the odd weeks we have great tasting free range chicken from yorkshire on sale.

Once a month we take pies from Jones's Organic in Wales. Pasties without nasties is how they brand themselves. Smoked fish arrives on a monthly basis from one of the best smokehouses in the country - the achiltibuie smokehouse in ross-shire.

Game is sold on a seasonal basis - again, coming from northumberland quality meats. At the first oppertunity every year we take a whole deer for our freezer to ensure we are well stocked with venison throughout the whole season.

Lunchtime Soup and Sandwich Counter

2010-10-29T08:53:00.000-07:00

Our Deli counter serves and healthy range of lunchtime snacks throughout the year.

Sandwiches are made fresh every morning - and are sold on a a first come first serve basis. We have a loyal following of customers who enjoy the distinctive vibrancy and taste of our sandwiches. In a world of cheap take-aways we take our time and pride in using the very best ingredients. We do everything to make sure you can enjoy your lunchbreak to the full. Day fresh rolls from an artisan baker, unpasturised local cheeses, award winning relishes, organic dressed salads. Smoked cheese and red onion marmalade with salad is our best-seller and even managed a mention in the Guardian. Because we make our sandwiches in the morning we keep our costs down - sandwiches start at £2.45 - and even the Guardian's favourite sells at only £2.95.

When it comes to takeaway food : Our shop is our larder - what you see on the shelves is what we use to make food for our deli counter .In a world of spin and marketing our simple philosophy of letting the food do the talking shines out. So our cakes - bakewells slices , pineapple and polenta cakes, almond and chocolate cake really do taste like cakes should. And our pizza's are prepared with the organic courgettes, peppers and mushrooms and cheeses we sell in-store.

"Taste and Know that the food is good" was a motto we used to scrawl across our blackboards. Its still the guarantee that our sandwich and soup counter offers a little bit more at lunchtime.

Fresh Local and Vibrant Organic Veg

2010-10-29T08:29:00.000-07:00

Offering you the very best in seasonal produce is one of the things we do best at the honey tree.

Three Northumbrian farms supply us with fresh from the fields vegetables which literally knock spots off what the supermarkets offer. Grown without pesticides and artificial fertilizers all our local veg organic and is hand picked to demand - often only the day before it goes on sale. Our veg is literally brimming with life.

We always say the truth is always in the tasting. Our customers keep coming back because the difference is so clearly in the taste of what we sell. To taste is to know that there is something very special about our fresh vegetables.

But we are not only proud of the quality and taste. Because we buy direct from the farm and avoid repackaging and high transport costs our direct from the farm veg is almost always cheaper than the supermarket's organic option - feeding a family well shouldn't cost the earth.

And because we buy locally - our fruit and veg reflects the seasons. Seasonal cooking to us is cooking at its best. The adventure and joy of local food is something which the celebrity chefs have made their hallmark. We like to think we've made it ours to and that we deserve the plaudits we've recieved for our work. But it is nothing compared with the pleasure we get with providing our customers with what we think everyone deserves : simple, affordable and genuinely healthy local food.

Customer Orders

2007-11-27T15:48:00.000-08:00

With Out Of This World in Newcastle closing we've received some requests from customers for items they used to buy at the Gosforth store. Please keep telling us the products you would like to see on our shelves - we always take note and often there are other people looking for the same product as you , and we can start to stock in in our store.

We always offer a customer order scheme and having almost all the same suppliers as Out Of This World had - but a much smaller shop ! - we can almost always order the product you want in just for you. Sometimes you have to only buy a little as three of the item your looking for and we always give a 10% discount on direct orders.

In fact some customers regularly order in larger quantities of dried goods - such a rice, porridge or dried fruit - and find they can make substantial savings of over 20%. Sometimes customers just like to know they'll definitely get an item - such as a specific joint of meat if your entertaining.

If you have any questions about our customer order scheme please ask in store or give us a call. Orders can often be collected in-store within a few days. Its our job to keep you happy !

Turkey Time

2007-11-27T15:39:00.000-08:00

Its getting near Christmas again and some customers have started to ask about Free Range Organic Turkeys. We've preordered a number from a local producer - Steve Pearson at Hook House Farm. Prices start at £4.45/Ib but the price per pound does come down as your bird gets bigger ! This is the first year we've stocked Steves Turkeys but we've heard really good reviews - most notably from Chris Hodgeson at Piercebridge Organic Farm. He's one of the best chicken famers in the country so we think he should know ! We've got full details instore so please call in if you'd like to order a bird for christmas. The deposit for Turkeys is £20 and we encourage you to tell us the exact size of Turkey you would like.

If you would like a Local Organic Chicken instead - again please let us know as early as possible. But the most crucial christmas orders are for red meat. Orders for beef pork or lamb have to be in before the start of december to be guaranteed. So if you fancy a rib of beef or a topside joint over the festive period please let us know as soon as possible. The local ribs of beef from Northumberland Quality meats are simply amazing. The retail for around only £20 and are my top tip if you want to try something different for christmas.

Taste Discount Breaks Out !

2007-11-27T15:25:00.000-08:00

We're pleased to say the taste discount - of 20% - has now been applied to all our fruit and veg. There is no longer any need to remember your number of produce your card. The taste group is still running and hopefully well have a newsletter out soon. Please feel free to comment on this site. We'd like to hear everything you have to say - good or bad.

If we'd given the discount to everyone at the start we would probably have gone out of business ! Thanks to all our taste members for helping us build up the volume of trade to sustain these lower prices. So much of current organic retail is about high prices and small sales. We're indebted to all of you who have encouraged us to stick to our first principles and work our prices down. The taste group has showed that price does matter to consumers.

Maybe we cant always be cheaper than the supermarkets but we hope we can offer you better tasting fruit and veg and a lot more local fruit and veg for at least the same price - if not often a little less. Please keep telling your friends about the store. As we've said from the beginning its your store as much as ours !

All Week Long

2007-11-27T15:18:00.000-08:00

Thanks to the appearance of a new local grower & wholesaler - well the organic pantry in Tadcaster to be exact - we're now able to offer a full range of veg every day of the week. Our first delivery of the week comes in on a monday afternoon. So call in whenever you like - we should always have a good range of locally sourced quality organic fruit and veg

The Return Of The Ram

2007-11-27T14:53:00.000-08:00

After repeated requests from Customers were pleased to annouce we're once again stocking Steve Ramshaw's Northumberland Quality Meats instore. The Northumberland Quality Meats van will yet again be making its weekly trip down from Monkridge farm to The Honey Tree . Fresh organic meats are delivered instore for 3pm every Thursday afternoon. Steve now has a steady supply of chickens - fresh whole organic chickens and diced organic chicken should be available every two to three weeks. We'll keep the freezer well stocked at all other times. We're delighted to have his meats back in-store. I for one wont have to make the trip into Fenwicks whenever I fancy a good steak.

Steve is a rare combination of a commited organic farmer and a hard working and successfull buisnessman. The tributes to Northumberland Quality Meats quickly rack up - a rick stein food hero, a soil assosciation producer of the year. Steve supplies meat to all of Terry Laybourne's restruants. Gary Rhodes recently exclaimed his beef had a flavour to die for. Steve's meat would grace any table in the land - we're very fortunate to have such an accomplished local farmer and we're proud to sell his meats in-store.

harvest time

2007-11-27T14:37:00.000-08:00

Say goodbye to the summer and say hello to harvest time. No more waiting for the weekend - we now have a full range of local veg instore all week. We've started to take deliveries from The Wass family farm once again. This simply is the best veg in Northumbrian. The farm won the soil assosciation award for "grower of the year" back in 2003. The standard of organic veg onsale in the supermarets sometimes leaves something to be desired. But the winter veg from Newfields is unquestionably the best we have ever tasted. Look out for the labels that say Newfields instore - your not just getting the best carrots in Northumbria , there are good reasons to say your buying the best in the country.