Our story
From farm to fridge: our commitment to quality
Ever wondered where your food really comes from? We believe in knowing the story behind the products we stock.
We're proudly rooted in Glastonbury. We champion small producers in the South West, we build relationships with local growers wherever we can and we also care deeply about where our food comes from.
We are also a supermarket, which means you can do a full weekly shop here, from organic butter from only a few miles away to olive oil pressed in Italy, to your go-to oat milk.
So how do we choose the products you see on our shelves? It comes down to one thing: integrity.
Local where we can, thoughtful always
As an independent food shop in the UK, supporting small producers in the South West is part of who we are. This is not just a choice; it's our commitment to a stronger, more connected community:
- shorter supply chains
- reduced food miles
- fresher produce
- stronger local economy
- real relationships
We love stocking food from growers and makers we know personally. This year more than ever, we are really focussing on supplier site visits, hearing their stories directly and understanding the challenges that they face and how we can support them.
However, being local isn't our only criteria to secure a spot on our shelves. We look for food that is thoughtfully sourced — whether it's from Somerset or Sicily.
That means asking ourselves: Who made this? How was it produced? Does it align with our values? Does it help cater to a specific dietary requirement? Would we proudly recommend it and serve it at our own table?
Independent sourcing matters
Unlike larger chains, we're not tied to national contracts or centralised buying lists. This of course reduces our buying power in comparison to big supermarkets, but it also allows us to:
It keeps our shelves interesting and it keeps real businesses alive whilst also working to protect the diversity in our food system.
Being an organic food shop in Glastonbury means we can choose products based on values, not volume targets — and that freedom matters.
Big brand or small producer? It's about standards.
Yes, we stock small, local producers but we also stock some larger brands. If a bigger brand is:
- Certified organic or fairtrade
- Transparent about sourcing
- Leading the way in plant-based or sustainable innovation
- Aligning with our environmental standards
Then we're open to it. Scale alone doesn't disqualify a product — lack of integrity does.
Whether it's a South West cheesemaker or a nationally recognised plant-based brand, every product is assessed through the same lens: quality, fairness, transparency.
From shelf to story: weekly tastings
One of the ways we bring transparency to life is through our weekly in-store tastings. Food shouldn't just sit on a shelf. It should be tasted, talked about and understood.
Our tastings give you the chance to:
- Meet the maker
- Ask questions
- Learn about sourcing
- Discover something new
It turns a label into a conversation, and we love to see relationships forming between our customers and producers, too.
Supplier site visits: seeing it for ourselves
We don't just read packaging — we go and see. And this year, more than ever, supplier visits are going to be a real focus for us. Whenever we can, we'll be spending time with the farms, bakeries and producers behind the food on our shelves, especially those across the South West. We'll be walking the fields, stepping into production kitchens, asking questions and creating transparency for you, the consumer.
We want to understand how things are made, what challenges producers are navigating, what they're proud of, and how we can support them better as an independent supermarket — and then we'll bring those stories back to you.
This is about us being able to say, honestly, 'we've seen how this works, and we still choose them'.
This year, you'll see more behind-the-scenes moments, more field-to-fridge stories, more of the people at the very start of the supply chain — because if we wouldn't feel proud sharing the process, we simply wouldn't stock it.
How supermarkets should be...
At Earthfare, you can buy everyday essentials, organic and packaging-free fruit and vegetables, store-cupboard staples and household basics. Local, sustainable, natural, fresh and organic, minimal waste — that's what we are. But what makes us different from a typical supermarket is intention. Every product has been chosen.
Some come from five miles away, some come from further afield, some come from small producers in the South West, some come from carefully selected larger brands. All of them are here because they align with our standards. As an independent supermarket in the UK, we believe food should feel personal, rooted, transparent and fair.
From field to fridge, near or far, we're looking for the same thing:
- Thoughtfully sourced food
- Fair relationships
- Producers we trust
- A food system that feels human
And when you shop with us in Glastonbury, you're part of that story too.
