As you sit at position 3,094 in your online supermarket queue or stand in position 23 outside the supermarket in the cold rain, you may wonder if there is an alternative.

Well, there is.
A new ‘eco-destination’ farm shop has just opened at the North/South Cadbury junction of the A303 offering shoppers a “ray of sunshine in a bleak world”.
Enter Teals and a new world of shopping awaits.
Founders Ash and Nick Sinfield built Teals during lockdown and opened this lofty food hall before Christmas.

It is a super-sustainable food market, boasting an abundance of local and responsibly sourced fresh produce whilst caring for the planet in an
uplifting environment.
As an alternative to larger and busier supermarkets, with sustainability at its heart, Teals ticks many of the boxes.

A host of vibrant vegetables picked from verdant fields, responsibly sourced meat from livestock grazed on nearby hillsides, oven baked bread, delicious delicatessen favourites and specialist goodies from further afield are inviting and a cheesemonger is on hand to cut you the finest offerings.

Delicious take-away food and gifts are also for sale and all under one roof. And as you browse, you can pour yourself a coffee as you shop, making for an enjoyable and safe experience.

Ash said: “We think of Teals as the canvas on which to celebrate localness, where the producers and makers are the stars that add the colour. We take time to ensure there’s as much Somerset goodness as possible on our plates and in our food market and lifestyle store. We avoid mass food production that travels further and removes taste, instead joining the many brilliant farm shops around the country focusing their energies on finding local products that make the most of our tastebuds.”

“We have a fantastic in-house butcher and cheesemonger who offer a very personal service and we have daily fresh bread, cake and vegetable deliveries so the shelves are always well stocked with the basics.”

“We also have a milk machine that vends Jersey milk, and our customers love this service as the milk is coming in fresh from the farm each day and you can bring your own bottles to fill up or buy glass bottles in store that you bring back on each visit.
“Working with experts we admire and like, also means we can share their stories with our guests and build the very strong link between nourishing food and well-being, which is so relevant in the current climate.”

Ash and Nick are steadfast in their commitment to sustainability.
The shop and eatery is super-sustainable, powered by renewable energy. The build itself used innovative techniques from local businesses and suppliers and the result is a highly energy efficient, attractive building, which blends seamlessly into the landscape and provides a
shopping space which complies with new social distancing regulations. And by Easter there will be eight electric car charging points.

Nick said: “It’s our mission to make a positive contribution to the region and this begins with the building itself. We have invested in high quality solar panels and technology to meet their energy requirements and taken care to preserve wildlife corridors, re-used soil from foundations to create new habitats, planted hundreds of trees and
sown metres of meadow as well as fields and grass.”

The pair aim to minimise single use plastic, both in store and in their supply chain. The packaging they do use is almost all fully recyclable and Ash and Nick are early adopters of next generation materials.

But it isn’t just what is used on the outside, the pair carefully choose their produce and work with carefully chosen farmers and suppliers, with strong ethics who care for the planet and are equally invested into what we put inside our bodies.

Ash said: “We are lucky down here in the West Country as there is an abundance of tasty seasonal produce to fill our food market. Everywhere you look something is growing.
We especially try to seek out the people who grow their food that little bit more carefully, slowly and responsibly, often on a smaller scale. We love giving them a platform to celebrate their hard work, co-creating tales together.”

Ash added: “This is a great alternative to shopping in the supermarkets during lockdown as customers can shop local and support smaller suppliers and the store offers a super safe environment with lots of space.
Talking to customers we have found that many people are having a tough time right now. Lockdown is really affecting people’s mental health, but the great news is that we can offer a lovely space for people to spend time and escape to. We are on a number of cycle routes so you can stop off for a coffee and cake or take away lunch enroute. We are also welcoming lots of walkers and are seeing older customers who want a change of scene. The store is a warm and welcoming distraction for many in an otherwise locked down world.”

Teals is the first low plastic, fuel-free stop on the route and is pending B Corp status. Pre-prepared “kitchen suppers” are available and the shop is open seven days a week.
Visit the team and explore for yourself: 1 Orchard Lane, South Cadbury, BA22 7FS 01963 361755 or 
Teals.co.uk.

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