We are delighted to share with you that we have been awarded a gold award by the team at Taste of the West! We are extremely proud of our team and would like to thank all our loyal visitors and fans for your support. We are blown away by the amazing feedback we have received from the #TasteOfTheWest judges as well!
"Sheppy’s shows a real commitment to local sourcing with plenty of South West products for sale, and the range of South West products / produce available is excellent – it really gives the impression that local sourcing is important to the business. This is a farm shop where it is difficult to find products which are not from the South West. A lot of the products/produce are from within a few miles and local shines through. There is an in-house butchers who was able to explain where all the meat came from, most of which was their own or from the farm across the road. Even the chickens which were less local, but were still from within the South West. Seasonal produce is also available with their own vegetables available (not a large amount, but enough). It is exceptional. I often judge a farm shop on the basis of whether it is a one stop shop for food and drink, and Sheppy’s is just that. Some of the products are subsidised with a frozen section. I particularly liked labels on the shelves giving the distance that the producer was from the shop. Their drinks couldn’t have been more local with their ciders and local beers and soft drinks. One product was showing as local, but being picky, it had actually gone into administration 18 months ago and was bought by another manufacturer who was not local anymore. Very picky!
The communication to customers on local sourcing is very clear. There is plenty of signage around the outlet - with blackboards giving information on local suppliers and labels on shelves. There are displays on the counters / shelves showing where the produce is from / information and profiles on specific producers and the staff are there to add value and explain even further. From the moment you drive into their car park, you sense their passion for local and this is built on as you enter the shop. Their butcher communicated everything well.
The meat products looked fresh and good quality and having bought some, the taste lived up to everything and was delicious. Everything looked superb / very appealing. Lots of award winning products available. Those purchased tasted great - cheese, cider, biscuits, sausage roll and meat were all superb quality. Just delicious and it was great that the quality shone through - this was not just all show and no substance. I couldn’t have wanted more, well I could have bought more, in fact I have returned to buy more. Everything is laid out so the quality shines through. You are tempted to buy, you will buy and you will not be disappointed.
The staff were friendly and welcoming on arrival. Staff were knowledgeable / passionate with regards to the products for sale and about local sourcing. Service was swift and efficient. I could not have wanted more from the experience. The staff chatted and offered advice and help. They were knowledgeable of the products and able to offer suggestions. As mentioned already, their butcher was superb and talked through the meats and where they were from. He asked what I was planning and then offered a great solution for a meal.
The establishment could not be cleaner, it was spotless as you might have expected, and very tidy. Staff were well presented. The shop is co-ordinated, plenty of space to browse and staff are very aware of the need for hygiene.
First impressions were very positive. There was a pleasant atmosphere generally – visiting the establishment was a pleasant experience Staff were well presented. The products on sale presented good value for money. The price point is possibly slightly higher than a supermarket, but the quality warrants this. This is an experience and a must visit. Add in the café/restaurant and the museum and walk around the farm, then you can shop and spend a few hours there.
In Summary…
This is an excellent shop and one of the best farm shops I have visited. I could not recommend it more. It sums up Somerset and is a brilliant showcase for Taunton. It is worth a visit just to taste their ciders. Out of lockdown they explained that they have tastings and events there often promoting the producers. If you need somewhere to visit on a wet or sunny day then this would be the perfect destination.”
