Discover the best of Norfolk’s food and drink

There are dozens of amazing small producers in the county – and the Norfolk Hub can bring them to your doorstep.

We have a lot of choice when it comes to food and drink these days. Supermarkets pack their shelves with exotic offerings freighted in from all over the world, yet some of the finest products you could hope to bless your tastebuds with are created right here in Norfolk. 

You won’t always find the big national stores stocking products from our small, local producers though. Thankfully, that’s not a problem any more. While the county’s quality wares are promoted by a not-for-profit organisation called Proudly Norfolk Food and Drink, one of its sponsors can deliver the best the county has to offer, right to your door.

The Norfolk Hub began by supplying craft beer from Norfolk brewers to the hospitality trade, but now not only offers a full range of locally produced soft and alcoholic drinks and quality food but also sells direct to the public through its website. 

“We're on a mission to spread the word to the general public,” says founder Dan Lacey. "When people are aware of the producers we work with – about the whole Proudly Norfolk organisation – they'll try the products, see and taste how wonderful they are and be converted.”

Norfolk business

It’s hard to imagine a more Norfolk brand than the Hub, which began by delivering the Wildcraft Brewery’s Wild Norfolk beer to 130 pubs for the first Norfolk Day in 2018. From there it has grown to represent more than 40 brands with a huge range of products – a real local success story. 

Initially, the Hub was focused on the drinks trade, working with small craft brewers and artisan distillers. “By delivering for all our producers, it’s more efficient for them and we’re taking vehicles off the road,” Dan explains. “Rather than each of them having to send vehicles out, it’s just our vans out on the road.”

The Hub has received a grant for an electric delivery van, so as well as cutting traffic it will be cutting emissions, too. “Sustainability is very important to us,” Dan says. “We’re currently looking at ways to introduce sustainable packaging as well.

“That's a really big part of what we want to achieve, because they are the values that we espouse as a business. It's about community, sustainability, small, craft, local – these are the important principles. We are looking to do our bit in terms of climate change.”

Food as well as drink

The Covid pandemic inevitably posed challenges for a business that started by supplying pubs, hotels and restaurants – all of which had to close. At the same time as those customers shut their doors, the need for home deliveries was rising so the Norfolk Hub Pantry was created, delivering the best locally produced food as well as drinks to private customers.  

“Local is at the heart of what we do," says Dan. "When you buy from us you are getting the best of what Norfolk has to offer – small batch, handmade products from craft producers, who have a huge passion for what they create. The difference really is in the taste.

“The popularity of Proudly Norfolk and the support for local fairs and farmers markets and food festivals has always shown that the people of Norfolk really love the things that are made here,” he concludes. “Only now you don’t have to wait for a food fair to find them. You can order them from the Norfolk Hub and we’ll deliver them to your door.”

For more information, please visit www.proudlynorfolk.co.uk and www.thenorfolkhub.co.uk

Have a drink on us!
Place your first order and receive a free miniature of gin and a bottle of tonic 
Go to www.thenorfolkhub.co.uk