Lockdown has served up a food boom in Orkney with new catering start-ups almost trebling in the last year.
As outlets begin to re-open this week, those with an appetite for setting up their own business have helped keep islanders fed during the pandemic.
In all, 22 new catering businesses have registered with Orkney Islands Council in the past 12 months, compared to eight in the previous year. Seventeen are based in a domestic setting and five are mobile caterers.
Paul Turner, the council’s acting environmental health manager, said: “We are a very small team in environmental health and have been kept very busy thanks to the innovation and entrepreneurship being shown by a considerable number of Orkney residents who have approached us for guidance and support in regard to setting up their businesses.”
He said home-based food outlets are regarded as commercial food businesses and come under the same food hygiene information scheme. Inspections are carried out to ensure standards remain high and the public protected.
Orkney food boom inspired by restaurants
Gary Nicolson, who lives in Rendall with his wife and four children, set up BOX’D! from home after being inspired by how businesses and restaurants across the world adapted during the pandemic.
“I knew whatever we did, that we were limited with our kitchen in our family home. I loved the idea of families cooking together and I wanted people to enjoy restaurant quality food, in the comfort of their own home.”
A chef at the oil terminal on Flotta, Mr Nicolson provides everything needed for a meal, including the instructions, in a box. Starting with pizzas, he later added curry and Mexican kits and also provided special meals for Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day.
Gary’s wife, Charlene, has adjusted her own work life to assist her husband with the business’s paperwork.
“Even with restrictions easing, we have had people messaging saying that it’s made it possible for them to have a ‘date night’ when they struggle for childcare. We have some customers that have bought kits every weekend, and the feedback we receive makes it even more worth it.”
Mother-of-two Ruth Eunson acted on a long-held ambition by starting an old-style homebaking ‘bun box’ during lockdown.
A part-time clinical coder with NHS Orkney, launched Tankerness tREEts, offering traybakes, cakes, cupcakes, scones, cookies and fudge, as well as chutneys and curds as the pace of life changed during the pandemic.
“There wasn’t the same for folk to do and I thought that a bun box was a place for people to visit and hopefully get a bit of enjoyment from. There was already a number of boxes up and running when I opened my one so I wanted to offer people some different kinds of baking.
“I get a huge sense of achievement seeing the box bursting full first thing in the morning and then it being empty at the end of the day.”
After registering with the council, she completed online courses, including on food hygiene and allergens, and was assisted with essential policies and procedures including temperature control records, cleaning schedules and stock management.
She added: “It gives me great satisfaction when people get in touch to say that they have loved what they’ve purchased and keep coming back week after week. It makes it all worthwhile.
“Orkney has an amazing amount of food outlets on offer and we’re so lucky to live where we do and enjoy all of the fabulous produce that businesses have to offer. I think the pandemic has really proved this.”
Good public reaction to Orkney food boom
Business has also been booming for Kit Bichan and Daniel Gould, founders of street food company Beiting and Brew (beiting means grazing in Norwegian).
Mr Bichan said: “With my cousin, Daniel, who is a trained chef, we previously looked at taking on our own premises. However the costs were not feasible, so we bought the trailer.
“The first couple of months were brilliant. It was such nice weather, there was a real buzz as people had been locked down for so long and this all fuelled a spark when returning. It was extremely long days, but it made it easy seeing such a positive reaction from the public.
“We had to try to find a bigger space and found a kitchen at the Waterside in Finstown. This has allowed us to continue changing our offering with more storage space and a bigger oven.”
Mr Bichan added: “I believe in being part of a collaborative economy. Orkney is already brilliant for so many things but importantly to me for food, drink and produce. Expanding on this offering and focusing on quality will undoubtedly encourage people to continue to come here and then we have another way of sharing what special place our homeland is.”