Milton Produce Ltd is the latest addition to our Produce News Magazine – Yet another great example of a local business making a positive difference to island life.
Although you may not know it, it’s a pretty safe bet that if you have ever visited Guernsey and eaten food in a local restaurant it came from Milton Produce.
They’re the wholesale fruit and vegetable company which supply hundreds of hotels, restaurants, cafes, sandwich bars, nursing homes and even the hospitals in the island as well as supplying to the neighbouring islands Herm, Sark and Alderney.
Nigel Stewart is the managing director and owner, having purchased the business fifteen years ago when the opportunity arose.
“I was a milkman at the time, and was beginning to diversify to deliver other products to my customers,” Nigel tells us. “I got my fruit and veg from Milton Produce and went on to buy the company from the previous owner!”
Team Milton consists of ten people working from 5am to 12.30pm – five making up the orders, four delivery drivers, and Nigel who makes sure the whole thing works seamlessly.
“We’ve just moved into this brand new building just behind what local people know as the old St Andrew’s garage near Bailiff’s Cross,” explains Nigel “It’s so bright and airy and we’ve lots of space to complete all the things we do on a daily basis.”
Within the main area of the building there are row upon rows of delicious fresh fruit and veg. As much as possible is sourced locally, the rest is brought in from the UK.
The efficient system that Milton has in place means what Nigel orders at noon on one day is in his warehouse by 6am the following morning!
Milton also supplies the majority of Guernsey’s Thai community. If you love Thai food and have eaten out at a Thai restaurant, it’s again likely those ingredients came from Milton Produce. It’s not the usual labels you find in the supermarkets; these are the authentic ingredients direct from Asia.
This is one example of where Nigel spots changing tastes and trends and can react to them.
“You will often see a celebrity chef on TV cooking with a new ingredient,” he tells us. “Then a local chef will add that ingredient to their menu, so we then find ourselves sourcing and stocking it. It means we’re constantly evolving, but our ability to react speedily means it is all part of the service.”
And there’s no waste! “Any food waste gets picked up every day and taken to a local farm where a family of pigs eats like kings and queens. They must be the best fed animals in the island,” beams Nigel.
Another great example of a local business making a positive difference to island life.
Milton Produce Ltd
Route de St Andre
St Andrews
Guernsey
GY6 8TU
TEL: 01481 239666
FAX: 01481 239676
