Pictured: (l-r) Morefresh delivery team member Liam O'Dowd and John Gregory, Depot Manager

A Birmingham businessman is creating ten new jobs with a new service delivering high quality locally-sourced food and drink to the doorstep.

More than 5,500 customers already have their daily pint straight to the door by Phil Meredith's company, Morefresh. And now he is expanding the business to provide twice-weekly deliveries of the best produce the region has to offer, creating around ten new jobs.

Mr Meredith said the service, launched during British Food Fortnight, would support the local economy while backing regional producers and suppliers.

"Customers want high-quality locally-sourced food and drink - they want to know where it is coming from and who made it. I spotted a niche in the market for the direct delivery of artisan produced food which can only usually be found in specialist shops, rarely will you see it on the supermarket shelf.

"Many busy people would love the opportunity to sample these foods but their lifestyles simply don't offer the time to visit delicatessens and farm shops." 

"We decided that we would bring a wide range of the best produce from the Midlands together on www.morefresh.co.uk and offer delivery to the doorstep. This has the effect of reducing food miles and allowing customers to select from seasonal produce, butchery and dairy produce, store cupboard staples and indulgent luxury items from the comfort of home 24 hours a day."

All the suppliers have been hand-picked by Mr Meredith, who worked as food and drink manager for Thames restaurant cruise company Bateaux London before setting up Morefresh.

"Working with Bateaux London gave me an understanding of small food producers who care very much about the quality of their products. 

"From Pat Gorman's award-winning pies made in Bloxwich and Shropshire's best black pudding to crisps from Hereford-based Tyrrells and Warwickshire's Fowlers cheese, we're proud to be supporting all our suppliers and bringing their produce direct to the customer's door."

Mr Meredith said he was delighted to be able to launch Morefresh's expansion during British Food Fortnight, an event which celebrates the diverse range of food produced across the country.

"Here in the Midlands we have some of the very best food producers in the UK. What we do for customers is bring the farm shop and the deli into their home where they  can browse, order and pay online while supporting the farmers, growers and food producers they have on their own doorstep. We don't even charge for delivery."

Morefresh will launch the deliveries in selected postcode areas in the south Birmingham, Warwickshire and Worcestershire at the end of September and roll-out deliveries in a wider area in the coming months. 

Customers can go to www.morefresh.co.uk and enter their postcode to see if deliveries are available in their area and existing milk customers can also use the website to pay for both milk and food deliveries.