J Shaw & Son, in Louth, voted best in Lincolnshire for loose fruit and vegetables

A family farm shop has been named Lincolnshire’s loose fruit and vegetable champion by residents.

J Shaw & Son, in Louth, has been selling fresh produce since 1902 and the hard work has paid off.

Its owners were presented with the certificate at their Alvingham shop, crowning them the best in the area.

The award comes after the Lincolnshire Waste Partnership supported Food Waste Action Week, which highlighted the benefits of shopping savvy and buying loose fruit and vegetables where possible in order to cut waste.

It aimed to celebrate the county’s role as one of the UK’s leading food producers and give recognition to the businesses who make it happen.

Hundreds of residents took the time to vote for their champion, and more than 20 were nominated, with Nick Harper Produce in Coningsby and Woodhall Spa and AK Quality Fruit and Veg in Lincoln narrowly missing out on the top spot.

One voter said: “J Shaw & Son is an amazing village shop. Far more than just a shop.

“It’s a community resource, meeting place, with recipe ideas and a fabulous variety of fresh local produce as well as a wider range of goodies, and collaboration with other local small businesses - it's the absolute heart of our community.

“They are a very special team.”

As well as specialising in potatoes, vegetables, fruit and salad, the shop stocks many products from other local independent businesses.

“Bestsellers include coffee roasted at the next farm along, local honey from just down the road, and handmade Alvingham pottery.

Co-owner Cat Shaw said: “To read comments describing us as ‘the soul of the village’ is really humbling.

“We are proud to serve our community and to stock so many fantastic products, many of which are produced just a few miles from the shop.

“We try to source the fresh produce as locally as we can when in season, British where we can, and internationally to give variety when needed.

“We are also passionate about loose fruit and vegetables.

“We all need to do our bit to protect the environment, and by helping our customers to buy just what they need - a few apples here, half a dozen potatoes there - we can help prevent perfectly good food from ending up in the bin.

“I’d like to thank each and every one of our customers who nominated us for this award, we are so grateful.”