Lifestyle
Best online groceries for home delivery
Looking to order some groceries online? There has never been a more important time to champion and support the best of British food and drink.
We explain the farmers, producers and suppliers that are making, selling and delivering the best groceries from online to your door.
The best online groceries
Dairy
The Cheese Geek
The Cheese Geek in one of the UK’s leading online cheesemongers. It has access to a whole host of small-batch producers you certainly won’t come across on your trip to the supermarket. Quick delivery times mean you can choose, order and tuck into your cheese within 24 hours. A subscription service is also available.
thecheesegeek.com
Milk & More
Rediscover the old-fashioned, eco-friendly joy of getting glass-bottled milk delivered straight to your door. Milk & More offers skimmed, semi-skimmed, whole, organic, long-life, goat’s milk and even dairy-free alternatives. As for the ‘more’ part, you can also get lots of other staples delivered, from coffee and eggs to baked goods.
milkandmore.co.uk
Fen Farm Dairy
Owned by the Crickmore family for three generations, Fen Farm Dairy is home to a herd of Montbéliarde and Friesian cows. These cows contently graze the bucolic marshlands of the River Waveney valley in Suffolk. The raw milk is then turned into the finest artisan cheese, Baron Bigod, and Bungay raw butter. These are handmade the traditional way with lactic culture, churning and hand-paddling for a rich, creamy depth.
fenfarmdairy.co.uk
Fruit and veg
Knock Knock by Smith & Brock
Originally a wholesale business supplying London’s best restaurants and hotels, this small family-owned company has pivoted to also deliver high-quality groceries and artisanal produce around London. The brand sources out directly, meaning products aren’t waiting in warehouses. Knock Knock also delivers in recycled cardboard boxes, with minimal plastic. Choose from the likes of an Essential dairy box, Premium fruit box and the brand’s popular Sunday feast box.
knock-knock-groceries.com
The Watercress company
Did you know that this summer salad ingredient was once a ‘fast food’ for factory workers in Victorian times, sold fresh by the bunch? You too can now buy bunches of watercress, wrapped in 100% biodegradable paper packaging. Perfect for vitamin-rich smoothies, salads, soups and pestos.
thewasabicompany.co.uk
Pikt
This family-owned business is Soil Association-certified and Plastic Free Trust awarded. Delivering nationwide, Pikt offers three options for its online groceries of organic fruit and veg boxes: the Homey (up to 25 portions for the week); Fruitist (all your fruit portions for the week); and the Prepster (a go-to fresh ingredient box). There’s also the choice to off-set the carbon of your delivery, and round up the box price. The extra pennies go towards good causes throughout the UK through the Fresh Republic Foundation.
piktfresh.com
Drink
Indy Coffee Box
This monthly coffee subscription box delivers hand-picked, speciality coffee straight to your door. It gives you the chance to try blends you would never typically come across in shops. It helps to keep small independent coffee roasters from the UK and Ireland in business too.
indycoffeebox.co.uk
Small & Wild tea
Small & Wild independent herbal tea company offers four refreshing blends, specifically created with children in mind (although delicious for adults, too). Flavours include Jolly Croc Tea with Banana, Strawberry & Apple, and Snoozy Fox Tea with Camomile, Spearmint & Lavender.
The teas are made from 100% ethically sourced ingredients and contain no caffeine, sugar or other nasties.
smallandwild.com
Ancestrel Wines
This London-based wine import business is a go-to for anyone after an interesting, sustainable tipple. With a portfolio that focuses solely on independent farmers and winemakers, this online bottle shop sells an exciting range from producers around the world. Free UK delivery on all order over £100.
ancestrelwines.com
Newt’s Fine Rosé Cyder
Hailing from Somerset’s luxury country estate The Newt Fine Rosé Cyder is the latest addition to the brand’s drinks range. It’s the perfect lower-alcohol, lower-sugar option for a summer BBQ. The drink is made with 100% ‘Red Love’ apple juice from the Newt apple tree maze. Supply is limited to 2400 bottles.
shop.thenewtinsomerset.com
Meat and fish
Pesky Fish
Buying fresh, seasonal and sustainable fish direct from the fisherman has never been easier than with this brilliant UK company. Pesky Fish’s aim is to both reduce fish waste in the supply chain and offer fairer prices for fishermen. This gives fishermen a direct route to the market. By simply signing up, you’ll be the first to hear about available landings from their fleet of fishing boats. Or just head to their virtual ‘market’ each day to buy your seafood.
peskyfish.co.uk
Coombe Farm Organic
This farm produces Soil Association-certified meat and is set on a beautiful estate in Somerset. From grass-fed beef and lamb to free-range chicken, Coombe Farm Organic’s own butchers prepare all the meat. Coombe Farm Organic also produces its own small-batch bone broths and apple cider vinegar, as well as selling seasonal veg. The brand is also currently offering River Cottage vegetable boxes. Delivery is nationwide and next day.
coombefarmorganic.co.uk
Pipers Farm
This Devon-based family founded farm produces 100% grass-fed and free range meat, and sustainably sourced foods – winning awards for their sustainable approach to farming. They now work with 45 family farms to support local producers and fishermen. Choose from one of their curated meat boxes, organic kefir, handmade tortelloni and so much more, and if you are looking for cooking inspiration be sure to check out their very own cookbook – The Sustainable Meat Cookbook.
Larder
Belazu Ingredient Company
Champions of responsibly-sourced Middle Eastern and Mediterranean ingredients for home cooks and chefs alike, Belazu’s range includes store cupboard essentials. This includes grains, lentils, nuts, olives and antipasti (in super-sized bags), as well as signature olive oils, vinegars and culinary pastes (try their apricot or rose harissa).
belazu.com
Butlers Larder
This new initiative brings together small, artisan food and drink producers across the North. It offers a delivery service to homes in Greater Manchester, Cheshire, Lancashire, Cumbria, Merseyside and Yorkshire. Discover a selection of meat, fish, yoghurt, eggs, fresh bread, tea and coffee, luxe chocolate and gin, as well as, of course, the best local cheeses, including Blacksticks Blue (also available via their letterbox cheese service). Choose from ready-made boxes or create your own.
butlerslarder.co.uk
Sweet treats
COCO chocolate
This Edinburgh-based chocolate has long been known and loved for its packaging and creative collaborations with artists and designers. More recently, the company has joined up with Sir Billy Connolly, Andrew Rae and Portis Wasp to launch a limited-edition collection of single-origin ethical chocolates to raise funds for the NHS during the Covid-19 crisis.
cocochocolatier.com
Haughton Honey
From the fields and ancient woodlands of south Cheshire and the Shropshire border comes this top-quality honey. Available for mail order, you can choose from a small range of 100% raw and pure English wildflower honeys – all cold extracted and coarse filtered to keep their pollen. For an extra edge, try the brand new laboratory tested and certified CBD-infused honey.
haughtonhoney.com
