Who's who in the Food Drink Devon Christmas Shop
Our Christmas Shop will be back at the Exeter Cathedral Christmas Market this November following a successful debut in 2023, giving you the chance to shop local and support small, artisan Devon producers.
Over the four weeks of the famous market on Cathedral Green, fourteen local food and drink producers will share space in our beautifully decked-out chalet, creating a one-stop-shop for all your local foodie gifts.
By way of inspiration, they’ll be offering daily tasters to shoppers, which is sure to spark some delicious collaborations… cheese and Christmas pudding was a highlight last year!
Elsewhere in the market, Devon food and drink will be popping up all over the place, with the likes of Bar Buoy cocktails, South Devon Chilli Farm, Flapjackery, Good Game Charcuterie and more.
So, mark your calendars for 15 November to 15 December and swing by the Food Drink Devon Christmas Shop. Here’s who you find in the chalet…
West Country Olives
West Country Olives have a passion to produce the perfect olive. A small family-run business based in Exeter, they use Greek olives from suppliers who they know and trust, and then blend and produce all their flavoured and stuffed varieties by hand in Exeter, using local Devon ingredients. With twelve flavours, including top-sellers South Devon Basil Pesto Olives and Lemon Olives with Tarragon, you’re sure to find a favourite.
Thunderflower Gin
Anicca and Dominic run this award-winning micro-distillery near Cullompton, making small-batch, craft gins and spirits in their custom-built 200 litre pot still, and scooping some World Gin Awards along the way. The pair hand craft their spirits, made to their own recipes, every step of the way from foraging some of the botanicals, to distilling, bottling and hand numbering each 70cl bottle. You’ll find Thunderflower Devon Dry Gin, English Orchard Spiced Apple, Elder Bay Blush, Fireship 58 Navy Strength, and their Negroni 58 full sized and gift boxes.
Stone’s Honey
This South Hams-based family-run business produce award-winning honeys that are completely natural, unpasteurised, cold-filtered and unblended; as close to the honey that the bees produced as possible. Stone’s honeybees live in apiaries in a range of different habitats - moorland, farmland, woodland - and so forage on a range of different species, lending variety to the taste and colour of each honey. You’ll be able to shop jars of Devon Runny honey, Devon Soft Set honey, Dartmoor Heather honey, beeswax products, honey soaps and candles.
Quicke’s Cheese
Quicke's handcraft a magnificent range of award-winning clothbound cheeses on their farm just outside Exeter at Newton St Cyres. Using milk from their own cows and the finest goat's milk, their cheeses are a delicious addition to a Christmas feast or make a wonderful festive foodie gift. Each truckle is handmade, clothbound and slowly matured in the cool quiet of their stores. From the classic two-year old vintage cheddar to a delightfully different goat's cheese, the whole range is a balance of heritage and innovation.
Powderkeg Beers
Taking influences from craft beer from around the world and classic European brewing, Powderkeg is on a mission to create flavour-packed, easy-drinking session beers that excite craft aficionados and the casual drinker alike. Powderkeg's small, dedicated team make beers at their brewery in Woodbury Salterton – such as favourites Speak Easy Pale Ale, Cut Loose Pilsner, Harmony Helles Lager and the low-alcohol Green Light - that really satisfy their own curiosity, creativity and thirst - and are vegan and gluten-free.
Mrs Gill’s Country Cakes
From a small, long-established bakery in Tiverton, the Mrs Gill’s team lovingly hand bake every single cake, with their rich Christmas cakes and loaf cakes particularly sought after. They have built an enviable reputation by using only the finest ingredients which include local free-range eggs, English butter and flour to produce award winning cakes which now also include gluten free and vegan options.
Devon Distillery
Devon Distillery make unique and interesting spirits of the highest quality which will add a delicious Devon twist to your festive drinks trolley. The team innovate and experiment to bring you Devon Distillery versions of classic spirits, winning a host of local, national and international awards along the way. Look forward to founder Cosmo Caddy’s take on Italian Grappa, Dappa, Devoncello, Chocolated, Sloed Gin and Dappa Dark Fire. Be sure to make the most of those tasting opportunities!
Boo Chi Kombucha
Boo Chi are passionate about crafting kombucha the authentic way, using traditional Far Eastern methods to deliver an exceptional, organic drink that not only tastes amazing but also helps you feel your best. Boo Chi is 100% real and alive, naturally fermented, packed with live probiotics and makes a fantastic festive gift or non-alcoholic tipple. Choose from six unique flavours in 330ml ready-to-drink bottles, a 75cl sparkling Rose, or unique homebrew ‘letterbox’ kit. A thoughtful gift for wellness lovers this Christmas!
Figgy's Christmas Puddings
Figgy’s is a tiny artisan Christmas pudding maker in Devon run by husband-and-wife team, Richard and Joanne Evans. They make all their Christmas Puddings by hand to their old family recipe. Using Somerset Cider Brandy and Hanlon's Port Stout, their puddings are light in texture and rich in flavour. With Three Great Taste Gold Stars; Champion Dessert in the Taste of the West Awards and two Food Drink Devon Platinum Awards, you can be sure a Figgy’s pudding will be the perfect finale to your Christmas dinner.
Barbers Bean to Bar
Founded by Chef Michael Barber in Kingsteignton, artisan bean to bar chocolatiers, Barbers think that cocoa beans should do all the talking. They lightly roast the beans to preserve the natural goodness and lend a lovely fruitiness that you just don’t get with other chocolate bars.
Their innovative and delicious chocolate tea features a mixture of whole beans, cocoa husks, black tea and herbs to make a refreshing brewed drink that is just is good for you as for the planet. None of the bean is wasted, and it's packed into biodegradable bags made from wood tree sap.
Sandford Orchards
Proudly independent and family run, cider makers Sandford Orchards only ever use fresh juice from the best locally sourced cider apples and every drop is made in Britain’s oldest working cider mill in Crediton. That’s why their ciders taste as they should, real, refreshing and natural, beautifully balanced and incredibly sessionable. Shop bestsellers Devon Red, Devon Mist and more... and their new no-alcohol Red Zero.
Owens Coffee
Owens has been roasting 100% certified organic and Fairtrade coffee since 2010 and was the county's first dedicated organic coffee roaster. Based at The Roastery in Ivybridge, the business is run by a team of friendly, coffee-obsessed experts who precision-roast the finest organic beans, sourced from ethically-run estates. Sustainability is at the core of Owens Coffee’s mission, which means looking after the environment, as well as the people and communities involved in producing the coffee.
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Venn Valley Vineyard
There are a growing number of vineyards in Devon, but Venn Valley is one of only a handful in North Devon. Until recently England was generally thought to be too cool for winegrowing, but the vineyard lies on the same latitude as the great wine growing regions in Germany, and English wines are rapidly gaining an internationally recognised and well-deserved reputation for excellence. After many years of preparation and careful cultivation, owners Alina and Tony are proud to share their first still and sparkling wines, which are already winning awards.
Ebb Tides Seaweed
Since 2016, Ebb Tides has hand-harvested the very best varieties of seaweed including dulse, kelp, sargassum and laver from five miles of the East Devon coast and turned it into amazing products which are full of nutrients. Flavour boost shakers, beer and the latest release, Seaweed Caviar, are all full of umami goodness. The black seaweed pearls are a vegan and gluten free savoury sensation, perfect as a topping for your festive canapés.