Buy From Farmers Direct prepares December launch to connect shoppers with local producers

The British platform aims to make independent food businesses easier to find and give farmers another route to local customers.

A farm can be five miles from a household and still be invisible when that household decides where to shop. The farmer may have produce to sell. The customer may be keen to buy it. Unless they can find each other, the sale goes elsewhere.

That gap between proximity and visibility is the starting point for Buy From Farmers Direct, a British platform preparing for its soft launch on 1 December 2026. Its directory and map help people discover farmers, growers, farm shops and independent food producers, then find out how to buy from them.

Founded by Tom Claypole, a farmer’s son with a background in search marketing, the project brings a commercial question to the familiar appeal to support British farming. How much local trade could producers be missing simply because potential customers do not know they are there?

Being nearby does not guarantee being found

For a household planning dinner, supporting local food quickly becomes a practical exercise. Where can they buy vegetables? Is the shop open after work? Does the producer sell to the public, and can an order be collected at the weekend?

A business name and a pin on a map leave much of that work to the shopper. An old social media post may suggest what was available last summer, but offer little help with this week’s shopping. Each unanswered question gives someone another reason to choose a familiar retailer.

The opportunity for independent suppliers is to make those decisions easier. Useful product information, clear opening hours and straightforward buying instructions can give an unfamiliar business a place in somebody’s plans.

BFFD brings location searches together with supplier profiles and food categories. The aim is to help a shopper move from wanting to buy locally to identifying a business they can actually use.

The economics depend on customers returning

Direct sales can give producers more influence over pricing and a closer relationship with customers. They also bring work and expense. Staffing a shop, taking payments, packaging orders and handling enquiries all have to be paid for. A larger share of the selling price does not automatically mean a larger profit.

The wider search for additional income is already familiar across farming. Defra’s Farm Accounts in England reports that 72 per cent of farm businesses covered by its survey had some diversified activity in 2024/25. That definition includes activities such as letting buildings and generating energy; it is not a measure of direct food sales.

For a producer considering retail, the useful calculation is how much regular trade a new route to customers could support. As an illustration, 20 households spending £15 a week for 48 weeks would generate £14,400 in annual sales. That is gross revenue before costs, rather than profit or a forecast of what joining a directory will deliver.

The example shows why repeat custom deserves attention. A first visit is a chance to learn what a household wants, explain what will be available next and make returning convenient. Over time, regular customers may also help a producer plan stock and collection arrangements with greater confidence.

The household budget still has to work

For consumers, buying locally has to make sense alongside everything else competing for the food budget. Claims that direct purchases are always cheaper will fail the moment a shopper encounters a different price at the counter.

A fair comparison needs to account for quantity and what is actually being bought. Price per kilogram is more useful than comparing two packs of different sizes. Travel costs and the likelihood of using the food also matter. A large purchase offers poor value if much of it is wasted.

Seasonal produce or a collection order may work well for one household, while another needs small quantities and flexible opening hours. A useful local food service should help people understand those options before they commit to a journey.

There is room for modest changes. A family might begin with eggs from a nearby farm or vegetables from a grower on an existing route. A purchase that fits an ordinary week has a better chance of becoming a habit.

Good information makes local food more accessible

For people looking to find farm shops near them, BFFD provides a dedicated search page alongside its wider producer map. Shoppers can explore suppliers by location and review the information businesses provide about their products and buying arrangements.

The platform helps people discover suppliers; individual businesses remain responsible for confirming availability and arranging purchases. That distinction matters for food sold seasonally or in limited quantities, where a quick check before travelling can prevent a wasted trip.

Provenance needs similar care. A farm shop may sell its own produce alongside food from other suppliers. Both can be useful to customers, provided the difference is clear. Knowing who grew, reared or made something gives shoppers a firmer basis for choosing it.

For producers, keeping a profile current is part of serving that customer. Accurate information can save time answering routine questions and help ensure that people arrive with a realistic understanding of what they can buy.

A December launch with a longer commercial test

The December soft launch gives BFFD a timely introduction during the Christmas shopping period. Farmers and independent food businesses can prepare supplier profiles ahead of the launch, setting out what they offer and how customers can reach them.

The longer commercial test will come through ordinary shopping: whether people can find a suitable producer, make a purchase and return when they need more. As the directory develops, its usefulness will depend on the breadth of suppliers and the reliability of their information.

For a farmer, the value of being found online is ultimately measured in trade. For a household, it is measured in whether buying locally becomes easier. A nearby producer becoming part of someone’s regular shopping would give the December launch a value that lasts beyond Christmas.

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