LOCATED in the shadow of York Minster, The Yorkshire Pantry opened late last year with a cast-iron promise to source all its supply exclusively from Yorkshire producers.

This has helped some producers get a step up from farmer’s markets to a formal retail environment.

The shop’s stock ranges from large, well-known and long-established brands such as Taylors of Harrogate and Farrah’s, to smaller, artisan producers such as the Chilli Jam Man and Toftly Treats.

The exclusivity of Yorkshire brands has occasionally been a struggle, according to proprietor, Giles Bennett: “It’s a double-edged sword – we could stock the shop ten times over with jams and chutneys, but will always struggle to have more than a handful of different soft drinks available. But for better or worse we stick to our principle.”

This does not seem to be a complaint for customers, however, who show a vast amount of support for the young establishment. The Yorkshire Pantry’s Twitter page has about 700 followers, and its email marketing list reaches more than 1,000 people.

All orders are guaranteed to be dispatched within one working day, and teh business is not afraid to go the extra mile for their customers.

One online customer had forgotten to click the “Pay” button on their order, leaving them without the gifts they had hoped to send to Italy for friends. At no extra cost, The Yorkshire Pantry sent the items direct to their hotel in Italy.

This level of dedication is just one reason why The Yorkshire Pantry is in the running for Best Small Business and Best New Business of the Year at The Press Business Awards 2011.