Family-owned greengrocer: We are better stocked than Tesco

Jonathan O’Hare, who runs family firm Fortwilliam Greengrocers in north Belfast, made the remarks as empty shelves continue to be an issue at supermarkets across the Province.

For example, one individual shared their grocery list with the News Letter from a shopping trip to Tesco in Lisburn at the weekend.

The following items were all unavailable: fresh blueberries, fresh strawberries, Honeydew melon, and frozen blackberries. The store did not try to replace the last three with anything similar.

Mr O’Hare said: “We’re able to get everything at the moment. We’ve no problems.

“That’s where Tescos and all are beaten...

“I’ve absolutely everything in this shop.”

He said that extends from locally grown vegetables, to raspberries from Mexico.

He buys from a wholesale business called Total Produce and said: “At the moment, the market has said they’re not having that much difficulty getting stuff through.”

Ultimately, Mr O’Hare is not sure quite why a small firm like his is able to be better stocked than some major retailers.

But he added: “It’s fantastic for us. We’re getting a lot of customers in who’ve been going to the likes of Tescos, and have difficulty getting even grapes and the like of that.

“We’ve got everything – thanks be to God. Long may it continue.”

Aodhan Connolly, a spokesman for the Northern Ireland Retail Consortium, said there’s no “one single answer” why a small shop may be well-stocked compared to a supermarket, but suggested that it could be down to people buying in bulk from supermarkets, but grazing selectively in small shops.