New look website for The Artisan Food Trail

The Artisan Food Trail originally launched in March 2011 and since then has grown considerably as new members have joined and the digital world has moved forward.

Wanting to offer a better user experience for website visitors as well our members and to make the website responsive keeping up with current technologies, we have given it a complete overhaul.

A cleaner page layout with large images along with functional information panels helps to better showcase each food and drink producer featured on
the site.
Comprehensive menus and content give detailed information on the services offered by The Artisan Food Trail and the recipe section, again, with bigger images, serves to inspire and inform.

We have also included an online application form for prospective members which will make things a lot simpler all round.

The website was designed and built by husband and wife team Graham and Lisa Childs, – both the founders of The Artisan Food Trail and owners of the design company, childsdesign.

We admit it has taken a long time to finally get the website completed and there are still some tweaks to be done and new content to be added.
Building a website from the ground up is a lengthy process (especially one as big as ours) and it's surprising how much more you learn when doing something like this.

We are still in the process of building the members' area and when fully functioning it will allow new members to pay for their subscriptions online and existing members can renew in the same way while getting access to exclusive content, amongst other things.

If you have already seen the new website you may have noticed that we have a shop coming soon. We're very excited about this as visitors will finally be able to buy artisan food and drink direct from our members.

Got a spare moment?
Have a look around our new website www.artisanfoodtrail.co.uk

Food businesses invited to rise to the challenge

What could your small food business do with £5000 worth of business help?

For many small food businesses getting help they need to grow can be costly, so we at The Artisan Food Trail are supporting this through our very own design company, childsdesign. Our part of the prize offers both a big understanding of branding for your business and the marketing required online and offline for a small food business.

There is a chance to win up to £5000 worth of business advice for your small food business and The Food Business Challenge has been put together to help prepare one lucky business for the next step. All you have to do to stand a chance of winning is to tell us (in up to 500 words) why you believe winning will give you the boost you need.

The Food Business Challenge is brought to you by five Challenge Partners – each with a real understanding of the issues facing food businesses:

Roythornes Solicitors will review your legal documentation – your contracts, terms and conditions and non-disclosure agreements to make sure your business is protected and ready for growth.

WLP consultants will undertake a top line strategic review of your business – where are you going and are you approaching your target markets in the
best way?

Pelican Communications will conduct a social media and PR audit of your business – what are you and others saying about your business and how can you use social media to generate sales.

Bulley Davey accountants will have a look at your financial structure, systems and reporting methods and highlight issues where your business could be performing better and where changes could be made to make sure you are ‘financially fit for growth’.

Design experts childsdesign will audit your packaging, identity and website – analysing how it fits in with your brand, where you are and where you want
to be.

The challenge is open now and entries can be made up until 5pm on 17th July 2015.

Visit the website to find out more and submit your entry  www.foodbusinesschallenge.co.uk