Renowned York Deli backs ambitious local start-up

The Good Food Shop, the Bishopthorpe Road institution of 30 years, is among the first businesses in the country to stock Vegan Fried Chick*n made by VFC - a bold, York-based start-up brand that is already in talks with three of the four largest supermarkets in the country.

VFC is the latest venture of Matthew Glover, the co-founder of Veganuary, and Adam Lyons, the chef and owner of Source restaurant on Castlegate. Saddened by the treatment of chickens in factory farms and slaughterhouses, the pair teamed up to create an alternative product that would appeal to meat eaters as well as vegetarians and vegans. They say their ultimate aim is to put factory farms out of business.

And while the brand has got off to a flying start - meeting with multiple retail giants, and fielding calls from potential distributors in more than a dozen countries and investors hoping to get in on the action, all in its first 8 weeks of trading - it is the Good Food Shop on their home turf that has become one of the very first outlets in the country to stock the product.

Says chef Adam Lyons: “VFC looks, cooks and tastes like fried chicken so people get all the flavours and mouth-feel they love without the factory farming and slaughter. I’m really proud of the product we’ve created and, as a York businessman, I couldn’t be happier that The Good Food Shop is one of the very first outlets to sell VFC.”

Dan and Ruth, who have run the Good Food Shop since November 2020 stock a range of VFC’s products - Fillets and Bites in both Original and Spicy flavours - and sell retail, while also offering a Korean VFC sandwich, made with the Spicy Fillets, kimchi slaw and vegan mayo.

Previously, Dan worked for six years as an operation’s manager for a premium fried chicken company but explains why stocking VFC makes sound business, ethical and ecological sense.

Says Dan of the Good Food Shop: “We have a passion for great food and want to continue to stock the best of local and international produce. We were keen to stock VFC as it’s a York based company and the deli has a strong vegan and vegetarian customer base. We ourselves are meat-eaters but like many people want make an effort to eat less meat and this is a great opportunity to support a company that wants to protect animals and reduce climate chaos.”