Celebrating Local Collaboration through The Supply Chain Network

When Beverley-based café and restaurant Blok & Vine set out to champion Yorkshire’s finest food and drink, they turned to The Supply Chain Network — an Invest East Yorkshire initiative designed to connect local businesses and strengthen regional supply chains. Through the network, Blok & Vine has been able to source a wide range of local suppliers.

Learn how they’ve collaborated with other Yorkshire businesses in the Q&A interviews below:

Blok & Vine – Interview with Matthew Holwell

How would you describe Blok & Vine?
Blok & Vine is a local cafe/restaurant located on Dyer Lane in Beverley. We offer a selection of great Yorkshire produce in a relaxed setting. Open for morning coffees, pastries and focaccia sandwiches during the day. Then, some fantastic local cheese and charcuterie offerings in the evening, paired with some great local wines from the Laurel Vines vineyard.

We try to keep everything on the menu as local as possible. I found Three Ridings Coffee through The Supply Chain Network, which was suggested during my initial meeting with Invest East Yorkshire’s business support manager. After trying the product, it was a clear choice.

How did you hear about The Supply Chain Network?
Through the Invest East Yorkshire Business Support Services Team.

Why did you register with The Supply Chain Network?
When I was setting up the business, it was a great way to find local suppliers, such as Three Ridings Coffee, Luke’s Bakery, and other producers.

Why does sourcing and collaborating locally (where possible) matter to you as a business?
Supporting local businesses where possible is so important and a great talking point to our guests. People are a lot more conscious of where their food and drink come from, and we have tried to source everything possible from Yorkshire, showcasing what we have to offer.

Our chutneys and jams come from our neighbours, Fresh & Fruity Greengrocers. The spirits are from Ellers Farm Distillery and Filey Bay. The bread is from Luke’s Bakery in Brough, and the coffee is from Three Ridings. The cheese and meats are all sourced from across Yorkshire. Even the boards we serve on are made by the Yorkshire Viking Workshop – another great Beverley business.

How has the experience of connecting with and working with Three Ridings Coffee been for you?
It’s been amazing, they know their stuff and couldn’t have been more helpful.

Would you use The Supply Chain Network to find more suppliers?
Definitely.

Is there anything further you would like to say about The Supply Chain Network tool or your experience?
It’s a great tool to connect with local businesses.

Three Ridings Coffee – Interview with Jordan Cavalli and Leo Jarvis

How would you describe Three Ridings Coffee?
Three Ridings Coffee is a coffee roastery and barista training company based in Leven, East Yorkshire. At the heart of what we do is a passion for great coffee, roasted locally, and paired with industry-leading barista training. We’re currently putting the finishing touches to our new in-house training facility, which sits within our renovated service station in Leven — a space we’re really excited to share with the community.

How did you hear about The Supply Chain Network?
We first heard about The Supply Chain Network through a member of the Invest East Yorkshire team, who introduced us to it as a way of connecting businesses locally. It immediately struck us as a fantastic opportunity — not just for us, but for the wider network of independent businesses in the region.

Why did you decide to list your business on The Supply Chain Network?
Our business thrives in a local supply environment. We’ve built our model around supporting local partners and customers wherever possible. For example, we supply our coffee in reusable tubs, which helps cut out single-use packaging and reduces our carbon footprint. Being part of The Supply Chain Network enables us to connect with businesses that share our values and are equally committed to sustainable, collaborative growth.

Why does sourcing and collaborating locally (where possible) matter to you as a business?
Since the pandemic, we’ve noticed a real shift towards local collaboration — and the benefits are clear. From reducing waste to providing more attentive customer care and building stronger working relationships, it all adds up to a better way of doing business. When you know the maker of your produce and understand the care that goes into it, the relationship feels more authentic and valuable. That’s something we want to champion in everything we do.

How has the experience of connecting with and working with Blok & Vine been for you?
It’s been fantastic. Blok & Vine are not only champions of incredible Yorkshire produce, but also a pioneering business that we’re genuinely proud to partner with. Working with them has been both inspiring and rewarding.

Would you use The Supply Chain Network to find more suppliers?
Absolutely. The platform makes it easier to find like-minded businesses, and we’re excited to keep exploring those opportunities.

Do you have anything further you would like to say about The Supply Chain Network tool or your experience?
Since joining The Supply Chain Network, we’ve already seen increased sales and greater visibility. It’s opened doors for new connections and collaborations, and we’re really looking forward to seeing what further opportunities lie ahead — both as a supplier and as a customer.

Interested in joining The Supply Chain Network?
Discover new opportunities, connect with local suppliers, and grow your business: The Supply Chain Network – Find Business Opportunities

Mindmap Productions

Mindmap Productions have had offices at the ergo business centre on the Bridgehead Business Park in Hessle, since 2019. At the end of 2020 they received support from the council’s Invest East Yorkshire team. They moved into a larger unit at the business centre and were able to create a new, high-end broadcasting unit. They applied for funds from The Supply Chain Network to help with its creation.

Event industry business Mindmap Productions faced growing adversity as a result of the pandemic. They knew that they had to make changes to enable their business to thrive.

By being part of The Supply Chain Network they could talk to their business advisor, Lianne Emery, and work through the most effective way to turn things around.

Lianne explained: “The company had ambitious plans to create a broadcasting suite, similar to a TV studio. Business networking and conferences were no longer an option unless it was virtual. The idea was to create an environment to film people with a background or virtual workplace dropped in behind them. They have an extensive network of presenters and actors, which would give businesses a cost-effective opportunity to get their message out with a professionally produced video or virtual conference. Following a business review it became clear that a significant investment both in time and money was needed. Peter and Paul at Mindmap had the time and we could identify and guide them through the grant assistance needed”.

Having gained the clarity of vision, Mindmap set to work putting their plans into action. Supported by the ergo team, they were able to move to a larger room to facilitate and create their new high end broadcasting unit. This has led to a turnaround in business. By adapting to what their clients need in a more virtual, remote working world, using green screen technology and creating state of the art videos.

Peter Hadfield, creative director/film producer at Mindmap said:

“The Supply Chain Network team guided us through the process and helped us to apply for the funds. We are now in a really strong position to offer a cutting edge facility unique to this region.”

Business partner, Paul Leeson-Taylor added:

“When the pandemic hit we lost half of our turnover, but gained a significant amount of time to develop our business. A negative situation was turned into a positive opportunity.”

For further information about The Supply Chain Network, visit: https://www.thesupplychainnetwork.co.uk/ Or email: supplychain@eastriding.gov.uk