Eat healthy with Natoora !

How could you get delivered the freshest products from France, Italy and UK at your door ? The answers of Franco Fubini, Managing Director for Natoora.

For how long has Natoora been in UK and why?
For 3 years. Natoora was originally set up in France, then Fann Lehideux who was indirectly connected to the business there came to the UK and set up here. With the success of Natoora in France and so many French families and young professionals in London it was a natural place to open a new Natoora supplying the same fresh French products and specialities direct from small producers on France.

How do you do to deliver fresh food so quickly?
We have developed at IT system that allows us to manage a just-in-time fulfilment process for the majority of our fresh products. To the customers this means that products are prepared to order by our producers, delivered to our warehouse, put into each order and dispatched within a 24 hour timeframe prior to delivery.

Where do your products come from?
We source primarily from three countries, France, Italy and the UK. By sourcing from these countries we are able to offer a range of high-quality fresh products which cover the needs of our customers' Mediterranean diets. We have jam's from Provence, award winning cheese from le fromagerie de Paris, sables from Nancay and meat from Bourbon l'Archambault. We also have Irish beef from Jack O'Shea in London - including french cuts of beef. Fruit and vegetables from a market in Milan, a range of cheese from across Italy and charcuterie from Tuscany.

How do you guarantee the quality of your products?
Our reputation and that of our suppliers is built on the quality of our products and of our service. Because we deal with fresh products we put a lot of emphasis on sourcing and quality control. We maintain a close relationship with all our suppliers to ensure that any issues are immediately raised and resolved.
We have a cold room where orders are prepared and we carry out regular temperature control checks. Our packaging maintains a controlled temperature for 48 hours and some of our producers use a temperature check indicator – a small sticker than changes colour if the cold chain is broken.

Natoora is eco-friendly. How?
Firstly we try to concentrate on seasonal food from UK, France and Italy. Secondly, the packaging we use require just 4% of the raw materials needed to produce the equivalent styrofoam packaging used by most companies transporting fresh goods. Thirdly, online grocery shopping (whoever the company is) greatly reduces traffic.
I think that the main point is that we provide a portal for smaller producers, supplying seasonal products. This helps promote better farmer practice and less intensive production methods.

What is the advantage for your customers to order online?
It takes just a few minutes to build a basket of some of the best products from France, Italy and the UK. For many of the products we are the only supplier in the UK. By keeping stock to a minimum and turning around orders in such a quick time we can sell fresh products that other retailers are unable to. We then deliver everything to your door in one delivery just like any grocery retailer.
So we have the products and quality that you would struggle to find without leaving the country! In terms of price and delivery convenience we offer a genuine alternative to supermarkets.

How can we order? Is it an easy process?
To order you just need to register. Our shop is easy to browse. We even have a seperate area of the site with just the products available next day (if you are in a hurry for your food!). You can then choose a delivery slot (2 hour slots in London. MOrning and afternoon slots in the rest of UK) and then pay by credit card using our secure online payment system.
You will receive an email confirmation and we also offer the following services.
1) email confirmation when your order is dispatched with a pdf invoice.
2) SMS service that sends you a text alerting you to any products that we couldnt supply - a great service if you need items for that evening as it gives you a chance to stop at the shop on the way home before your delivery arrives.
3) phone confirmation - we can call you once your order is prepared to let you know what is missing and offer substitions.

Do you sell rare products?
Raw foie gras
Hand made andouilette

Natoora in 2008? What are your projects?
Our main aim is to development our fulfilment system to enable us to offer the full range of products in a shorter turn-around time. Our objective is to for the majority of our products to be available for next day delivery.

What products do you propose to French customers in UK? (your top selection)
1. any of our French yoghurts from Ferme des Peulpiers, Le Fierbois or Ferme du Manege! (tangerine flavour if i had to choose one!)
2. artisan charcuterie: pate grand mere, boudin blanc aux morilles, raw foie gras, mountain saucisson from basque country
3 cheese - types of cantal (young, entre-deux, vieux)
4 artisanal crème fraiche, faisselle
5. onions de roscoff, Batavia lettuce

Your best Italian products?
Could you explain your association with Portobello. In January of 2007 Natoora and Portobello merged. Both companies felt that their offerings conmplemented each other - natoora had excellent local and french fresh food and specialities and Portobello excellent Italian specialities and groceries. Together we have some of the best fresh food and french and italian specialities available in the UK.

a. amalfi lemons
b. mozzarella - from a small supplier in Campania
c. jars of hand peeled plum tomatoes
d organic tortelli with artichokes
e. paladino extra virgin olive oil
f. tuna belly in olive oil

Order those delicious products now on www.natoora.co.uk