300 attend launch party for The Little Delish deli in Chipping Norton

Kate Salter's group had 500 members enjoying afternoon tea together across the world when they could not meet in real life.

She said: "I created recipes for the group and we had 'Friday night fakeaways' based on sharing recipes and photos of our food. 

"The group was called ‘The Great Big Afternoon Tea Party’, which I later changed to Pink Salt Shed to make the group more generic than focussing on afternoon tea."

In March 2021, about a year it was created, Ms Salter made too much pesto and as she didn't want to waste any she took some to the 'honesty shop' at the local North Cotswold dairy to see if any of it sold. 

"All five jars sold over a couple of days," she said. "So I did it again, and again and again, just to be sure that it wasn’t a one-off."

Just over two years later, there are Pink Salt Sheds in Somerset, Gloucester, Kent and London as well as locally, including at Hook Norton Brewery, Diddly Squat Farm Shop and Daylesford Organic. 

Pink Salt Shed produce is also sold in cafes, restaurants, farm shops and delis.

The brand grew so big last March it became clear they needed to move the production out of home. 

"We’d been in the garden room for months, using the kitchen and we were beginning to infiltrate the sitting room, she said.

"We couldn't pack away at the end of the day because we were carrying on the day after and it was pointless, home life was impacted.

"So in June 2022, after looking for months, I found the perfect place. The Basement on West Street in Chipping Norton which had been used as an electrical shop for 25-plus years. 

"It was in a particularly bad state of repair, but the love of the space and the location in town meant that I took the plunge."

Ms Salter got the keys in September 2022 and moved in within three weeks with production beginning in October.

But she felt she could make even better use of the place.

She said: "There’s several rooms in our premises and I’d thought about putting a sofa in one room as a staff break room. Then realising I had bills to pay, my mind quickly turned to how to diversify to make more income.

"A lot of organising and investment later Little Delish was born - recruitment, menu creation, apple crate buying and produce refining. We launched on April 1 and are in our first week of trading."

About 300 people attended the launch party for the new deli at the weekend. 

"Many local people are delighted that we’re there and already news is travelling fast," she said.

"Some of us have worked in the catering industry and in coffee shops but somehow this is different because it’s a production facility and deli. 

"The exciting thing is that production goes on whilst people are in the deli and eating with us. 

"The ‘theatre’ of what’s going on behind the scenes of a manufacturing business is interesting to those who don’t see that kind of thing happen and it’s something people like to see."

As well as The Pink Salt Shed pestos, sauces & chutneys and seasonings, the food is all local - Otis & Belle (Moreton-in-Marsh) pastries and tarts, The Cotswold Guy (Guiting Power) sausage rolls, vegan sausage rolls and Scotch eggs, Smokin’ Brothers (Daylesford) smoked salmon and Salt Pig Curing (Chipping Norton) cured meats. 

The milk is from North Cotswold Dairy at Long Compton, the coffee comes from UE Roasters in Witney, the bakes from Ceci Magee in Chipping Norton and the eggs are from Cacklebean in Stow.

"Our menu is simple. We have some breakfast options, soups, sandwiches/rolls, salads and special options with produce for every day use for back in the home," she said.

Ms Salter added: "The deli idea was a lightbulb moment and in November 2022 I’d pledged to open a deli by the Spring of 2023 - and now we have. 

"I've learnt along the way that it's not just making stuff, jarring it and selling it -  all regulations are followed, all paperwork is in place and I have three employees focussing on production.

"Orders are taken weekly and fulfilled that week, then on to the next week.

"The brand is really gathering momentum and I'm taking part in food festivals and speciality fairs to get more widely known and to appeal to bigger retailers. 

"I have the ambition to take it places and for Pink Salt Shed to become a household name. 

"From a stay at home Mummy with little direction to a businesswoman within a year and all because I started making pesto 15 years ago.

"Family and friends love it, told me to sell it and so I did and still do!" 

Little Delish is at The Basement, 5 West Street, Chipping Norton, OX7 5LH.